Mano a Mano 3 Phase II Week One Topic One Getting to Know Each Other Learning Theory Historical Perspective Drs. Ellen Marshall and Cathy McAuliffe

This Week’s Agenda Topic Objectives Getting to Know Each Other What is Theory? Learning Theory –Historical Perspective

Objectives Become acquainted with other class members Explore your understanding of what a theory is and what it is not Take a look back at how we used to think about learning

Getting to Know Each Other Step Two Within PBworks, create an Individual Page and tell us: –Where were you born? –Where have you lived? –What do you love to do in your spare time? –What is one thing you daydream about being able to do or accomplish?

Getting to Know Each Other Step Three Read the other students’ Individual Pages Comment on at least three students to tell us what you found interesting about their Individual Pages (in the Comments section at the bottom of each individual page)

What is Early Childhood? Newbornbirth to 1 month (sensorimotor stage) Infant1 month to 1 year (sensorimotor stage) Toddler 1 year to 3 years (sensorimotor stage) Preschooler3 years to 5 years (preoperational stage) Kindergartner5 years to 6 years (preoperational stage) Early Elementary6 years to 8 years (preoperational stage and concrete operational stage)

Theory What is the definition of the word “theory”? –A theory is an organized set of ideas that is designed to explain and make predictions about development

Personal opinions and hypotheses We all have opinions and/or hypotheses about children –how they develop –what they need

Example There is a two-month old baby who cries all the time What is your opinion or hypothesis for why this is happening? How is an opinion or hypothesis different from a theory?

What is an opinion? a : belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge b : a generally held view

Theory, Philosophy, and Opinion As early childhood professionals, it is important that we have a well-articulated philosophy of teaching that is grounded in current research and theory That means that personal opinions that are in opposition to current research and theory must be “left at home.”

Some theories are sound and some are not! A sound theory is based on solid, current research An unsound theory is based on flimsy and/or out-of-date research An unsound theory can also be based on personal opinion or experience that is not supported by current research – in that case, is cannot be called a “theory” at all!

Theory, opinion, or myth? Pam’s grandfather asked her teacher not to let her drink cold water because she had a cold and cold water would make it worse. Theory, opinion, or myth? Sound or unsound? Children with measles need to be kept in dark rooms or they could go blind. Theory, opinion or myth? Sound or unsound? If you hold a baby too much, you will spoil her. Theory, opinion or myth? Sound or unsound?

Theory, opinion, or myth? A school purchased a reading curriculum for first grade that focuses on phonics as the key to reading. Theory, opinion, or myth? Sound or unsound? Ms. Riojas believes that young children learn best through play; her four-year olds are in learning centers for the better part of each day, with short periods spent in structured small group activities. Theory, opinion, or myth? Sound or unsound?

Remember… “Theories lead to predictions that we can test in research…theories are essential for child- development research. They are the source of predictions for research, which often lead to changes in theories (Kail, page 10).”

Stop and Think! Identify an idea you have held about children that, based on this power point presentation, you might need to rethink. Add this to the comments section on the page in Topic I title, Something I may need to rethink.

Learning Theory: A Look Back What? Who? What did the “old way of thinking” look like?

What? Behaviorism or Positivism

Who Pavlov Watson Skinner

What did it look like? For most of us, this is the traditional education we experienced Basic concepts –There is one reality –The goal is to strive for complete and correct understanding

What else? Learning was considered a passive experience It was thought that physical activity was not required in order to learn Individual experience was considered insignificant It was thought that meaning existed apart from experience

And… It was believed that the expert (the teacher) knew the truth and could impart the truth to his or her students It was believed that knowledge could be given to another human being (the student)

What Would It Look Like? Look back over slides 22 – 24 Now imagine what an early childhood classroom would look like if the teacher used positivism or behaviorism as her underlying theory of learning and teaching

What Would It Look Like? How would the classroom be set up? What would the schedule look like? How would play be (or not be) included in the curriculum How would the teacher talk to the children? What would children be doing most of the day?

Write It Down To share with the entire class: “draw a picture” (using words!) to show us how you imagine such a class functioning Think about some of your current practices that may fall in to this theory of learning and write about two of them

Add it to Topic I Compose your work in Microsoft Word, and add it to the Topic I folder You will need to create a page to add to the folder Be sure to include your name!

Read and Comment Read some of the pages related to the behaviorist theory of learning written by some of your classmates. Write some of your thoughts in the comments section on the Comments about the behaviorist learning theory page.

Current Learning Theory Next week, we will talk about constructivism In the meantime, please explore this website constructivism/index.html

Have a great week!