Psychology of learning

How Do We Define the Learning Process? The 4 Factors That Form The Definition of Learning: 1) learning is inferred from a change in behavior/performance* 2) learning results in an inferred change in memory 3) learning is the result of experience 4) learning is relatively permanent

Behaviourist Learning theorists: Thorndike, Pavlov, Watson, Guthrie, Hull, Tolman, Skinner View of the learning process : Change in behavior Locus of learning : Stimuli in external environment Purpose in education : Produce behavioral change in desired direction Educator's role : Arranges environment to elicit desired response Manifestations in adult learning : Behavioral objectives Competency -based education Skill development and training

Skinner’s box child

Cognitivist Learning theorists : Koffka, Kohler, Lewin, Piaget, Ausubel, Bruner, GagneLewinBruner View of the learning process : Internal mental process (including insight, information processing, memory, perception Locus of learning : Internal cognitive structuring Purpose in education : Develop capacity and skills to learn better Educator's role : Structures content of learning activity Manifestations in adult learning : Cognitive development. Intelligence, learning and memory as function of age. Learning how to learn

Jean Piaget (August 9, September 16, 1980), a professor of psychology at the University of Geneva Summary: The cognitivist paradigm essentially argues that the “black box” of the mind should be opened and understood. The learner is viewed as an information processor (like a computer). A response to behaviorism, people are not “programmed animals” that merely respond to environmental stimuli; people are rational beings that require active participation in order to learn, and whose actions are a consequence of thinking.

Humanism Learning theorists : Maslow, RogersRogers View of the learning process : A personal act to fullfill potential. Locus of learning : Affective and cognitive needs Purpose in education : Become self-actualized, autonomous Educator's role : Facilitates development of the whole person Manifestations in adult learning : Andragogy. Self-directed learning Summary: Humanism is a paradigm/philosophy/pedagogical approach that believes learning is viewed as a personal act to fulfill one’s potential. Humanists also believe that it is necessary to study the person as a whole, especially as an individual grows and develops over the lifespan. It follows that the study of the self, motivation, and goals are areas of particular interest.

Humanism Key terms: self-actualization, teacher as facilitator, affect

Rogers Principles of Humanism: 1. Significant learning takes place when the subject matter is relevant to the personal interests of the student 2. Learning which is threatening to the self (e.g., new attitudes or perspectives) are more easily assimilated when external threats are at a minimum 3. Learning proceeds faster when the threat to the self is low 4. Self-initiated learning is the most lasting and pervasive.

Maslow’s theory of motivation Humanism

Social and situational Learning theorists : Bandura, Lave and Wenger, SalomonLave and Wenger View of the learning process : Interaction /observation in social contexts. Movement from the periphery to the centre of a community of practice Locus of learning : Learning is in relationship between people and environment. Purpose in education : Full participation in communities of practice and utilization of resources Educator's role : Works to establish communities of practice in which conversation and participation can occur. Manifestations in adult learning : Socialization. Social participation. Associationalism. Conversation

Social and situational It is not so much that learners acquire structures or models to understand the world, but they participate in frameworks that that have structure. Learning involves participation in a community of practice.

Constructivism Learning theorists: John Dewey View of the learning process: people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences Locus of learning : reconcile it with our previous ideas and experience, maybe changing what we believe, or maybe discarding the new information as irrelevant Purpose in education : encouraging students to use active techniques (experiments, real-world problem solving) to create more knowledge and then to reflect on and talk about what they are doing and how their understanding is changing. Educator's role : teacher makes sure she understands the students' preexisting conceptions, and guides the activity to address them and then build on them. A Collaborative learning environment. Manifestations in adult learning : They become engaged by applying their existing knowledge and real-world experience, learning to hypothesize, testing their theories, and ultimately drawing conclusions from their findings.

Fred Wilson: Mine/Yours, Collection: Whitney Museum

Brain based learning Learning theorists: Renate and Geoffrey Caine “Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain.” John Bruer, View of the learning process: The core principles of brain-based learning state that: The brain is a parallel processor, meaning it can perform several activities at once, like tasting and smelling. Learning engages the whole physiology. The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning comes through patterning. Emotions are critical to patterning. The brain processes wholes and parts simultaneously. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral perception. Learning involves both conscious and unconscious processes. We have two types of memory: spatial and rote. We understand best when facts are embedded in natural, spatial memory. Learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat. Each brain is unique.

Brain based learning Locus of learning : Orchestrated immersion–Creating learning environments that fully immerse students in an educational experience. brain research also suggests that the brain learns best when confronted with a balance between stress and comfort: high challenge and low threat. Purpose in education : Brain-based education is the "engagement of strategies based on principles derived from an understanding of the brain. Educator's role : Orchestrated immersion, Relaxed alertness Active processing: Manifestations in adult learning: The learner consolidates and internalizes information by actively processing it. Information is connected to prior learning. The stage is set before a unit of study is begun by the teacher preparing the students to attach new information to prior knowledge so the new information has something to latch onto. (Jensen; Caine & Caine)

Brain-based theory concerning the arts Utilizing both music and art: One of the key tenets of brain-based education is that attention follows emotion, and both music and art often tap into the emotional areas and thus are natural conduits for remembering and connecting information. Music: Music can lower stress, boost learning when used 3 different ways: as a carrier - using melody or beat to encode content, as arousal - to calm down or energize, as a primer - to prepare specific pathways for learning content) impacts the immune system, and is an energy source for the brain.

Art: Art is an important part of brain-based education in that it provides many learners with avenues of expression and emotional connection and release. It is important at many levels. For instance, it is important in technology in order to create aesthetically pleasing PowerPoint presentations and multi-media displays that showcase work and make the information and facts presented memorable. Art can be metaphoric creating simple icons or images that ground larger more complex ideas. Multicultural awareness is improved through the study of art as it instantly connects viewers to different cultures. Indeed, due to the diverse power and inherent potential of art to create deep emotional connections and aid in memory retrieval, some educators think the arts should be named as the fourth R.