2. Learning Theories By: Sara Dittmar Section 5553

3. What are Learning Theories?  Theories about how people acquire knowledge and learn.  The three Learning Theories that will be discussed in this presentation are: 1. Behaviorism 2. Cognitivism, and 3. Constructivism

4. Behaviorism  Looks at learning as a function of change in behavior.  Changes in behavior are a result of a person’s response to events in their environment.  Behavior that is positively reinforced will reoccur and vise versa.  B.F. Skinner’s S-R Theory agrees.

5. Ideas from B.F. Skinner’s S-R Theory  Reinforcement is key  Behavior that is positively reinforced- will reoccur.  Information should be presented in small amounts (so that responses can be reinforced- also known as “shaping”).  “stimulus generalization”- says that reinforcements will generalize will similar stimuli.  Additional information on Behaviorism: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/ http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/

6. Cognitivism  Looks at learning as a function of the mind.  George A. Miller’s Information Processing Theory follows this idea.  His theory has become a general theory of human cognition.

7. Ideas from Miller’s Information Processing Theory  Concept of “chunking” information together to remember it.  Short term memory limited to 7 chunks of information.  Planning is a fundamental cognitive process.  Behavior is hierarchically organized.  Additional information on Cognitivism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitivism_(psychol ogy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitivism_(psychol ogy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitivism_(psychol ogy)

8. Constructivism  Looks at learning as an active process.  Learners construct new ideas and concepts based on their current and past knowledge.  J. Bruner is a leading Constructivist theorist.  Additional Constructivism information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism _(learning_theory) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism _(learning_theory) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism _(learning_theory)

9. Ideas from Bruner’s Constructivist Theory  When it comes to a theory of Instruction, 4 things should be kept in mind: 1. There is a predisposition towards learning 2. Knowledge is structured to be easily grasped by the learner 3. The most effective order to present material, and 4. The nature of rewards and punishments.

10. Comparing Learning Theories and Educational Technology BehaviorismCognitivismConstructivism Belief of how people learn Sees learning as a function of behavior (through reinforcements and punishments). Sees learning as a function of the mind. Sees learning as an active process where the learner constructs new ideas from past or current knowledge. How technology can be used to aid learning Many educational computer programs award points or other rewards for answering questions correctly and can reinforce student behavior when learning. Have students play an educational computer game that allows them to continue to answer a question until they get it right answer (this allows them to develop a process to answering that type of question). Have students explore new concepts on the internet and link the concepts to previously learned ones.

11. The End