1. F.E.C. Theory: understanding how adult learners learn
Michele Pinnock
Cluster 30
ITDE

2. Introduction
This proposed theory seeks to explain how mature entry student-teachers learn.
This theory seeks to conceptualize learning and to describe the environment in which it is to occur, in a bid to guarantee meaningful learning.

3. How do Mature Learners LEARN ?
FOCUS
EXAMINE
CONNECT
The learner will FOCUS after being stimulated by the environment, causing neurones in the brain to be stimulated.
This will cause the brain to EXAMINE the just arrived knowledge in order to interpret and identify congruence and dissonance with their existing network.
The learner will then CONNECT this new information with existing information or make adjustments to existing information.

4. UNDERSTANDING THE LAMP FRAMEWORK
UNDERPINING LEARNING THEORIES
A number of theories help to explain this ideology
Vygotsky(1978) – the need for scaffolding and mentoring
Flavell (1971) – the need to encourage metacognitive skill among learners
Constructivist- the need to recognize diversity among learners;

5. LEARNERS Components of F.E.C AUTHENTIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
METACOGNITIVE STRATEGIES
PROVIDE SUPPORT

6. Implications of FEC theory on Instruction
To guarantee learning, create learning communities that enhance learners’ metacognition skills by engaging them in meaningful learning.

7. This Theory Recognizes LEARNERS
Learners are unique
That they must be actively involved in constructing their own meaning and
that they must be made conscious of their metacognition.
Empirical evidence
Directed Perception’ by Minturn & Bruner
Students were given sequences of either letter or numbers to look at. When given ambiguous set participants interpreted the number according to their expectations of their ‘set’

8. This Theory Recognizes AUTHENTIC ENVIRONMENT
The learning environment must mirror the real world in order for learners to be able to recognize the significance and relevance of this new knowledge to be learnt.

9. This Theory Recognizes METACOGNITION as KEY
Metacognition is one’s awareness of thinking and the self-regulatory that accompanies this awareness. Here learners will
have to classify their knowledge- what they know and what they don’t.
Talk about thinking (probably in pairs)
Planning and self-regulation
Debriefing the thinking process
Self evaluation

10. This Theory Recognizes the need to PROVIDE SUPPORT
Support in the form of experts whether they be instructors and or peers. These persons will demonstrate through mentoring, modeling and or coaching the skills, attitudes and knowledge needed to succeed. Thus they help to create a learning community.

11. UNDERSTANDING THE FEC FRAMEWORK
SUBCONCEPT
THEORY
Learning in action by experts in order to learn by example, see relevance and benefits of learning such information
Vygotsky(1978) assets that each learner’s cognitive development takes place from within the learner but also from without as a collective social interaction
OPERATION
Mentoring, modeling and coaching ought to be interwoven into the curriculum. Here persons act as facilitators of learning, demonstrating or encouraging students. Application- Drill and Practice Apprenticeship; Induction of new teachers

12. UNDERSTANDING THE FEC FRAMEWORK
SUBCONCEPT
THEORY
Learners are diverse; they bring to the learning environ a variety of experiences; capabilities; dispositions and attitudes to list few. Self –confidence, open-mindedness and preception are qualities that impact on the amount of learning that my adult will incur.
This idea is rooted in the constructivist theory, where it is believed that learners construct their own meaning. Ausubel (1961) states that learners strive towards using their previous knowledge/ schema to understand new information.
OPERATION
Analyzing the learner, his/her present ideas (misconception); capabilities / background experiences is essential to learning

13. UNDERSTANDING THE FEC FRAMEWORK
SUBCONCEPT
THEORY
When learners understand how they think, they are better able to input and retrieve information from the long term memory. Creating strategies for such is necessary.
According to Flavell (1979) metacogition consists of connecting new information with old; selecting thinking strategies ; and planning, monitoring and evaluating thinking processes
OPERATION
The environment seeks to garner thinking skills. It offers to learners opportunity to see and use metacognitive strategies in order to enhance learning.

14. STANDARDS SUPPORT AUTHENTIC LEARNING Learning Environment Self-
Operationalizing the
FEC Theory of Learning
STANDARDS
Learning Environment
METACOGNITION
Self-
Confidence
Experiences
Perception
Capabilities
Learner
AUTHENTIC LEARNING
SUPPORT

15. References
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Berk, L. (1994). Child development.3rd Ed. Needham Heights,MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of learning for instruction 2nd Ed. Allyn & Bacon
Eggen, P. & Kauchak, D. (1997). Educational psychology: windows on classrooms
3rd Ed. UpperSaddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Gagne, E., Yekovich, C. & Yekovich, F. (1993). The cognitive psychology of
school learning. 2nd Ed. New York: HarperCollins.
Neisser, U. (1967). Cognitive psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Siegler, R. (1981). Children’s thinking 2nd Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall.
Thomson, D. & Tulving, E. (1970). Associative encoding and retrieval: Weak a
strong cues. Journal of Experimental Psychology,86,
Tulving, E. (1979). Relation between encoding specificity and level of processing .
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Hillsdale, NJ:Erlbaum.