1. Principles of Learning for Classroom Teaching
William G. Huitt
Valdosta State University
Last revised: September 2006

2. Operant Conditioning Pay attention to observable behavior
Identify desired outcomes
Connect to beginning circumstances
Perform task analysis and backwards planning
Feed what you want to grow (reinforcement)
Starve what you want to die (ignore; extinction)

3. Information Processing
Three processes
Attention
Repetition
Elaboration
Use it or lose it—even though information is stored in long-term memory, retrieval unlikely to occur without periodic processing
Most likely to process and retrieve information in same manner as it was encoded

4. Information Processing
Use Bloom’s taxonomy for designing learning activities (Levels of elaboration)
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis & Evaluation

5. Constructivism Piaget
Create disequilibrium (primary influence or energy source for initial action)
Expect qualitative changes in thinking and knowing
Provide hands-on experiences
Systematically address movement from concrete to formal operations

6. Constructivism Vygotsky
Identify individual’s zone of proximal development
Provide mediation and scaffolding during teaching/learning activities
Social signs and symbols first processed holistically and then personally modified
Important to have correct worldview that is presented to students

7. Humanistic Education
Affect and valuing are as important as knowledge and processing skills
Attraction is key concept
Subjective, personal viewpoint is important in guiding one’s own learning

8. Social Cognition
Reciprocal determination is basic principle of relationships among influencing factors
Self-efficacy (It can be done; I can do it) best developed with successful experience
Self-regulation
Vision, mission, goals
Action plans
Commitment and perseverance
Self-reflection and evaluation

9. Summary Each learning theory provides alternative paradigm
What variables should be considered?
What data should be collected?
How should data be interpreted?
Each learning theory supported by empirical findings
Applied behavioral scientists must considered principles from all theories
Criteria for utilization of principles—What are desired outcomes?