1. LEARNING & ABILITIES

2. ABILITY TYPES OF ABILITY
An individual’s capacity to perform the various tasks in a job.
Intellectual Ability The capacity to do mental activities
Physical Abilities
The capacity to do tasks demanding stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics
TYPES OF ABILITY

3. LEARNING Any relatively permanent change in behavior that
occurs as a result of
experience. OR
acquiring new,
or modifying
existing, knowledge, 
behaviors, skills, values, etc

4. THEORIES OF LEARNING

5. Social Learning Theory
Learning Theories
There are 3 main theories:
Behaviorism
Cognitive
Social Learning Theory

6. 1) Behaviorism “Confined to observable behavior”
Classical Conditioning - Pavlov
Operant Conditioning - Skinner

7. Classical Conditioning - Pavlov
A stimulus is presented
in order to get a response:
S R

8. Operant Conditioning – Skinner
A type of conditioning in which desired voluntary behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment.
The response is made first,
then reinforcement follows.

9. Example: Operant Conditioning
Rewards and punishments
Responsibility for student learning rests squarely with the teacher

10. Critiques of Behaviorism
Does not account for processes taking place in the mind
One size fits all

11. 2) Cognitive theory Pure cognitive theory largely rejects
 behaviorism on the basis that behaviorism
reduces complex human behavior to simple cause and effect
Studies focused on the mental processes
Grew in response to Behaviorism in an effort to better understand the mental processes behind learning

12. Cognitivism in the Classroom
Inquiry-oriented projects
Curiosity encouraged
Staged scaffolding: not based on ability or experience…based on developmental stage (age most predominantly)

13. 3) Social Learning Theory (SLT)
Grew out of Cognitive theory
A. Bandura (1973)
Learning takes place through observation and sensorial experiences
Imitation: Individuals adopt the modeled behavior more readily and completely if the person they are observing is admired by the observer
We more readily model behavior if it results in outcomes we value or approve of

14. Example 1. Children want to be like the model
2. Children believe they are like the model
3. Children experience emotions like those the model is feeling.
4. Children act like the model.

15. SLT in the workplace Collaborative learning and group work
Responses and expectations
Opportunities to observe experts in action