WITCHCRAFT & WIZARDRY LIST

Welcome to Learning Theories!

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

Cognitivist learning theory focuses on several concepts based in psychology. Educators should create cultures of learning in which high expectations are set for discipline in order to decrease impulsive and /or negative behaviors and responses. Likewise, the learning theory focuses on mental processes: attention, observing, perception, interpretation, organization, memory formation, categorization, and forming generalizations.

All behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. This theory relies on the principles of immediate consequences, shaping, reinforcement, connections to prior learning, and maintenance of learned content. The behaviorist learning theory is focused on the stimulus-response-reinforcement pattern.

This theory relies on aspects of both philosophy and psychology. Piaget's work focused primarily on the cognitive stages of development, and that children gain knowledge through their experiences, both social and personal. Vygotsky built on this work, including the zone of proximal development.

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.

Wizards and Witches of Learning Theories

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

VYGOTSKY

SKINNER

PIAGET

Humans acquire knowledge through their experiences. Children have four major stages of development, and their experiences in each shape their ability to learn. Therefore, learning is both social and personal. Also, motivation is the key to learning.

Learning should be focused, student-directed, and stem from self discovery and analysis of experiences and memories. Information processing, language, thinking, and problem solving are the keys to fostering learning.

Learning and behavior can be fostered through a sequence of stimuli-responses that increasingly approach the goal. Teachers can utilize behaviorism through flash cards, fact drills, and classroom reward systems.

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.

Learning Theory Houses

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

Cognitivist theorists believe that learning occurs when information is stored in meaningful ways, but also in ways that are organized. Teachers should assist students to categorize information into meaningful ways so that students can later connect previous learning to other categories. Also, hierarchical relationships and matrices assist in forming memories.Memory transfer is enhanced when students have metacognition, or awareness, of the purpose for retrieval and transfer.

Behaviorists consider memory loss as the result of nonuse of a stimulus-response pairing. Periodic practice and consistent review help to maintain memories. Memory transfer is accomplished through generalization, utilizing common features in order to transfer behaviors or learning.

Building on preious experiences is essential to learning. Therefore, constructivists believe that memories and the formation of memory is a vital part of the learning process. The learner will rely on their schema, or previously learned material, to navigate through experiences. Memory is not context-dependent, but can be transferred to assist with future learning.

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.

Learning Theory Houses

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

Learning includes testing, monitoring, repetitive drilling of facts, and immediate feedback. Also, instruction should be planned to include scaffolded steps and sequences needed for students to reach their goals. Individualized instruction at students’ skill levels is encouraged, with emphasis on remediation and reinforcement.

Learning should be done through a scaffolded process of release. Instruction should follow the explicit direct instruction model, or one wherein the instructor provides a model of the objective, followed by a guided and peer-interactive practice, and a final release for independent mastery. Likewise, learning requires personal relevance in order to build motivation.

Knowledge should be communicated and transferred in the most effective way possible. To this end, standardization and simplification can be necessary for learning. Information can be chunked, so that students can process it and utilize it as foundations for future learning. Feedback should be meaningful and support mental connections.

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.

Learning Theory Houses

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

Behaviorists use strategies and instructional practices that encourage and strengthen stimulus-response connections. In the classroom, behaviorism is applicable when teaching students to recall facts, define and illustrate concepts, associate and apply explanations, and completing specified procedures. Behaviorism is typically not associated with higher level thinking skills as well as deeper processing tasks such as making inferences.

Constructivists believe that instruction should not be domain-specific, and that integration of subject material is the most effective. Also, the learner should play an active part in the learning process. Therefore, both EDI and problem based learning (PBL) are effective constructivist practices. Problem solving tasks and performance-based tasks support constructivist learning theory.

Congitivists believe that instructional practices should include multiple opportunities for reflection. Also, students should make personal connections to the instructional content. Hierarchical analysis and categorization tasks follow cognitivist theory. Instructors should create learning environments that are conducive for developing mental processes.

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.

Learning Theories are connected in many ways.

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

https://hamizahmohdisa.blogspot.com/2019/10/3-major-learning-theories-behaviorism.html

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.

How will you be sorted as a teacher?

Behaviorism - Constructivism - cognitivism

Behaviorism in the classroom is oriented to elicit the desired response from the student when presented with the target stimulus. The student must be taught how to execute the response, as well as understand the conditions under which the response should be made. Behaviorist teachers should structure instruction around presenting the target stimulus and opportunities for the learner to rehearse the expected response. Cues and reinforcement are helpful to strengthen the student’s progress in responding correctly.

In a constructivist classroom, the teacher plays the role of a facilitator. Teachers should utilize reciprocal questioning. For example, if a student asks a question, the instructor could respond with, "What do you think the answer is?" Students should be identified as "experts" in various content fields. Collaborative learning in which students work together to solve a problem or create a product follows constructivist theories. Clearly, constructivism is applicable for tasks that require students to utilize higher order thinking skills.

Teachers can apply cognitivist theories by utilizing token economies and trading systems for them to "spend" for earned rewards. Likewise, students can benefit from cognitivist theories when teachers choose to implement reflective tasks, such as self-planning and progress monitoring. Also, graphic organizers and analogies are activities that support cognitivism.

Ornstein, Allan C. & Hunkins, Francis P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, Principals, and Issues. 7th Edition.