Learning

Behaviourism

Key Proponents and Contributions

Ivan Pavlov

• Classical Conditioning

B.F. Skinner

• Operant Conditining
• Schedules of Reinforcements

John B. Watson

• Little Albert Experiment

Edward Thorndike

• The Law of Effect

(Cherry, 2014)

Key Concepts:

• Behaviours can be measured, trained and changed
• Learning can occur through association between stimulus and response (Watson, 1913)
• Learning is conditioned by external events or factors (Latham et.al , 2011)
• Learning can occur through trial and error
• All behaviour is acquired through conditioning.
• The learner is viewed as a passive participant in the learning process.
• The consequence of a behaviour is determined by either reinforcement or punishment (Gray and McBlain, 2012).

Benefits

Limits

• Does not promote high level thinking
• Teachers are not always in control of technology (Lepi, 2012)
• reward system may develop intrinsic motivation for learning (Swinburne, 2014)
• Children don't develop at the same phase
• Children possess various skills in various areas at various levels
• Does not acknowledge the importance of thoughts, feelings and emotions as an object of study in the learning process

• Offer clinically tested models for observable and measurable behaviours (Swinburne, 2014)
• Text-based learning result in large gain in test scores
• Programmed instructions puts learners in control
• Can be adapted in various aptitudes such as athletics (Lepi, 2012)

Learning

Key Proponents and Contributions

Jean Piaget

• Schemas
• Adaptation Process
• Stages of Development

• Criticized as elitist.
• social constructivism can lead to "group think" which focuses mostly on the "majority"
• quantitative measurement of the efficacy of the theory is difficult to achieve as its not done in controlled environment (Thirteen.Org, 2013)

Limits

• Experiences are real and authentic
• Emphasizes first hand involvement in problem situations
• Creates an engaging learning environment
• promotes social and communication skills
• Learning is transferable
• Learning is more enjoyable
• Learners can take ownership of their constructed learning through direct involvement( Thirteen.Org, 2013)

Benefits

Jerome Bruner

• Readiness
• Discovery Learning
• Modes of representation
• Importance of Language

Lev Vygotzky

• Sociocultural Learning Theory
• Zone of Proximal Development
• Scaffolding

Key Concepts:

(McLeod, 2008)

• Children are born with a mental structure both inherited and evolved
• Learning is an active process with the learner able to construct one's own learning based upon past or current knowledge
• Instructions should be concerned with experiences and contexts to make the learner willing to learn (readiness)
• Learning involves language (Hein, 1991)
• Learning occurs through socialization and collaboration with more knowledgeable others (Lepi, 2012)

Constructivism