Behaviorism-Cognitivism

By: Belen Abarca

Behavioral Theorist-B.F. Skinner

Skinner developed the operant conditioning model.

He believed two types of learning existed: classical conditioning and operant conditioning

Skinner says that a learner “does not passively absorb knowledge from the world around him but must play an active role.”

Learners learn by doing, experiencing, and engaging in repeated trial and error.

Behavioral Theory

Behaviorism operates on a principle of “stimulus-response.”

All behavior is caused by external stimuli.

All behavior can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciousness.

Operant Conditioning

When an organism does something, the consequences of that behavior are reinforcing, it is likely to be done again. What counts as reinforcement, of course, (whether positive or negative), is based on the evidence of the repeated behavior, which makes the whole argument rather circular.

The ABCs of Behavioral Learning

Operant Conditioning simply put…

reinforcing what you want people to do again; ignoring or punish what you want people to stop doing.

Cognitive Theorist- Robert Gange

is best known for his Nine Events of Instruction.

Gagne believes that effective instruction should reach beyond traditional learning theories.

He supports cumulative teaching that transitions from simple to complex skills.

This hierarchical framework is widely used in many instructional environments.

Gange’s Nine Events of Instruction

Gain Attention Inform Learner of

Objective Recall Prior

Knowledge Present Material Provide Guided

Learning

Elicit Performance Provide Feedback Assess

Performance Enhance Retention

and Transfer

Cognitivism Theory

The cognitivist model essentially argues that the “black box” of the mind should be opened in order to understand how people learn.

The learner is viewed as an information processor (like a computer).

Learning is a change in mental representations and associations brought by experiences.

How learning theories impact teaching-behaviorism.

Breaking down the skills and information to be learned into small units.

Checking student's work regularly and providing feedback as well as encouragement

(reinforcement). Teaching "out of context." Behaviorists generally

believe that students can be taught best when the focus is directly on the content to be taught.

Direct or "teacher centered" instruction, teacher controlled teaching tend to dominate behavioral classrooms.

How learning theories impact teaching-cognitivism.

Learning is active. Students explore various possible response

patterns and choose between them. Learning can be intrinsically rewarding. Knowledge is a matter of acquiring information Understanding is a matter of creating new patterns. Applications require the learner to see relationships

among problems. Students must direct their own learning.

Behavioral Objectives Competency based

education Skill development

and training

Cognitive Development Intelligence,

learning and memory as function of age

Learning how to learn

Manifestations in adult learning

Congitivism and Adult Learning

Cognitivism, like constructivism, views the learner as an active participant in the knowledge

acquisition process. Therefore, instruction should be designed to fully engage the learner. To

do so, instructional materials can utilize demonstrations and illustrative examples.

The use of various media, such as videos and graphics, may also be helpful in engaging the

learner's cognitive processes.

Behaviorism and Adult Learning

Behaviorist Adult Education has its roots in modern philosophic and scientific movements.

Behaviorism in adult education emphasizes such concepts as control, behavioral modification, learning through reinforcement and management by objectives.

References

Atherton, J.S. (2005). Learning and Teaching: Behaviourism. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/behaviour.htm

Behavioral Theories. An Electronic Textbook on Instructional Technology. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/behavior.htm#instruction

Killpatrick, L. (2001). Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction. In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from World Wide Web: about:blank http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/gagnesevents/start.htm

Learning-Theories.com. (2007). Behaviorsm. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism.html#more-21

Learning-Theories.com. (2007). Cognitivism. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://www.learning-theories.com/cognitivism.html#more-34

Smith, M. K. (1999). Learning Theory. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm

Spurgeon, Linda P., Moore Gary E. (1997). The Educational Philosophies of Training and Development Professors, Leaders, and Practitioners. Journal of Technology Studies, 22.2, 11-19. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/Summer-Fall-1997/PDF/3-Spurgeon.pdf

Tway, Duane C. (2003, September 22). Cognitivism, Constructivism, and Work Performance The Free Library. (2003). Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Cognitivism, constructivism, and work performance-a0111848863