LEARNING THEORIES

Behaviourist theory

Constructivist theory

Situated learning

LEARNING - DEFINITION

Change in behavior as a result of experience, education, training & practice Learning is any relatively permanent change in behavior

as result of previous experience/ acquired through experience

Learning has taken place if an individual behaves, reacts, response, as a result of experience in a manner different from the way he formally behave

PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING

REINFORCEMENT : The term reinforcement means to strengthen, and is used in psychology to refer to

anything stimulus which strengthens, encouraging the designated behavior, or increases the probability of a specific response.

For example, if you want your dog to sit on command, you may give him a treat every time he sits for you. The dog will eventually come to understand that sitting when told to will result in a treat. This treat is reinforcing because he likes it and will result in him sitting when instructed to do so

TYPES OF REINFORCEMENT:

Positive Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement

Punishment Reinforcement

Extinction Reinforcement

1) Positive Reinforcement: Giving a positive response when an individual shows positive and required behavior. Think of it as adding something in order to increase a response. The most common types of positive reinforcement or praise and rewards.

For example: Immediately praising an employee for coming early for job. This will increase probability of outstanding behavior occurring again. Reward is a positive reinforcement.

PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING

2) Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement as taking something negative away in order to increase a response. It is a more effective tool for motivating employee behavior.

For Example: Driving in heavy traffic is a negative condition for most of us. You leave home earlier than usual one morning, and don't run into heavy traffic. You leave home earlier again the next morning and again you avoid heavy traffic. Your behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy traffic.

3) Punishment Reinforcement

Punishment refers to adding something aversive in order to decrease a behavior.

For example: Disciplining (e.g. spanking) Suspending an employee for breaking the organizational rules. Punishment involves either presenting or taking away a stimulus in order to weaken a behavior.

4) Extinction Reinforcement

When you remove something in order to decrease a behavior, this is called extinction. You are taking something away so that a response is decreased.

For Example: If an employee no longer receives praise and admiration for his good work, he may feel that his behavior is generating no fruitful consequence. Extinction may unintentionally lower desirable behavior.

TYPE OF LEARNERS

TYPE OF LEARNERS

Here are brief descriptions of the four Kolb learning styles:

1)Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) - These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations several different viewpoints. Kolb called this style 'Diverging' because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming. People with a Diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the Diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback.

2) Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO) - The Assimilating learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and concepts are more important than people. They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it a clear logical format. People with an Assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value. These learning style people is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.

TYPE OF LEARNERS

3)Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE) - People with a Converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems.. A Converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities. People with a Converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications.

4) Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE) - The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on', and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans. They commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an Accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent and useful in roles requiring action and initiative. People with an Accommodating learning style prefer to work in teams to complete tasks. They set targets and actively work in the field trying different ways to achieve an objective.

LEARNING PROCESS

Various steps in learning process are as follows

1)Stimuli:

Stimuli are any objects and language which draw the attention of people. Employees get stimuli from the actions of their supervisors.

2)Attention:

The degree of attention depends upon the nature of the stimuli. All stimuli are not paid attention to. Technical and interested stimuli are highly attended. Career oriented stimuli are generally accepted by stimuli.

3)Recognition:

Attention paid stimuli are recognized as acceptable factors of improvement and new life styles. Employees paying attention to stimuli are recognizing the stimuli for learning process

4)Translation:

Recognized stimuli are evaluated at the mental level to eliminate the irrelevant points for accepting a part of the stimulus for changing behaviour

5)Reinforcement:

Reinforced perception is learning. The perceptual process includes stimuli, Attention, recognition, translation and behaviour. Perception leads to learning, but perception itself is not learning unless it is reinforced

LEARNING PROCESS

6)Behaviour:

Learning changes behaviour through reinforcement of perceived knowledge. It makes permanent changes behaviour. A temporary change in behaviour is not learning. Positive behaviour gives rewards to employees

7)Rewards:

Employees expect rewards for learning. If the translated behaviour provides a reward. It is accepted, otherwise it is not accepted.

8)Habits:

A permanent change in behaviour becomes a habit which helps continuous improvement in behaviour and performance. Employees develop the habit of self appraisal and development.

9)Motives

Motives depends on the level of satisfaction. Employees getting more satisfaction through learning, develop high motives. Less satisfied learners have low motives. Learning is complete only when motives are fully realized and translated in to efforts

10)Efforts:

Habits help achieve good efforts and performance. This is a continuous process. Efforts are the automatic outcome of good habits which are acquired through the learning process.

LEARNING THEORIES

The learning theories are: Behaviourist theory Constructivist theory Situated Learning Cognitive Learning Theory Social Learning Theory

LEARNING THEORIES

CONSTRUCTIVIST THEROY

BEHAVIORIST THEORY

SITUATED LEARNING THEORY

COGNITIVE LEARNING THEORY

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

LEARNING THEORIES

1.Behaviourist theory

Its main influences were

Ivan Pavlov, who investigated classical conditioning

John B. Watson (1878-1958) who rejected introspective methods and sought to restrict psychology to experimental laboratory methods.

B.F. Skinner, sought to give ethical grounding to behaviorism, relating it to pragmatism.

Behaviourist theory

Behaviourist Theory maintains a focus on the

change in observable behaviours as the

manifestations of learning.

Thus the theory states that is learning is the

acquisition of new behaviour through

conditioning

Behaviourist theory

The means of conditioning is achieved in two ways namely, classical and

operant.

Operant conditioning also called instrumental conditioning refers to the

process that our behavior produces certain consequences are. If our

actions have pleasant effects, then we will be more likely to repeat them

in the future. If, however, our actions have unpleasant effects, we are less

likely to repeat them in the futureOperant conditioning is where there is

reinforcement of a behaviour by a reward or punishment. Reinforcement

is any means of increasing the likelihood that an event will be repeated.

Behaviourist theory

Classical conditioning is where the behaviour becomes

a reflex response to stimulus. For example Dogs who

were fed continuously by persons in lab coats reacted

as if food was on its way whenever they saw a lab coat

Characteristics

Behaviourist believes:

Learning is manifested by a change in behaviour

Environment shapes behaviour ( nurture)

Contiguity and reinforcement are integral to the learning process. Contiguity describes how close in time two events must be for a bond to be formed and Basic laws of learning are the same for all animals whether dogs or humans.

Implications: Learning environment

Behaviourist view learning as a change in behaviour, therefore educators arrange the environment to get desired responses through:

Behavioural objectives

Competency based education

Skill development and training

2.COGNITIVE LEARNING

Cognitive learning- attitude changing in individual

Cognition-Refers to individual thoughts, knowledge, interpretations, understanding or views about oneself & his/her environment

One stimulus lead to anothe

Edward Tolman – Rats- learn to run through a complicated web/ network towards their goal of food, rat founded out some cue to reach the goal

Theory Recognizes the role of organism in receiving, memorizing, retrieving & reacting

COGNITIVE LEARNING

COGNITIVE VIEW OF LEARNING:

Step:1

In the cognitive view, people draw on their experiences and uses past learning as a basis for present behaviour. These expectations represent For eg: an employee faced with a choice of job assignment will use previous experiences in deciding which one to accept

Step 2:

People make choices about their behaviour. The employee recognises two alternatives and choose one

Step:3

People recognise the consequences of their choices. Thus, when the employee finds the job assignments rewarding and fulfilling he will recognize that the choice was a good one and will understand why Step:4 People evaluate those consequences and add them to prior learning which affects future choices. Faced with the same job choices next year, the employee very likely to choose the same one.

3.Social learning theory People learn through observing others behaviour. Most human behaviour

is learned observationally through modeling observing others, and one forms an idea of how new behaviors' are performed. And on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Social learning theory explains human behaviour in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioural and environmental influences.

The following steps are involved in the observational learning and modeling process:

Attention:In order to learn, you need to be paying attention. Anything that distracts your attention is going to have a negative effect on observational learning. If the model interesting or there is a novel aspect to the situation, you are far more likely to dedicate your full attention to learning.

Retention:The ability to store information is also an important part of the learning process. Retention can be affected by a number of factors, but the ability to pull up information later and act on it is vital to observational learning.

Social learning theory

Reproduction:Once you have paid attention to the model and retained the information, it is time to actually perform the behavior you observed. Further practice of the learned behavior leads to improvement and skill advancement.

Motivation:Finally, in order for observational learning to be successful, you have to be motivated to imitate the behavior that has been modeled. Reinforcement and punishment play an important role in motivation. While experiencing these motivators can be highly effective, so can observing other experience some type of reinforcement or punishment. For example, if you see another student rewarded with extra credit for being to class on time, you might start to show up a few minutes early each day.

4.Constructivist theory

Constructivism is a synthesis of multiple theories diffused into one form. It is the assimilation of both behaviorialist and cognitive ideals.

The “constructivist stance maintains that learning is a process of constructing meaning; it is how people make sense of their experience”

Characteristics of the Constructivist theory

Constructivist believe that:

Peoples construct their own understanding of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on these experiences.

When learners encounter something new, they reconcile it with previous knowledge and experiences. In the end they may change what they believe , or they may discard the new information as irrelevant.

Implications: Learning environment

The teacher acts as a facilitator and guide in helping the students to become active participants in their learning. Thus enabling them to make the connection between prior knowledge and new knowledge.

The teacher helps the student to construct knowledge rather than reproduce a series of facts.

Implications: Learning environment

The teacher provide tools such as problem

solving and inquiry based learning

activities so that student can formulate

and test their ideas, and draw their own

conclusions.

5.Situated Learning Theory

Situated Learning Theory, created by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger as a model of learning in a community of practice, advances that learning is involuntary and situated within authentic activity, context, and culture.

Simply put, situated learning is learning that takes place in the same context in which it is applied.

Situated Learning

Situated learning is related to Vygotsky’s notion of learning through social development

Regular classroom learning activities involve:

1) Abstract knowledge which is in and out of context,

Characteristics

Lave argues that learning is situated; that is, It occurs normally (unintentional rather than

deliberate)

It is embedded within activity

It is embedded within context and

It is embedded within culture.

Lave and Wenger (1991) call this unintentional learning a process of “legitimate peripheral participation” or LPP

Implications

Knowledge needs to be presented in authentic contexts — settings and situations that would normally involve that knowledge.

Social interaction and collaboration are essential components of situated learning — learners become involved in a “community of practice” which embodies certain beliefs and behaviours to be acquired.

Implications

As the beginner or novice moves from the

periphery of a community to its center, he

or she becomes more active and engaged

within the culture and eventually assumes

the role of an expert.

Learning activity: Constructivist theory

Students will go on a nature walk and will

be encourage to choose a hibiscus flower.

They will be guided by the teacher in

taking apart the flower then they will

examine and name the different parts.