Different types of learning methods

1. TYPES OF LEARNING
METHOD
DR. SUSHMA RATHEE
A S S I S TA N T C L I N I C A L
P S Y C H O L O G I S T , P G I M E R ,
C H A N D I G A R H
E M A I L :
S U S H M A R AT H E E C P @ G M A I L . C O M
1

2. METHOD OF LEARNING
1. Massed learning
2. Spaced learning
3. Repeated Recitation
4. Whole versus Part Learning
5. Serial Learning

3. MASSED LEARNING:
“Studying that is done less frequently, but for large
periods of time”.
Is when you try to cram all your learning into one ‘study’ period
and then move onto another topic. It may seem more
efficient initially because you can squeeze everything in one
session but the advantage is swiftly lost because most of
what is learned is forgotten quickly so you need to retrain or
relearn.

4. SPACED LEARNING:
It creates time intervals between learning sessions for your
brain to refresh itself and so consolidate the learning.
This may initially appear to take longer but long term retention
is significantly enhanced so it’s a net saving of time.
For longer term retention it seems to be most effective if you
start to stretch out the intervals between the sessions.
Also known as distributed practice.

5. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MASSED AND SPACED
METHOD
1. This was first demonstrated more than a century ago by Ebbinghaus
(1885), who found that spaced learning sessions produced higher
retrieval scores than massed learning sessions, when the total time
spent learning was kept constant for both learning conditions.
2. Spaced learning has also generally proved to be better than massed
learning when learning motor skills, such as learning pursuit motor
skills (Bourne & Archer, 1956) and learning keyboard skills (Baddeley
& Longman, 1978).

6. CONT….
3. Landauer and Bjork (1978) found that learning is often more efficient if
the time interval between retrieval sessions is steadily increased for
successive sessions. This strategy is known as "expanding retrieval
practice".
4. Spaced learning sessions are usually more effective than massed
learning sessions, in real-life settings this advantage may sometimes
be compromised by practical considerations.
5. Spaced learning requires more time overall (i.e. total time including rest
breaks) than massed learning, and therefore may not represent the most
efficient use of that time unless the rest breaks can be used for something
worthwhile. Because spaced learning can create practical problems of this
kind, there is no clear agreement about its value in a real-life learning setting
such as a school classroom.

7. CONT…..
5. Dempster (1988) suggests that teachers should make use of the spaced
learning principle, whereas spaced learning is not really practicable in
a classroom setting, since the periodic interruption of learning session
can be inconvenient and can make learning less pleasant. On balance it
can be argued that spaced learning is probably the best option for
most simple learning tasks so long as we fit the sessions around our
other activities, but it may not be practicable in some settings such as
the school classroom.

8. REPEATED RECITATION:
Repetition or re-reading a lesson fixes it durably. But recitation fixes it
more durably. Recitation means reciting to oneself. Let the reader read
his lesson twice or thrice, and then recite it to himself, prompting himself
when he fails.
This active reciting method of study takes less time in memorizing. Reci-
tation is economical of time in memorizing, and fixes the mater more
durably.
Recitation is a greater advantage for permanent memory than for immediate
memory.

9. WHOLE VERSUS PART LEARNING:
In memorizing a long lesson should we divide it into parts, and study each
part by itself till mastered or read the whole lesson repeatedly.
Should we follow the ‘whole method’ or the ‘part method’? The ‘entire
method’ has been found to be superior to the ‘sectional method’ up to a
limit of about 240 lines of a poem for adults.
E.g. Children are discouraged by a long poem; they may show better results
by following the ‘part method’.

10. Some have found the ‘whole method’ to be superior in all cases. With
others two thirds have done better with the ‘whole method’ and one-
third better with the ‘part method’.
The ‘whole method’ yields good results for permanent memory. The
‘part method’ yields good results from immediate memory.
Which found that children up-to twelve years of age showed better result
with the ‘sectional method’ than with the ‘entire method’ except in
memorizing those poems in which there is perfect unity of thought and
homogeneity of material.
Children above 12 yrs showed better results with the ‘entire method’.
The adolescent is capable of more sustained mental activity, and can,
therefore, profitably use the ‘entire method’.

11. SERIAL LEARNING
Hermann Ebbinghaus is credited with conducting the first studies of
verbal memory involving serial learning.
Serial position function or effect: learners show greatest recall for stimuli
at the beginning of the list, and good but somewhat less recall for items
appearing at the end of the list.
The primacy effect refers to the fact that the first few items are learned
the most thoroughly.
The recency effect means the last items on the list are the next easiest to
learn.

13. ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN LEARNING
Learning is a complex process of discovery, collaboration, and
inquiry facilitated by language.
Composed of interrelated and rule-governed symbol systems, language is
a social and uniquely human means of representing, exploring, and
communicating meaning.
As well as being a defining feature of culture, language is an
unmistakable mark of personal identity, and is essential for forming
interpersonal relationships, understanding social situations, extending
experience, reflecting on thought and action, and contributing to a
democratic society.

14. CONT….
Language is the primary basis of all communication and the primary
instrument of thought.
Language learning is an active process that begins at birth and continues
throughout life.
Students learn language as they use it to communicate their thoughts,
feelings, and experiences, establish relationships with family members
and friends, and strive to make sense and order of their world.
They may come to school speaking more than one language, or learn
another language in school. It is important to respect and build upon
each student’s first language. Experience in one language will benefit
the learning of other languages.
Language development is continuous and recursive.

15. LANGUAGE & LEARNING: A SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY
All students can be successful learners. Responsibility for language
learning is shared by students, parents, teachers, and the
community.
Students require ongoing opportunities to use language in its many
forms. Opportunities to learn language occur first at home and are
extended as children move into the larger community.
Schools provide environments where students continue to develop
language knowledge, skills, and strategies to achieve personal,
social, and academic goals.

16. CONT…..
Language development is the responsibility of all teachers. For
example, subject area teachers teach the specialized language and
forms of each subject.
Language arts teachers, however, have a special role because of
their focus on language, its forms and functions. They help
students develop and apply strategies for comprehending,
composing, and responding in a variety of situations.

17. THINKING AND LEARNING THROUGH
LANGUAGE
Thinking, learning, and language are interrelated. From Kindergarten to
Senior, students use language to make sense of and bring order to their
world.
Human use language to examine new experiences and knowledge in relation
to their prior knowledge, experiences, and beliefs.
It also make connections, anticipate possibilities, reflect upon ideas, and
determine courses of action.
Students’ language development is integral to their success in every area in
school. Language enables students to play an active role in various
communities of learners within and beyond the classroom.

18. CONT…..
As students speak, write, and represent, they also listen to, read, and view
the ideas and experiences of others. Critical and creative thinking and
learning through language occur when students reflect, speculate, create,
analyze, and synthesize.
In addition, language enables students to develop metacognition; that is,
it enables them to reflect upon and control their own thinking and
learning processes.
Language helps students develop an awareness of the skills and
strategies they need to complete learning tasks successfully and to
communicate about themselves as learners.