Implications of Gestalt, Guthrie, and Tolman Theory to Education

1. Philosophical Foundations of
Education
EDUC 205
Ms. Renalyn H. Tarog
MAE-English

2. Introduction
Theory is a scientifically
acceptable set of principles
offered to explain a
phenomenon Chunck (2015).

3. Introduction
Theories provides frameworks to
interpret an environmental
observation and serves as a
bridge between research and
education.

4. Introduction
Theories and learning are
important element in teacher
development.

5. Introduction
Most of the practice and
development in a teaching
profession field barrow idea from
learning theories.

6. Introduction
No matter what the specified
areas linked in studying theories,
the best part of learning the
theories is for making a strong
foundation in education.

7. Introduction
The following theories in
psychology are the assigned
topic to be thoroughly discuss
based on the research.

8. Content
Gestalt Theory
Guthrie Theory
Tolman Theory

9. Gestalt Theory

10. Gestalt
Gestalt derived from the German
word 'gestalten', has no English
equivalent.

11. Gestalt
The nearest English translation of
Gestalt is ‘configuration’ or an
‘organized whole’ or the ‘totality
of a situation’.

12. Prominent Gestalt
Psychologists

13. Wolfgang Kohler Max Wertheimer

14. Kurt Koffka Kurt Lewin

15. “The whole is more
important than its parts.”

16. Implications of the Gestalt
Principles in Teaching and
Learning Process

17. Law of Proximity
 Related concepts or lessons
should be taught aligned or
closely to each other.

18. Law of Similarity
 Similar lessons or contents
should be grouped together to
make learners develop
understanding more efficiently
and effectively.

19. Law of Closure
 Incomplete information may
make learners want to discover
what’s missing, rather than
concentrating on the given
instruction.

20. Law of Closure
 Make the lesson complete.
 Present the lesson clearly and
simple.
 Always be ready for students'
clarifications.

21. Law of Good Continuation
 Lessons should be presented in
such a way that learners will see
these as connected and
continuous.
 DLL: Review of the Previous
Lesson

22. Law of Pragranz (Good Figure)
 Pragnanz states that when things
are grasped as whole, the minimal
amount of energy is exerted in
thinking.
 Make the lesson holistic, complete
and simple.

23. Law of Figure/Ground
 For a figure to be perceived, it
must stand out from the
background.
 Emphasis should be done as
important aspect of the lesson.

24. Law of Figure/Ground
 Teachers should vary the tone
of voice or underline the
important key words of the
lesson.

25. Implications of Gestalt
Theory to Education

26. Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt psychology proposes
education to be an integration
of affective and cognitive
domains of learning.

27. Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt psychology is a
proponent of discovery or insight
learning.

28. Role of the Teacher
Affective Domain:
 The teacher should set the objectives
that does not only focus on the
cognitive and psychomotor domains of
teaching and learning but also on
the affective domain.

29. Role of the Teacher
Harmonious Environment:
 The teacher should maintain an
emotionally harmonious and non
threatening atmosphere during the
teaching and learning process to
consequently caters exchange of ideas
and learning.

30. Role of the Teacher
Hands-On Activities:
 The teacher should make use of
discovery approach in learning.
Example Activities:
 experiments
 laboratory
 inquiry-based strategies (interview)

31. Role of the Teacher
From Whole to Parts:
 The teacher should present the
subject matter as a whole to
facilitate insight learning.

32. Role of the Teacher
Importance of Motivation:
 The teacher should arouse the
student’s curiosity, interest and
motivation.

33. Role of the Teacher
Problem Solving Approach:
 The teacher should encourage the
learners to solve problems by
insight, meaningful learning,
learning by understanding,
reasoning, etc.

34. Role of the Teacher
Previous Experiences:
 The teacher should check the
previous experiences of the
student and relate them with
the new learning situation.

35. Role of the Teacher
Goal Orientation:
 The teacher should make sure
that the goals and purposes of
every task are fully presented in
the class.

36. Guthrie
Theory

37. Edwin Ray
Guthrie
January 9, 1886—
April 23, 1959

38. Contiguity Theory
“A combination of stimuli which
has accompanied a movement
will on its recurrence tend to be
followed by that movement”.

39. Contiguity Theory
Guthrie proposed that all
learning was a consequence of
association between a particular
stimulus and response.

40. Contiguity Theory
Guthrie argued that stimuli and
responses affect specific sensory-
motor patterns; what is learned
are movements, not behaviors.

41. One Trial
Learning

42. One Trial Learning
 Guthrie’s theories went against
those of Watson’s Classical
Conditioning and Skinner’s
Operant Conditioning

43. One Trial Learning
 Guthrie’s learning theory is
called one-trial learning
 He developed it with Smith at
the University of Washington.

44. One Trial Learning
 Guthrie and Smith’s theory
states that all learning is done
within a single exposure to a
situation.

45. Implications of
Principles of
One Trial Learning in
Teaching

46. Principles of One Trial Learning
1. Learner react to a given
situation the same way so long
as it was still effective.

47. STIMULATION RESPONSE
ONE PAIRING
Essay
Writing
(Informal
Letter)
Teacher
gives
explanation
on the
format.
Students
take note
of the
format.
LEARNING
COMPLETE
LEARNING
COMPLETE

48. Explanation:
After this, whenever students come
across with the instruction
“write an informal letter”, students
will automatically construct an
informal letter with correct format.

49. Principles of One Trial Learning
2. In order for conditioning to
occur, the organism must actively
respond (i.e., do things).

50. Role of the Teacher
Active Participation:
 Learning must be active.
 Teacher should involve the
learners during discussion.

51. Role of the Teacher
Importance of Motivation:
• The role of motivation in teacher’s
discussion is to create a state of
arousal and activity which produces
responses (active participation) that
can be conditioned.

52. Principles of One Trial Learning
3. Since learning involves the
conditioning of specific
movements, instruction must
present every specific task.

53. Role of the Teacher
Task Orientation:
 The teacher should make sure
that the directions and purposes
of every task are fully presented
in the class.

54. Principles of One Trial Learning
4. Exposure to many variations in
stimulus patterns is desirable in
order to produce a generalized
response.

55. Role of the Teacher
Comprehensive Discussion:
 The teacher should discuss the
lesson thoroughly.

56. Principles of One Trial Learning
5. The last response in a learning
situation should be correct since
it is the one that will be
associated.

57. Role of the Teacher
Correction:
 The teacher should make sure
that the information that he/she
implies to the learners is true
and correct.

58. Tolman Theory

59. Edward Chace
Tolman
April 14, 1886 —
November 19, 1959

60. Purposive Behaviorism
• Purposive Behaviorism was also
referred as Sign Learning Theory.
• It link between behaviorism
and cognitive theory.

61. Purposive Behaviorism
• Tolman’s theory was founded
on two psychological views:
 Gestalt Theory
 John Watson (Behaviorist)

62. Key Concepts:
1. Goal Directedness
2. Cognitive Maps
3. Latent Learning
4. Intervening Variables

63. Goal Directedness
 Learning is always purposive
and goal-directed.
 Tolman claimed that an
organism acted or responded
for some adaptive purpose.

64. Goal Directedness
 He also stated that individuals
do more than merely respond to
stimuli; they act on belief,
attitudes, changing conditions,
and they strive toward goals.

65. Cognitive Maps
 tendency to learn location
Rat’s Maze
--organisms will select the
shortest or easiest path to
achieve goal

66. Cognitive Maps
Rat’s Maze
--rats formed cognitive maps
that help them perform well on
the maze

67. Latent Learning
 learning that remains or stays with
individual until needed
 learning that is not outwardly
manifested at once
 can exist even without
reinforcement

68. Latent Learning
Rat’s Maze
--rats learned the maze by forming
cognitive maps of the maze, but
manifested this knowledge of the
maze only when they needed to

69. Intervening Variables
 variables that are not readily
seen but serve as
determinations of behavior

70. Intervening Variables
 Tolman believed that learning
is influenced by expectations,
perceptions, representations,
needs and other internal or
environmental variables.

71. Intervening Variables
Rat’s Maze
--rat’s hunger is the intervening
variable

72. Implications of Principles
of
Purposive Behaviorism in
Teaching

73. Principles of Purposive Behaviorism
1. Reinforcement is not essential
for learning, although it provides
an incentive for performance.

74. Role of the Teacher
The Importance of Lesson:
 The teacher should present the
value of learning the lesson for
future purposes.

75. Principles of Purposive Behaviorism
2. Learning is always purposive
and goal-directed.

76. Role of the Teacher
Goal Orientation:
 The teacher should make sure
that the goals and purposes of
every task are fully presented in
the class.

77. Principles of Purposive Behaviorism
3. Learning often involves the
use of environmental factors to
achieve a goal.

78. Role of the Teacher
Classroom Management:
 The teacher should maintain a
non threatening atmosphere
during the teaching and learning
process.

79. Principles of Purposive Behaviorism
4. Organisms will select the
shortest or easiest path to
achieve a goal.

80. Role of the Teacher
Holistic Discussion:
 The teacher should discuss the
lesson holistic, complete and
simple.

81. Reflection
Learning theories are one of the
foundations of education that build
a concreate pillars in teaching and
learning. It helps explain how
learning occurs and factors that
influence learning.

82. Reflection
Learning theories also afford a
variety of teaching strategies to help
enhance student development and
understanding. There is no single or
perfect learning theory that applies
to every student.

83. Reflection
Therefore, different learning theories
should be studied, learned, and
utilized to accommodate a variety of
learner, in order to create an
environment that will be beneficial to
both the teacher the learners.

84. References
Guthrie, E.R. (1930). Conditioning as a principle of
learning. Psychological Review, 37, 412-428.
Guthrie, E.R. (1935). The Psychology of Learning. New York:
Harper.
Guthrie, E.R. (1938). The Psychology of Human
Conflict. New York: Harper.
Guthrie, E.R. & Horton, G.P. (1946). Cats in a Puzzle
Box. New York: Rinehart.

85. References
Tolman, E.C. (1932). Purposive Behavior in Animals and
Men. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Tolman, E.C. (1942). Drives Towards War. New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Tolman, E.C. (1948). Cognitive maps in rats and
men. Psychological Review, 55, 189-208.
https://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/sign-theory/
http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Tolman/formula.htm