5. Theories on Learning
Theory Proponent(s) Key Concepts, Tenets
a. Developmental Theories
1. Cognitive Development Theory Jean Piaget - schema
- assimilation
- accommodation
- equilibration
- Stages of Cognitive Development
- cognitive abilities
2. Psycho-Social Theory Eric Erikson - Eight Psychosocial Stages
- malignancy
- maladaptation
- psychosocial crisis
3. Socio-Cultural Theory Leo Vygotsky - scaffolding
- Socio-Cultural Theory of Development
- social interaction
- language
- zone of actual development
- zone of proximal development
4. Moral Development Theory Laurence Kohlberg - Stages of Moral Development
6. Theory Proponent(s) Key Concepts, Tenets
b. Behaviorist Perspective
1. Classical Conditioning Theory Ivan Pavlov - stimulus generalization
- extinction
- spontaneous recovery
- discrimination
2. Connectionism Theory Edward Lee Thorndike - Law of Effect, Exercise, Readiness
3. Stimulus-Response Associations
through Conditioning
John B. Watson - experiment on Albert
- fears, phobias, prejudices
4. Operant Conditioning Buurhus Frederick Skinner - reinforcement
- positive reinforcer, negative reinforcer
- shaping behavior
- behavioral chaining
5. Neo-Behaviorism Bridging the gap between behaviorism and cognitive theories
5.1 Purposive Behaviorism/Sign
Learning Theory
Edward Chance Tolman - cognitive/mental maps
- trial and error (behavioristic)
- latent learning
- intervening variable
5.2 Social Learning Theory Albert Bandura - social context
- modeling (live model, symbolic model)
- attention
- conditions for modeling: attention,
retention, motor reproduction, motivation
7. Theory Proponent(s) Key Concepts, Tenets
c. Cognitive Perspective
1. Gestalt Theory Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, Kurt
Koffka
- sensory wholes and visual perception
- gestalt pprinciples: law of proximity, law of
similarity, low of closure, law of good
continuation, law of pragnanz, law of
figure/ground
1.1 Insight/Discovery Learning Wolfgang Kohler -discovery or insight learning through the
coordination of thinking to create new
organizations
1.2 Life Space Kurt Lewin - inner space and outer forces that affect
perceptions and learning
2. Information Processing - - encoding, storage, retrieval
- executive control processes
- sensory register
- role of attention
3. Constructivist Theory Jerome Bruner - representation: enactive, iconic, symbolic
- spiral curriculum
- discovery learning
- categorization
- cognitive maps
- categories: identity, equivalent, coding
systems
4. Meaningful/Verbal Learning David Ausubel - advance organizers
- subsumption
- meaningful learning: derivative subsumtion,
correlative subsumption, superordinate
subsumption, combinatorial learning
5. Conditions of Learning Robert Gagne - role of instructional technology
- conditions of learning
- category of learning
8. 1. What is Learning?
Definition – any process in living organisms
that leads to change and which is not solely
due to biological maturation (learning and
non-learning)
D E V E L O P M E N T
11. 4. Impetus to the new concept on
Learning
increasing orientation towards lifelong learning
Rising demand of companies and nations of
global competitiveness
Rising awareness of the
concept, `competence`(traditional and up-to-date
knowledge + orientation and overview +
professional and everyday skills + broad range of
personal qualities
(flexibility, openness, independence, responsibility
, creativity)
12. Activity 2
What is the story all about?
Structure the events in a
timeline.
14. 5. 2 basic processes of learning
1. External interaction process between the
learner and his cultural or material environment
How does a young child learn English?
2. Internal psychological process of acquisition
and elaboration
How does a child absorb the first words and
process them in his/her mind
18. Mental resistance - a psychological mechanism
which may block or distort relevant learning.
Difficult to distinguish between non-learning caused by
defense and non-learning caused by resistance.
Defense mechanisms exist prior to the learning situation
and function re-actively.
Resistance is caused by the learning situation itself as an
active response
19. Focus Question 2
In learning a foreign language,
what process is involved?
What dimensions are more
influential?
25. 8. Barriers to Learning
1. Barriers to participation to adult learning
• Situational (depending on the person‟s situation at a
given time)
• Institutional (all practices and procedures that
discourage adults from participation)
• dispositional or psychosocial (person‟s attitudes
about self and learning
• Informational (person is not aware of the educational
activities available
2. Social structure
• Geographic conditions
• Demographic factors
• Socio-economic conditions
• Education and cultural determinants
Source: Merriam & Caffarella 1991
L
E
A
R
N
I
N
GCite the tables of roger
26. The Margin in Adult Learning (McClusky)
P = L
where P = power (motivation)
L = load (barriers)
Implications:
motivation > barriers (emotive)
Cognitive ability in English > learning requirements set
by the teacher (cognitive)
Environment > participation
27. The Adult Learning Funnel
1. The accumulation of power and load are funneled
based on the learner‟s value placed on the
different aspects of his/her personal, professional
and social.
29. 9. The Challenge of Adult Learning
an Education
1. Barriers to learning can be understood through
the adult learner‟s life stages/need and certain
dimensions of learning is involved in different
barriers.
2. Adult learning funnel = adult learner‟s
experience (life stage) + motivational factors +
barriers to learning
Multi-faceted life (personal, professional, social aspects)
30. 10.Learning Language
Start with bodily sensations – 5 senses
1ST stage in human learning – transform bodily
sensations into the language of our brains and
minds and learn to make them meaningful to
ourselves. We are social beings and so the
language we learn reflect the society we are born
into.
31. Time
The person takes the
life-world for
granted (1)
Has sensation
disjuncture (2)
Give meaning to
sensation/resolves
disjuncture (3)
Practices the resolution
(4)
The person takes
the life-world
for granted again
(5)
Time
Figure 4. The transformation of sensations: learning from primary experience
By Peter Jarvis
Where children are
– language -
32. Steps in Learning
Sensation
D
I
S
J
U
N
C
T
U
R
E
Ex. A child who
is trying to learn
how to speak
(conscious
experience)
Repetition
The child asks.
The child repeats the word(s)
and ask more.
For adults: just doing
exercises in English but still
lacks comprehension
Mediation
language
culture
ADULT
LEARNING
33. Key insights
1. Children and adults learn differently. Is this
true of language?
2. Learning arises when there is a disjuncture
which is at the heart of our conscious
experience.
3. Our answers become social constructs and
through repetition they become part of our
memory
4. The more opportunities we have to practice
the answer to our initial question, the better
we will commit it to memory
34. 5. In learning language, „conformity is not always
correctness = trial and error learning
6. Do not be imprison behind the bars of our minds by
Peter Berger
7. 2nd type of Learning – secondary experiences are
mediated experiences of the world like language.
35. Activity 3
At what stage in schooling did
you:
start learning English
improve learning English
become fluent in English
become a master in speaking,
reading, writing English
40. References
Illeris, K. (2009). Transfer of Learning in the Learning Society: How can the
barriers betweendifferent learning spaces be surmounted, and how can the gap
between learning inside and outside schools be bridged? International
Journal of Lifelong Education. Vol. 28 No. 2. pp. 137-148.
Illeris, K. (2003). “Adult education as experienced by the learners”. International
Journal of Lifelong Education. 22:1, pp. 13-23.
Moore, E. (2006). Educational Identities of Adult University Graduates.
Scandinavia Journal of Education Research. 50:12. pp. 149-163.
Papalia, D. & Olds, S. (2009) Human Growth and Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rogers, A. (2003). How do Adults Learn. Adult Learning. National Institute of
Adult Continuing Education.
