This document discusses several learning theories and their implications for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. It covers behaviorism, constructivism, multiple intelligences theory, brain-based learning, and social cognitive learning theory among others. The key ideas are that learning theories call for student-centered approaches, emphasize experiences and problem-solving over standardized curricula, and recommend assessing students in varied ways that account for different learning styles and intelligences. Learning is presented as an active, social process in which students construct their own understandings rather than just memorizing information.

1. Prof (Dr) Rajesh G Konnur
Professor

2. Education is not
the filling of a pail,
but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats

3.  The way we learn is to connect it to
something else.

4. The
eye’s
have it!

5.  10% of what they read
20% of what they hear
of what they see30%
50% of what they see & hear
70% of what they say as they talk
90% of what they say as they do a
thing

6. “ I hear and I forget,
I see and I remember,
I do and understand.”

7.  “Learning is the process whereby
knowledge is created through the
transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984).

8. Constructivism:
 By reflecting on our experiences, we
construct our own understanding of
the world we live in.
 Learning, therefore, is simply the
process of adjusting our mental
models to accommodate new
experiences.

9.  Learning is a search for meaning.
 Meaning requires understanding
wholes as well as parts. And parts
must be understood in the context
of wholes.
 In order to teach well, we must
understand the mental models that
students use to perceive the world
and the assumptions they make to
support those models.

10.  The purpose of learning is for
an individual to construct his or
her own meaning, not just
memorize the “right” answers
and regurgitate someone else’s
meaning.

11.  Curriculum–Constructivism calls for the
elimination of a standardized curriculum.
 Instruction - Instructors tailor their teaching
strategies to student responses and encourage
students to analyze, interpret, and predict.
 Assessment–Constructivism calls for the
elimination of grades & standardized testing.

12.  Behaviorism is a theory of animal and human
learning that only focuses on objectively
observable behaviors & discounts activities.
 Types of Theories of Behaviorism :
 Classic conditioning :Pavlov’s observation
that dogs salivate when they eat or even see
food.
 UNCONDITIONED STIMULUS + CONDITIONED
STIMULUS = CONDITIONED REFLEX
 FOOD + SOUND OF BELL = SALAIVA

13.  Behavioral or operant conditioning:
 B.F. Skinner used reinforcement techniques to
teach pigeons to dance and bowl a ball in a mini-
alley.
 Criticisms of behaviorism:
-Behaviorism does not account for all kinds of
learning.
-Behaviorism does not explain some learning.
 Research has shown that animals adapt their
reinforced patterns to new information.

14. Its positive and negative
reinforcement techniques can be
very effective–both in animals, and
in treatments for human disorders
such as autism and antisocial
behaviour.

15.  Swiss biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget
(1896- 1980) is renowned for constructing a
highly influential model of child development
and learning.
 Based on the idea that the developing child
builds cognitive structures–in other words,
mental “maps,” schemes, or networked
concepts for understanding and responding to
physical experiences within his or her.

16.  Piaget’s Cognitive Development Stages :
1) Sensorimotor – 0 – 2 Years
2) Pre – operational (2-7 Years)
3) Concrete operational (7-11 years)
4) Formal Operational (adolescence-
adulthood).

17.  Curriculum–Educators must plan a
developmentally appropriate curriculum that
enhances their students’ logical & conceptual
growth.
 Instruction–Teachers must emphasize the
critical role that experiences or interactions
with the environment–play in student learning.

18.  As long as the brain is not prohibited from
fulfilling its normal processes, learning will
occur.
 Principles of brain-based learning:
- The brain is a parallel processor.
- Learning engages the whole physiology.
- The search for meaning is innate.

19.  The brain processes wholes and parts simultaneously.
 Learning involves both focused attention and
peripheral perception.
 Learning involves both conscious and unconscious
processes.
 We understand best when facts are embedded in
natural , spatial memory.
 Learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by
threat.
 Each brain is unique.

20.  Curriculum–Teachers must design learning
around students interests.
 Instruction– Teachers structure learning around
real problems, encouraging students to also
learn in & outside the classroom and the college
building.
 Assessment–Since all students are learning, their
assessment should allow them to understand their
learning styles and preferences.

21.  The educators should not ask, “Is this student
smart?” but rather “How is this student
smart?”.
 Types:
- Concrete and abstract perceivers.
- Active and reflective processors.

22.  Curriculum–Educators must place emphasis on
intuition, feeling, sensing, and imagination, in
addition to the traditional skills of analysis ,
reason & sequential problem solving.
 Instruction–Teachers should design their
instruction methods to connect with all four
learning styles, various combinations of experience,
reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation.
 Assessment–Teachers should employ a variety of
assessment techniques, focusing on the
development “whole brain” capacity & each of the
different learning styles.

23.  Developed by psychologist Howard Gardner.
 According to him at least seven ways that people
have of perceiving and understanding the world.
Each ways are called “intelligence”.
 Defines an “intelligence” as-
- Is somewhat autonomous from other human
capacities,
- Has a core set of information-processing
operations.
- Has a distinct history in the stages of
development we each pass through.
- Has plausible roots in evolutionary history.

24.  Curriculum - Gardner suggests a more
balanced curriculum that incorporates the
arts, self awareness, communication &
physical education.
 Instruction–Gardner advocates instructional
methods that appeal to all the intelligences,
role playing, musical performance, cooperative
learning, reflection, visualization, storytelling,
and guided imagery.
 Assessment–This theory calls for assessment
methods that take into account the diversity of
Intelligences.

25.  This theory of the structure and
functions of the mind suggests
that the two different sides of the
brain control two different
“modes” of thinking.

26. left Brain Right Brain
Logical Random
Intuitive Sequential
Holistic Rational
Synthesizing Analytical
Subjective Objective
Looks at wholes Looks at parts

27.  Curriculum–In order to be more “whole-
brained” in their orientation, schools need to
give equal weight to the arts, creativity, and
the skills of imagination and synthesis.
 Instruction–To foster a more whole-brained
scholastic experience, teachers should use
instruction techniques that connect with both
sides of the brain.
 Assessment–For a more accurate whole-
brained evaluation of student learning,
educators must new forms of assessment that
honour right brained talent and skill.

28.  This theory of motivation proposed by
William Glasser.
 The control theory states that behaviour is
inspired by what a person wants most at any
given time: survival, love, power, freedom, or
any other basic human need.
 Glasser attests that all living creatures
“control” their behaviour to maximize their
need satisfaction.

29.  Curriculum–Teachers must negotiate both
content and method with students. Students’
basic needs literally method with students.
Students’ basic needs literally help to shape how
and what they are taught.
 Instruction–Teachers rely on cooperative, active
 learning techniques that enhance the power of
the learners.
 Assessment–Instructors only give “good grades”–
those that certify quality work–to satisfy students’
for power.

30.  Observational learning, also called social
learning theory, occurs when an observer’s
behaviour changes after viewing the
behaviour of a model.
 Learning by observation processes:
 Attention
 Retention
 Production
 Motivation

31.  Curriculum – Students must get a chance to
observe and model the behaviour that leads
to a positive reinforcement.
 Instruction– Educators must encourage
collaborative learning , since much of
learning happens within important social &
environmental contexts.
 Assessment– Educators must provide the
incentive & the supportive environment for
the behaviour to happen.

32.  The social cognition-learning model asserts
that culture is the prime determinant of
individual development.
 Culture makes two sorts of contributions to a
child’s intellectual development.
First: Through culture children acquire
knowledge.
Second: The surrounding culture provides a
child
with the processes or means of their thinking -
Vygotskians call the tools of intellectual
adaptation.

33.  Curriculum–Since children learn much
through interaction, curricula should be
designed to emphasize interaction between
learners & learning tasks.
 Instruction–With appropriate adult help,
children can often perform tasks that they are
incapable of completing on their own.
 Assessment–Assessment methods must take
into account the zone of proximal
development.

34.  Need for a theory of teaching :
- It explains the relationship between teaching and learning &
identifies common factors.
- Gives the knowledge about the assumptions of teaching
activities which provide guidelines for organizing teaching.
- The instructional designs can be developed.
- Provides the scientific basis for planning, organizing,
leading & evaluation of the teaching.
- The classroom teaching problems may be studied.
-Scientifically. The pupil-teachers can develop teaching skills
and competency.
- Teaching objectives may be successfully achieved.

35.  Formal theory (philosophical
theory) of teaching.
 Descriptive theory of
teaching.
 Normative theory of teaching.

36.  Meutic Theory of Teaching.
 The communication Theory of Teaching.
 The Moulding Theory of Teaching.
 The mutual Inquiry Theory of teaching.
 Descriptive Theory of Teaching :
-Instruction theory of teaching .
-Prescriptive theory of teaching.

37.  The cognitive theory of teaching.
 Theory of teacher-behaviour.
 Psychological theory of teaching.
 The general theory of teaching.

38. Innovative SPICES Traditional
Traditional Medical Curricula
Continuum
S Student centered Teacher centered
P Problem based
I Information gathering
I Integrated Discipline – based
C Community based Hospital based
E Elective Standard
S Systematic Apprenticeship based
S

39. what is it?

41.  WHAT IS PROBLEM-BASED
LEARNING, AND HOW DOES
IT DIFFER FROM PROBLEM
SOLVING?

43. Problem solving Problem – based
learning
Educational strategy Traditional discipline based Integrated systems-based
Main characteristics - The focus is on preparatory
learning prior to exposure to
the problem.
- The staff set the problems
(case history problems in a
primarily lecture- based
format), and students
attempt to resolve them
using previously taught
curricular content.
- The problem comes first
without advance readings,
lectures, or preparation.
- The problem serves as a
stimulus for the need to
know.
- Based on their own prior
knowledge and the identified
gaps in that knowledge,
students determine the
learning issues within their
own group. They then
identify and use a variety of
learning resources to study
these issues and return to
the group to discuss and
share what they have
learned.

44. PROBLEM SOLVING PROBLEM-BASED
LEARNING
Role of the teacher Content expert Tutor/Facilitator
Learning environment Passive, teacher-centered Learning becomes
dependent upon the self-
directed efforts of the small
group. This method creates
a more active, student-
centered learning
environment
Who is responsible for
directing the learning
activities
Teacher The student decides what
he/she needs to learn

45.  The rationale for PBL lies in its comparability with modern
educational principles. Its approach is based on principles of
adult education and self-directed learning.
Principles of adult learning
Adults are motivated by learning that:
• Is perceived as relevant
• Is based on, and builds on, their previous
experiences
• Is participatory and actively involves them
• Is focused on problems
• Is designed so that they can take
responsibility for their own learning
• Can be immediately applied in practice
• Involves cycles of action and reflection
• Is based on mutual trust and respect

46.  Preclinical phase acquire
“background”
(1-3 yrs) knowledge of
the basic sciences
Clinical Phase apply this knowledge to
the
diagnosis & mgt of clinical problems
(4-6 yr)

50. Thanks