This document outlines principles of learning according to Dr. M. Deivam. It discusses that learning is growth through experience and mental development. Learning helps with adjustment to new situations through repeated experiences. True learning involves reorganizing experiences in an organized way. Learning must be purposeful for the learner to feel motivated. It should be intelligent and active, involving doing rather than just memorizing. Learning is both an individual and social process influenced by environment. Conduct and behavior are affected by learning through trial and error that provides insight.

1. Principles of Learning
Dr.M.Deivam
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University),
Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu – 624 305

2. Learning is growth
• The word growth is generally associated with
the body which is growing, but through the
mental growth of the learner. Although it is
latent yet we can perceive its growth. Through
his daily activities the child grows both
mentally and physically. Therefore, we say
that learning is growth through experience.

3. Learning is adjustment
• Learning helps the individual to adjust himself
adequately to the new situations.
• Children meet with new situations which
demand solution. Repeated efforts are
required to react to them effectively.
• Life is full of experiences, and each
experience leaves behind some efforts in the
mental structure. These effects modify our
behaviour.

4. Learning is organizing experience
• Learning is not mere addition to knowledge. It
is not mere acquisition of facts and skills
through drill and repetition. It is the
reorganization of experiences.

5. Learning is purposeful
• All true learning is based on purpose. Purpose
plays a big role in learning.
• We do not learn anything and everything that
comes in our way, in a haphazard manner.
• All school activities should be purposeful so
that the child should feel real urge for
learning.

6. Learning is intelligent
• Meaningless efforts do not produce permanent
result.
• Any work done mechanically is without any soul.
When a child learns something unintelligently, he
is likely to forget it very soon.
• He does not assimilate but simply commits to
memory.
• Only efforts made intelligent way of learning
and understanding.

7. Learning is active
• In the teaching – learning process, the activity
of the learner counts more than the activity of
the teacher. The principle of learning by doing
is the main principle and it has been
recommended by all modern educationists.

8. Learning is both individual and social
• Learning is more than an individual activity. It
is a social activity also. Individual mind is
affected by the group mind consciously as well
as unconsciously as individual is influenced by
his friends.
• Social agencies like the family, church, film
and gangs of playmates have a tremendous
influence on the child and are always
moulding and remoulding him.

9. Learning is the product of the
environment
• Environment plays
important role in growth
and development of the
individual. Environment
should be healthy and rich
in educative possibilities.

10. Learning affects the conduct of the learner
• There is a change in the
mental structure of the
learner after every
experience.

11. Learning takes place through trial and error
• Some learning is the
outcome of trial
and error.

12. Learning depends upon insight.
• Lasting learning depends
upon insight, Insight has
sometimes been
described as the flash of
understanding.

13. Thank you