Theories Of Learning mod

Theories of Learning and Theories of Learning and TeachingTeaching

““The hard bits” made easyThe hard bits” made easy

Every teacher operates to a Every teacher operates to a theory or theories of learningtheory or theories of learning

May beMay be Consciously heldConsciously held Referenced to published Referenced to published

theorytheory

May beMay be Operated on Operated on

unknowinglyunknowingly No reference to any No reference to any

public theorypublic theory An ‘espoused’ theoryAn ‘espoused’ theory

Major public theories of learningMajor public theories of learning

Try to assess whether they lend support to or Try to assess whether they lend support to or are supported by are supported by

Central government policy (e.g. the national Central government policy (e.g. the national curriculum)curriculum)

Teachers Teachers How far do the models favoured by teachers How far do the models favoured by teachers

match the models favoured by government?match the models favoured by government?

Which Theories?Which Theories?

Who’s Hot?Who’s Hot?

Writers who have Writers who have Support of or are supported by the dominant Support of or are supported by the dominant

discourses in teaching and learningdiscourses in teaching and learning Most obviously embedded in classroom practiceMost obviously embedded in classroom practice Offer the best routes to exploration of key issues (e.g. Offer the best routes to exploration of key issues (e.g.

student centred/teacher led)student centred/teacher led)

Who’s not?Who’s not?

Theories where there is insufficient evidence to Theories where there is insufficient evidence to judge their influencejudge their influence

Learning StylesLearning Styles Accelerated learningAccelerated learning Multiple intelligencesMultiple intelligences Alternative curriculaAlternative curricula

Skinner’s Law of Skinner’s Law of “Positive Reinforcement”“Positive Reinforcement”

Burrhus Frederic!Burrhus Frederic!

Skinner’s Law of Positive Skinner’s Law of Positive ReinforcementReinforcement

Right responses lead to rewardsRight responses lead to rewards

Becomes…….Becomes……. Potential of reward leads to right responsePotential of reward leads to right response Intrinsic \ Extrinsic RewardsIntrinsic \ Extrinsic Rewards

Skinner’s Law of Positive Skinner’s Law of Positive ReinforcementReinforcement

Mistakes demoralise and demotivateMistakes demoralise and demotivate Materials should be error freeMaterials should be error free Students should not be over - facedStudents should not be over - faced Success builds on successSuccess builds on success

Jean PiagetJean Piaget

Active LearningActive Learning

Piaget: Active LearningPiaget: Active Learning

Two interactive processesTwo interactive processes Assimilation – learner incorporates physical Assimilation – learner incorporates physical

world into his worldworld into his world

Accommodation – human beings adapt their Accommodation – human beings adapt their understandings to the realities of the worldunderstandings to the realities of the world

Piaget: Active LearningPiaget: Active Learning

Staged DevelopmentStaged Development Sensory motor period (birth to eighteen months)Sensory motor period (birth to eighteen months) Pre-operational (2 – 7 years)Pre-operational (2 – 7 years) Concrete operational (7 – 11 years )Concrete operational (7 – 11 years ) Formal operational (11 years onwards)Formal operational (11 years onwards)

Piaget: Active LearningPiaget: Active Learning

Piaget’s influence on educationPiaget’s influence on education

Structure of formal schoolingStructure of formal schooling Key stages of the national curriculumKey stages of the national curriculum Teaching methodsTeaching methods

Vytgotsky: Social Vytgotsky: Social Learning Learning

Vytgotsky: Social LearningVytgotsky: Social Learning

Learning is a “meaning making process”Learning is a “meaning making process” Moves through stagesMoves through stages Difference between everyday concepts and Difference between everyday concepts and

“scientific” (deliberately taught) concepts“scientific” (deliberately taught) concepts Difference between real and rote learningDifference between real and rote learning

Vytgotsky: Social LearningVytgotsky: Social Learning

Human learning is social in natureHuman learning is social in nature We grow into the intellectual life of those We grow into the intellectual life of those

around us (Cognitive Apprenticeship)around us (Cognitive Apprenticeship) Thought development is determined by Thought development is determined by

languagelanguage Intellectual growth is contingent upon the Intellectual growth is contingent upon the

development of the social key of languagedevelopment of the social key of language

Vytgotsky: Social Vytgotsky: Social LearningLearning

The Zone of Proximal DevelopmentThe Zone of Proximal Development

The Zone of Proximal DevelopmentThe Zone of Proximal Development

WHAT STUDENTS CAN ACHIEVE BY THEMSELVES

WHAT A STUDENT CAN ACHIEVE WITH TEACHING

ZPD- the gap between what students can

achieve by themselves and what they can achieve with

‘SCAFFOLDING’

Vytgotsky: Learning across the Vytgotsky: Learning across the CurriculumCurriculum

Transferability of understandingTransferability of understanding Development of higher functionsDevelopment of higher functions Breaking the confines of a particular subjectBreaking the confines of a particular subject Conscious learningConscious learning Deliberate masteryDeliberate mastery

Jerome BrunerJerome Bruner

The Cultural ContextThe Cultural Context

Bruner: The Cultural ContextBruner: The Cultural Context

Three significant developmentsThree significant developments SpirallingSpiralling Role of the homeRole of the home Links and mismatches between learning inside Links and mismatches between learning inside

and outside formal educationand outside formal education

SummarySummary

Skinner – behavioursSkinner – behaviours Piaget –stagesPiaget –stages Vytgotsky – social learningVytgotsky – social learning Bruner – the role of cultureBruner – the role of culture

SO WHAT?SO WHAT?

Gives us ideas ofGives us ideas of Why the curriculum looks the way it doesWhy the curriculum looks the way it does Why we teach the way we doWhy we teach the way we do Some other ways that you might teachSome other ways that you might teach

andand WhyWhy