Learning Theories Overview

• PBL (Problem Based Learning) exposes learners to authentic life problems and uses small groups to identify problems and issues.
• EQ (Essential Questions) are questions designed to perplex learners, which provokes curiosity and deeper thinking.
• DL (Discovery Learning) occurs when teachers create situations that allow students to explore and discover information independently.

Major Groups of Learning

• Behavioristic Theories (BT) posit that habits or specific ways of thinking/behaving are learned.
• Cognitive Theories (CT) focus on how general ways of thinking are learned.

Learning Theories

• Behavioral
• Cognitive
• CC (Cognitive Constructivist)
• SC (Social Constructivist)

Behavioral Theories of Learning

• Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning Theory
• Thorndike’s S-R Theory
• F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning Theory
• Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Cognitive Theories of Learning

• Brunner’s Cognitive Learning Theory
• Ausubel’s Meaningful Learning Theory
• Gagne’s Conditioning Learning Theory
• Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Behaviorism

• Behaviorism assumes learners are passive and respond to environmental stimuli.
• It emerged in the early 1990s from Ivan Pavlov and Edward Thorndike's research; B.F. Skinner studied behavior and consequences.
• Behavior is learned through positive reinforcement, starting from a clean state.
• Environmental factors like reinforcement, feedback, practice, or repetition promote learning in Behaviorism instruction.

Basic Assumptions of Behaviorism

• Principles of learning should apply equally to different behaviors
• The learning process is studied by focusing on stimuli and responses.
• Internal processes are excluded or minimized in theoretical explanations.
• Learning includes behavior change
• Organisms start as a blank state.
• Learning results from environmental events
• The most useful theories are concise and parsimonious

Areas of Application of Theories Under Behaviorism

• Drill/Rote work and repetitive practice enhance learning
• Giving bonus points and participation points can reinforce behavior.
• Verbal reinforcement and establishing rules are key applications.
• Rewards, punishment, and feedback shape behavior.
• Token, positive, and negative reinforcement are used.

Classical Conditioning Theory

• Ivan Pavlov proposed it in 1927, based it on experiments with dogs.
• A neutral stimulus paired with an unconditioned stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response.
• Meat powder is a neutral stimulus
• The unconditioned stimulus is meat powder

Classical Conditioning Key Terms

• UCS: Unconditional Stimulus
• UCR: Unconditional Response
• CS: Conditional Stimulus
• CR: Conditional Response

Principles of Classical Conditioning

• Stimulus generalization: conditioned response transfers to similar stimuli.
• Discrimination: learning not to respond identically to similar stimuli.
• Extinction: conditioned responses are lost. Pavlov eliminated the conditioned response by ringing the bell without food.
• Spontaneous recovery: extinguished responses reappear after a period of time.
• Higher-Order conditioning: after associating a bell with food (UCS), pairing another stimulus (light) with the bell can cause salivation at the light alone.