Learning+Paradigm

__**Feb 8th, 2012**__

Learning theories tend to fall into one of several perspectives or paradigms, including behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and others.

[|**Behaviorism**] [|**Cognitivism**] [|**Constructivism**] [|**Humanism**]
 * Founders and proponents: John B. Watson in the early 20th century. B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, and others.
 * Basic idea: Stimulus-response. All behavior caused by external stimuli (operant conditioning). All behavior can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciousness.
 * Learner viewed as: Passive, responds to environmental stimuli.
 * Behavior may result in reinforcement (increased likelihood that behavior will occur in the future); or punishment.
 * Founders and proponents: Replaced behaviorism in 1960s as dominant paradigm. Noam Chomsky.
 * Basic idea: Mental function can be understood
 * Learner viewed as: Information processor
 * Cognitivism focuses on inner mental activities — opening the “black box” of the human mind. It is necessary to determine how processes such as thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving occur. People are not “programmed animals” that merely respond to environmental stimuli; people are rational beings whose action are a consequence of thinking.
 * Metaphor of mind as computer: information comes in, is being processed, and leads to certain outcomes.
 * Founders and proponents: John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, Lev Vygotsky, others.
 * Basic idea: Learning is an active, constructive process.
 * Learner viewed as: Information constructor.
 * People actively construct or create their own subjective representations of objective reality. New information is linked to to prior knowledge, thus mental representations are subjective.
 * Founders and proponents: Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, others.
 * Basic idea: Learning is a personal act to fulfill one’s potential.
 * Learner viewed as: One with affective and cognitive needs.
 * Emphasis on the freedom, dignity, and potential of humans.
 * Learning is student-centered and personal, facilitated by teachers, with the goal of developing self-actualized people in a cooperative, supportive environment.

(Source: http://www.learning-theories.com/paradigms)

__**Feb 14th, 2012**__





The learning pyramid shows that people learn best when they teach others...

**__Feb 17th, 2012__**

Vygostky [1896-1934] (1962) and his theory of the "Zone of Proximal Development" (ZPD) is based on the Constructivism. ZPD may be defined as the zone in which we can accomplish a task with the assistance, or accompaniment, of a more knowledgeable other - a task that a learner could not handle alone. The provision for assisted performance is known as scaffolding. Common elements of scaffolding include Based on the above, scaffolding may include assistance with planning, organising, doing and/or reflecting on the specific task. A teacher's task is, therefore, to place learning in the ZPD.
 * task definition
 * direct or indirect instruction
 * specification and sequencing of activities
 * provision of materials, equipment and facilities
 * other environmental contributions



__**March 4th, 2012**__

As you may see at the top of this page, there are four major school of thoughts in educational psychology in regards to the manner they view learning. This video clip is taken from the youtube. It summarizes the Behaviorism approach to learning based on the classical and operant conditioning experiment, carried out by Pavlov and Skinner respectively. Do watch and reflect on your approach to learning. Enjoy!

media type="file" key="Operant and Classical conditioning.mp4" width="414" height="414"


 * __March 6th, 2012__ **

There are various models of learning styles. One of these is VAK/ VARK model developed by Fleming. It would be good if you can identify your learning style by completing a questionnaire found here http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire. Have fun!