THEORIES OF LEARNING

THEORIES OF LEARNING• Attempt to explain the

mechanism of behaviour in the learning process of an individual

• Divided into 3 categories1. Behaviourist Theories2. Cognitive Theories3. Constructive Theories

BEHAVIOURIST THEORIES / CONNECTIONIST THEORIES• Thorndike’s Theory of Connectionism

• Pavlov’s theory of Classical Conditioning

• B.F.Skinner’s Theory of Operant Conditioning

OTHER NAMES OF BEHAVIOURIST THEORIES

•Connectionist Theory

•S-R Bond Theory•Associationist Theory

BEHAVIOURIST THEORIES• The behaviourist theories

consider learning as a process through which experience causes a permanent change in the behaviour of an individual.

• Learning is explained as a connection between stimulus and response

WHAT IS A STIMULUS?• Stimulus is an event that activates behaviour

WHAT IS A RESPONSE?• Response is the observable reaction to a stimulus

THORNDIKE’S THEORY OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

•Trail and error is a method of learning in which various responses are tentatively tried and some discarded until a solution is attained.

PAVLOV’S THEORY OF CONNECTIONISM

PAVLOV’S THEORY OF CONNECTIONISM

• Classical conditioning is a process in which a conditioned stimulus causes a response after having been paired with an unconditioned stimulus

SKINNER’S THEORY OF OPERANT CONDITIONING

• Operant conditioning is a process of learning through which organisms learn to repeat behaviours that yield positive outcomes or permit them to avoid or escape from negative outcomes.

BEHAVIOURISM - FEATURES

• Began as a formal school of education with the publication of a book by John B Watson

• Asserts that the only subject matter for scientific study in Psychology is observable behaviour.

• Major advocate of behaviourism – B.F.Skinner (20th century psychologist)

CONTRIBUTIONS OF BEHAVIOURISM IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

• Given birth to machines that help in teaching.

• Used as a therapy for treating mental disorders in children

HOW TO APPLY BEHAVIORISM IN THE CLASSROOM

Teachers can use Behaviourism Theory in the classroom to train the students to exhibit positive behaviors and to teach them when they are not behaving properly, using the following methods:

• Make Learning Objectives Clear• Display a Positive Attitude• Weight Importance of Assignments• Reinforce Behaviors

THANK YOU

• Make Learning Objectives Clear :Students tend to not take assignments seriously when they do not understand the purpose of them. Give the student a list of observable and measurable outcomes, so he can understand the purpose of the lessons that you teach and the assignments he is given. If he understands what he is supposed to learn by the end of a lesson, a semester or even a school year, he is more likely to pay attention and apply himself. He knows his performance will be measured and he does not want to fall short.

• Display a Positive Attitude: If you are impolite to your students, eventually they will associate your class with being disrespected. This will make a student hesitant to come to class and very on edge when she is there. Instead of focusing on learning and listening to what you are teaching, she will put her efforts into not getting yelled at. Avoid this situation by greeting the student with a smile as she enters your classroom. Get the class period off to the right start by putting her at ease and allowing her to focus on the material you are teaching.

• Weight Importance of Assignments: Every assignment that you give your students is not of equal importance. You may want the student to put more effort into writing a research paper, than studying for a weekly quiz. Let him know the importance of these assignments by weighting them according to their significance. For example, the research paper might be worth 25 percent of his final grade, while the weekly quizzes will only amount to 10 percent of the total. This will help him manage his time wisely, knowing which assignments to dedicate the most time to.

• Reinforce Behaviors: Use positive reinforcement to praise the student for doing something right. For example, if she raises her hand and answers a question correctly, give her a sticker. Negative reinforcement should also be used to punish bad behavior. For example, if she is unprepared for class, deduct points from her participation score for that day. Always inform students of the behaviors they are being praised or reprimanded for exhibiting, so they can learn what is acceptable and what is not.