Mary Beth
Manley
Comparing Learning Theories
There are many different learning theories that instructional designers refer to as they build learning materials. Many times, this depends on what is being studied and who is learning the material. Though some theories are considered outdated by most instructional designers today, they still give us insight into how we learn most effectively.
Each of the five learning theories addressed on this page addresses different aspects of the learning process. For example, behaviorism doesn't discuss the mental processes that go on when one is learning, but constructivism and cognitivism both examine it closely.
My high school physics class (left) applied learning theories in a different way from how my college travel-study course on the animals of the Galapagos Islands (right) did. Both were science courses, but each took a different approach based on what was being taught.
Phutully, C. (2013). 2013 Royal Melbourne Show. Licensed under Creative Commons 2.0 on flickr.com
Behaviorism
Within the learning philosophy of behaviorism, only objectively observable behaviors are considered measurable and relevant. Thus, the mental responses behind those behaviors are not recognized as holding any particular importance. Knowledge is measured through one's responses to stimuli or ability to respond to stimuli in certain ways ("Behaviorism"). For example, a dog's ability to compete in a dog show would be measured by how well he or she responds to stimuli provided by the handler. Correct responses to stimuli are rewarded with positive stimuli, reinforcing correct behavior.
Wellspring Community School (2010). Lego Play. Licensed under Creative Commons 2.0 on flickr.com
Constructivism
In this philosophy, learners build their own understanding of the world and build knowledge to make sense of the things that they learn within it. When a learner's understanding of a concept can't explain new information, the learner builds new knowledge to take it into consideration and may have to reconstruct what has been previously learned (Cakir 2008). This learning process can happen much more quickly when the learner interacts with more knowledgeable people, allowing him or her to solve problems that would normally be beyond his or her ability level (McLeod 2014).
Phelps, J. (2013). Information Overload. Licensed under Creative Commons 2.0 on flickr.com
Cognitivism
As a philosophy, cognitivism is concerned with the process of how people learn and make the best use of their memory - particularly working memory, the information actively processed by the mind. A major part of cognitivism is Cognitive Load Theory, in which working memory is seen as a limiting factor in learning. In order for people to learn as efficiently as possible, instructional materials should put the lowest demand on working memory possible. This can be done by presenting different visual and auditory information since the brain processes those separately. It can also be done by pre-teaching important knowledge that can then be processed more easily while new information is introduced ("Cognitive Load Theory").
Connectivism
The learning theory of connectivism asserts that knowledge is built in a connected way, such that different facts and understandings of the world are connected to one another and boost comprehension of other aspects of knowledge. Knowing certain key information can play a critical role in one's ability to learn other information.
InstituteForApprenticeships. (2017). Seafarer_25. Licensed under Creative Commons 2.0 on flickr.com
Andragogy
Until the late 20th century, adult learning was generally assumed to follow the same processes as learning for younger students. The philosophy of andragogy asserts that adult learners should receive special considerations and makes several assumptions about how they differ from their younger counterparts. They take the view that adults are self-directed, self-motivated learners who use their prior experiences to help them learn new things. When they immediately need to know something related to what they do in real life (for example, in their careers), they are ready and willing to learn (Pappas 2013).
References
Behaviorism. (n.d.). Retrieved August 31, 2017, from http://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/behaviorism/
Cakir M. (2008) Constructivist approaches to learning in science and their implications for science pedagogy: A literature review. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education 3(4): 193–206. Available at http://cepa.info/3848
Chris Phutully. (2013, September 29). 2013 Royal Melbourne Show. Retrieved from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/72562013@N06/10017061543
Cognitive Load Theory: Making Learning More Effective. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/cognitive-load-theory.htm
InstituteForApprenticeships. (2017, September 01). Seafarer_25. Retrieved October 02, 2017, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/149919620@N04/36955354775
McLeod, S. A. (2014). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html
Pappas, C. (2013, May 9). The Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy - of Malcolm Knowles. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles
Phelps, J. M. (2013, December 09). Information Overload. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/mandj98/11298757724
Wellspring Community School. (2010, February 25). Lego Play. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/wellspringschool/4387562175