The Major Theories

1. The Major Theories • Behaviorist- Learning described as changes in the observable behavior of a learner made as a function of events in the environment. • Cognitive- In addition to observable behavior, learning also involves nonobservable behavior such as memory and motivation. • Constructivism-Accepts behaviorist and cognitive precepts but adds that Learners construct their own knowledge through experience-based activities rather than being directed by teachers. • How the learner interprets an experience is what matters.

2. Learning Theory Bruner Vygotsky Let’s meet the major theorists Rousseau Skinner Thorndike Piaget Dewey

3. Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) • He wrote eloquently on education, arguing that children learn best by interacting freely with their environment. • His thoughts on education anticipated 20th-century reforms in schooling.

4. Thorndike-Behaviorist • Law of effect • This law states that the strength of a connection is influenced by the consequences of a response. • Law of exercise • This law states that the strength of a connection is determined by how often the connection is used.

5. Skinner-Behaviorist • Behavior modification is very straight-forward:  Extinguish an undesirable behavior and replace it with a desirable behavior by reinforcement.  • It has been used particularly well with children. 

6. Jean Piaget-Cognitivist He developed the clinical method of exploring children’s ideas which has since been widely used. He was the first to investigate child perception and logic systematically Piaget, his wife Valentine and their three children, Jacqueline, Lucienne and Laurent whose intellectual development from infancy to language was studied by Piaget.

7. Piaget Described by Vygotsky • PSYCHOLOGY owes a great deal to Jean Piaget. It is not an exaggeration to say that he revolutionized the study of child language and thought. • He developed the clinical method of exploring children’s ideas which has since been widely used. He was the first to investigate child perception and logic systematically; moreover, he brought to his subject a fresh approach of unusual amplitude and boldness.

8. Jerome Bruner-Cognitivist • Bruner asserts that learning is an active process in which students construct new ideas or concepts based on their current knowledge. "Learners are encouraged to discover facts and relationships for themselves." • One of the young researchers who worked with him was Howard Gardner, who subsequently have made an impact on educational thinking and practice.

9. John Dewey-Constructivist(At times, also a Behavorist and Cognitivist) • Dewey made seminal contributions to nearly every field and topic in philosophy and psychology. • Besides his role as a primary originator of both functionalist and behaviorist psychology, Dewey was a major inspiration for several allied movements that have shaped 20th century thought. • For over 50 years Dewey was the voice for a liberal and  progressive democracy that has shaped the destiny of America and the world.

10. “The child's own instincts and powers furnish the material and give the starting point for all education.” John Dewey

11. Lev Vygotsky-Constructivist • Vygotsky proposed that all learning takes place in the 'zone of proximal development'. • This 'zone' is the difference between what a child can do alone and what he/she can do with assistance. • By building on the child's experiences and providing moderately challenging tasks teachers can provide the 'intellectual scaffolding' to help children learn and progress through the different stages of development.“

12. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences • Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence • Logical-Mathematical Intelligence • Kinesthetic Intelligence • Visual-Spatial Intelligence • Musical Intelligence • Interpersonal Intelligence • Intrapersonal Intelligence • Naturalist Intelligence Technology can support each one.

13. Timeline on major learning theorists’ lives and deaths Piaget & Vygotsky Born Thorndike Dies Dewey Born Thorndike Born Vygotsky Dies Piaget Dies Skinner Born Dewey Dies Gardner Born Skinner Dies Bruner Born 1896 1859 1874 1943 1949 1952 1980 1904 1915 1934 1990

14. How Learning Theory & Technology Are Compatible

15. Technology Supports All Learning Theory Approaches • Behaviorist • Cognitivist • Constructivist and The Multiple Intelligences

16. Constructivism and Technology • A constructivist approach allows both learners and facilitators to take advantage of the World Wide Web, because the theory focuses on making connections and putting meaning into the learning process.  • Web-based courses that are designed with a constructivist approach encourage the learners to navigate, create, and construct their unique knowledge base.   Constructivist Learning Theory to Web-Based Course Design: An Instructional Design Approach  - Simone Conceição-Runlee and Barbara J.Daley

17. Constructivism and Ed Tech • The methods of constructivism emphasize students' ability to solve real-life, practical problems. • Students typically work in cooperative groups rather than individually; they tend to focus on projects that require solutions to problems rather than on instructional sequences that require learning of certain content skills. • The job of the teacher in constructivist models is to arrange for required resources and act as a guide to students while they set their own goals and 'teach themselves‘ (Roblyer, Edwards, and Havriluk).