Learning Theories, Learning Styles and Differentiated Instruction

1. Learning Theories, Learning Styles and Differentiated Instruction Rhonda Christensen University of North Texas

2. What is Learning? • Learning is a transfer of knowledge • Not necessarily directly from teacher to student • Multiple Theories of how we Learn • Behaviorist • Cognitivist

3. Variables Affecting Learning • Environmental Factors • Hunger, sleep, lighting, temperature • Psychological Factors • Emotions, self concept • Personal Filters • Individual’s beliefs, values, attitudes, cultural differences • Filters are present in both the sender and receiver

4. Learning as Communication Graphic from Allyn and Bacon 2005

5. Theories Supporting Computer Use in Education • Behaviorist Theory • Cognitive Theory

6. Behaviorism • Expect any effective instructional activity, such as a computer-based tutorial, to change the student in some obvious and measurable way • In education we use behavioral objectives

7. Behaviorism • Thorndike’s connectionism theory • learning is based on a series of associations or connections between new situation and previous situation • Provided the impetus to the programmed instruction movement

8. Behaviorism • Pavlov’s classical conditioning • Ring bell, feed dog, dog salivates because of food • Ring bell, remove food stimulus, dog salivates • Over time, the new stimulus (bell) will produce the response even if the original stimulus is removed

9. Behaviorism • B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning • involves the use of reinforcement to promote desirable changes in behavior • Skinner’s contributions to educational practice and CBI • stating objectives in terms of desired outcomes • assessing learner prior to instruction • recording learners’ progress for feedback

10. Cognitive Theory • Moving from behaviorism to internal processes that occur during instruction • Cognitive Theory concentrates on the conceptualization of students’ learning process • Influential proponents - Jerome Bruner, Jean Piaget, Seymour Papert

11. Cognitive Theory • Believe instruction must be based on a student’s existing state of mental organization, or schema • Where behaviorists were more outcome based, cognitive theorists are more interested in the content of instruction

12. Cognitivist/Constructivist • Jean Piaget • A developmentalist in which learning occurs through assimilation and accommodation • Learning is in progressive stages • Theorized that children build cognitive structures during all developmental stages

13. Cognitive Guidelines for Designing or Evaluating CBI • Predisposition to learning • Structure and form of knowledge (concrete vs. abstract) • Sequencing of instructional material • Form and pacing of reinforcement must be considered • Discovery learning is an important technique (LOGO)

14. Learning Theories(differences) • Cognitive theory provides educators with a missing piece of the puzzle - they look at learners • Behaviorists look at outcome

15. Learning Theories(commonalities) • All approaches advocate feedback • All are interested in how experiences are sequenced

16. Learning Styles • Based on sensory preferences - the conditions under which we best learn • Auditory - Learn best by hearing • Visual - Learn best by seeing • Kinesthetic - Learn best by doing/touching • The instructional event should seek to match teaching style with learner style

17. Personality Types • Myers-Briggs has developed a typology for personality types • This is another piece of the puzzle for knowing your learners

18. Myers-Briggs Types

19. Measuring Intelligence • Intelligence Quotient - a quantitative measure of intelligence • Stanford-Binet is most commonly used IQ test - measures verbal and mathematical ability. • Gardner’s New View of Intelligence includes more thantwo types of intelligences.

20. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences • According to Gardner, everyone possesses some degree of each of the intelligences but one or more dominates for each individual. • Linguistic - Interpersonal • Logical-mathematical - Intrapersonal • Musical - Naturalistic • Spatial - Existential • Bodily-Kinesthetic

21. Teaching Style • Every teacher has his/her own learning style, cognitive style, and dominant intelligence. • Teaching style is a reflection of one’s learning style. • Teachers must be aware of matching their teaching style to the learning style of their students.

22. Teaching and Learning • Teaching = a systematic, planned sequence of events • A process that communicates ideas/skills • Takes into account individual and environmental factors • Aware of learning theories & learner characteristics

23. Learning Differences • Physical • Psychological • Style of Learning • Processing of information • Type of intelligence that is dominant • Hemispheric Dominance • Gender learning differences

24. Gender Learning Differences • Boys learn better from abstract to specific (big picture to details). • Girls learn better specific to abstract (incremental steps). • Girls can go between hemispheres of their brains more quickly than males. • Boys tend to have advantage in left hemisphere by being able to recall facts and rules and categorize.

25. The New Gender Gap • Boys are scoring lower than girls on national writing tests (an avg of 24 points). • By fourth grade, the average boy is developmentally two years behind the average girl in reading and writing. • Boys make up 70% of special ed. Classes and are as much as four times as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. • College age - for every 100 young men earning a BA, 133 young women do.

26. Helping Boys Succeed • Tap into visual spatial strengths • Allow time for movement • Use hands-on materials • Incorporate technology • Provide male role models • Allow opportunities for completion • Choose books that appeal to boys • Create a supportive classroom environment From “The New Gender Gap” by D. Connell & B. Gunzelmann

27. Differentiated Instruction • A simple yet often overlooked fact is that our students are not all the same. • "If students can't learn the way we teach, we must teach them the way they learn” - Carol Ann Tomlinson (Webpage) • Differentiated instruction is something teachers do every day in the classroom so that every student’s learning needs are met. • Resources are available to help reach all students.

28. Differentiated Instruction • Curriculum should be differentiated in three areas: • Content: Multiple options for taking in information • Process: Multiple options for making sense of the ideas • Product: Multiple options for expressing what they know

29. Can Technology Enhance Learning? • Computers, like any tool, can be used correctly or incorrectly. Teachers should attempt to maximize the positive effect computers can have and minimize potential negative influences. • Technology should one of the components considered in a well-planned instructional event, selected to enhance instruction.

30. How Can Technology Help in the Teaching/Learning Process? • A resource to facilitate learning • Matches particular student’s learning style (sequential, organized, etc.) • Help the learner construct and test mental models in a safe environment • Support the construction of new knowledge through social interaction

31. Recommended Resources • “A Mind at a Time” by Mel Levine • “Boys and Girls Learn Differently” by Michael Gurian • “Brain-Based Strategies to Reach Every Learner” by J. Diane Connell • “Why Gender Matters” by Leonard Sax

32. Online Resources • Brain Dominance(http://brain.web-us.com/brain/LRBrain.html) • Multiple Intelligences(http://www.mitest.com/) • Multiple Intelligences and Technology http://www.casacanada.com/multech.html • Using Technology to Address Multiple Intelligences (http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic68.htm)