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Knowing and Learning in STEM
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Comparing Psychological Perspectives
Narrative describing the
perspective and its
components
(200-300 words): Provide a
concise description of the
perspective and its
components.
Behavioral
Learning and behavior
are described and
explained in terms of
stimulus-response
relationships. They
believe people’s behavior
is influenced by
feedback, praise and
rewards. Behaviorists
believe that there must
be an observable and
measureable change in
behavior for learning to
have occurred. They also
believe that humans and
animals learn in similar
ways. They believe that
people learn by example.
They believe that
behaviors can be
unlearned and replaced
by new behaviors. They
are focused on
observable and
controllable behavior.
Popular behaviorists
include John Watson,
Ivan Pavlov, B.F.
Skinner, and Edward
Thorndike.
Cognitive
The cognitive perspective
focuses on what happens
physiologically in the brain
and body wen someone
learns. They also focus on
the development of the
brain. They also look at the
parts of the brain that are
used when people think and
interact with others.
Cognitive views look at
learning as a change in
knowledge. It is more based
on the change in knowledge
over time. They are
concerned with things going
on in the brain like thinking,
memory, and perception.
This perspective includes
classical and operant
conditioning. Cognitive
psychology is based on
experimentation and
science. Often cognitive
theorists relate the human
thought process to a
computer in the way the
brain receives, stores,
interprets and outputs
information. Famous
cognitive theorists include
Constructivism
A theory that the learner
constructs knowledge. What
the learner already knows
mixes with and determines
what they will learn.
Everyone learns a little bit
differently based on what is
already known by the
learner. Humans construct
knowledge and views on the
world based on prior
experiences. Long-term
memory combines with new
learning to create individual
knowledge. Children
assimilate and add new
information to old schemas.
Accommodation is creating
whole new schemas based
on the new information not
fitting into an old schema.
Constructivism is based
upon assumptions about
reality, knowledge, and
learning. Reality is
constructed through human
activity and is would not
exist without social
interactions. Knowledge is a
human product, socially and
culturally constructed and
Knowing and Learning in STEM
Piaget, Vygotsky, Chomsky,
and Bruner.
Beliefs
What is the general belief
system guiding this
perspective? What are the
beliefs about the nature of
knowledge and knowing?
Principles
What ideas are used to
explain why events or
objects exhibit what is
observed.
Limitations
What are known or accepted
limitations to the depth or
scope of what can be
explained by this
perspective?
They believe that the
environment influences
behavior and that there
must be an observable
change in behavior for
learning to take place
because these changes
can be objectively
measured.
They believe that for
learning to take place, the
desired response must be
rewarded.
Cognitive theorists believe
that humans have a way to
input, process, store and
output information and
knowledge.
Belief systems, value
systems, thought processes,
reason and intelligence are
just a few of the things that
make scientists believe we
have control over our
thoughts.
Behaviorism is limited in
Cognitive theory is limited in
the way it underthe way it ignores biology
estimates the complexity (like hormones), humanism,
of human behavior. Many and behaviorism. Often the
studies used animals,
experiments can be
which are hard to
subjective the results cannot
generalize to humans.
always be objectively
Behaviorism doesn’t
measured.
account for thoughts,
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created through interactions
with other humans and the
environment. Learning is a
social process and is only
meaningful when learners
are engaged in social
activities.
Constructivists believe that
new knowledge is built on
old knowledge and all
knowledge is based on
experiences.
Students learn best when
they create meaning from
the teacher because new
knowledge has to mixed with
prior experience.
Constructivism might be
ignoring the studies that
have shown that direct,
guided learning has proved
successful in the classroom
and that too much freedom
can be overwhelming.
Learners might need a mix
of discovery and guided
Knowing and Learning in STEM
feelings, etc.
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learning.