Download THEORIES OF INSTRUCTION/LEARNING

THEORIES OF
INSTRUCTION/LEARNING
LEV VYGOTSKY-Social Development
 The major theme of Vygotsky's theoretical framework is that social
interaction plays a fundamental role in the development of
cognition.
 Vygotsky (1978) states: "Every function in the child's cultural
development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on
the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and
then inside the child (intrapsychological).
 A second aspect of Vygotsky's theory is the idea that the potential
for cognitive development depends upon the "zone of proximal
development" (ZPD): a level of development attained when
children engage in social behavior.
 Full development of the ZPD depends upon full social interaction.
The range of skill that can be developed with adult guidance or
peer collaboration exceeds what can be attained alone.
LEV VYGOTSKY
 As an educator he felt that children were given too much to
learn on their own.
 He felt the when novel concepts are being taught they should
be under the guidance of a teacher.
 Cognitive development is impede when students are left to
learn things on their own.
LEV VYGOTSKY
 In the class room when the teacher helps a student ,the
student observes the teacher’s behaviour and learn from it.
The concept of providing support is called scaffolding.
 As students are able to complete the task on their own the
help should be withdrawn
Implications for the theory
 Children should be actively involved in learning-limit chalk
and talk-lessons should be meaningful
 Teachers should not do the cognitive work for the students
but provide the necessary scaffolding –be there when help is
needed
 Teachers should encourage social interaction
 Use knowledgeable peers to provide scaffold for students
who are having difficulties
Implications for the theory
 Maximum cognitive development takes place when students
work with caring , knowledgeable adults
 Hold high expectations of the students-thus demonstrating
the importance of success and achievement(apart of the
hidden curriculum)
Gagne's Theory
 Robert Gagne's theory of instruction is comprised of three
principles: taxonomy of learning outcomes, conditions of
learning, and nine events of instruction. Gagne asserts that
specific learning conditions critically influence the learning
outcomes. In addition, special care must be given to the
external conditions during instruction, known as the nine
events of instruction.
Gagne's Theory
 Nine Events of Instruction:
 Gain attention
 Inform learners of the objectives
 Build on prior knowledge
 Present the stimulus
 Provide guidance
 Elicit performance
 Provide feedback
 Assess performance
 Enhance retention and transfer

Application of the theory
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx84h-i3w8U
 http://www.ettc.net/tech/adultlearning/Gagne%20Instruc
tion%20sheet.pdf
B.F Skinner
 B.F. Skinner is a name associated with behaviorism, a term
referring to a form of conditioning theory such as was
developed by Pavlov, Watson, and then Skinner. In
considering how human actions and attitudes are formed,
behaviorists emphasize the processes by which behavior is
formed from the external environment.
BF Skinner
 The theory of B.F. Skinner is based upon the idea that
learning is a function of change in behavior. Changes in
behavior are the result of an individual's response to events
(stimuli) that occur in the environment.
 A response produces a consequence such as defining a word,
hitting a ball, or solving a math problem. When a particular
Stimulus-Response (S-R) pattern is reinforced (rewarded),
the individual is conditioned to respond.
BF Skinner
 Reinforcement is the key element in Skinner's S-R theory.
 A reinforcer is anything that strengthens the desired
response. It could be verbal praise, a good grade or a feeling
of increased accomplishment or satisfaction.
 The theory also covers negative reinforcers -- any stimulus
that results in the increased frequency of a response when it
is withdrawn (different from adversive stimuli -- punishment
-- which result in reduced responses).
Implications of the Theory
 1.Practice should take the form of question (stimulus) - answer
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(response) frames which expose the student to the subject in
gradual steps
2. Require that the learner make a response for and receive
immediate feedback
3. Try to arrange the difficulty of the questions so the response is
always correct and hence a positive reinforcement
4. Ensure that good performance in the lesson is paired with
secondary reinforcers such as verbal praise, prizes and good
grades.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepqpTtKbwo&feature=Pl
ayList&p=042CF8B200B3D4B5&playnext=1&playnext_from=P
L&index=21
Carl Rogers
 Rogers was discouraged by the emphasis on cognitivism in
education. He believed this was responsible for the loss of
excitement and enthusiasm for learning. Rogers' point of
view emphasized the inclusion of feelings and emotions in
education. He believed that education and therapy shared
similar goals of personal change and self-knowing. He was
interested in learning that leads to personal growth and
development, as was Maslow.
Implications
1.
Realness - the instructor should not present a "front" or "facade" but
should strive to be aware of his/her own feelings and to communicate
them in the classroom context. The instructor should present
genuineness, and engage in direct personal encounters with the
learner.
2. Prizing the Learner - This characteristic includes acceptance and
trust of each individual student.
3. Empathic Understanding - The instructor can understand the
student's reactions from the inside.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7qwuHHTF3E
JEROME BRUNER-Constructivist
 A major theme in the theoretical framework of Bruner is that
learning is an active process in which learners construct new
ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge.
 The learner selects and transforms information, constructs
hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive
structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e., schema, mental
models) provides meaning and organization to experiences
and allows the individual to "go beyond the information
given".
PRINCIPLES OF THE THEORY
 1. Instruction must be concerned with the experiences and
contexts that make the student willing and able to learn
(readiness).
 2. Instruction must be structured so that it can be easily
grasped by the student (spiral organization).
 3. Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation
and or fill in the gaps (going beyond the information given).
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2H_swMUlOg&featu
re=PlayList&p=C90FCB34E5F1008D&playnext=1&playnex
t_from=PL&index=35