Theories on how people learn
There are many different theories on how people learn and over the years learning theories have dramatically changed. They have been superseded by newer theories based on psychological, social, cultural development factors, (Fritscher, 2011).In this paper I will be concentrating on five theories, three psychological and two social, they are; Behaviourism, Humanism, Constructivism, Lave and Wenger Communities of Practice, and Vygotsky’s learning theory. I have chosen these theories because I believe they best suit my area of teaching. I aim to provide each theory with a description and examples of how the theory has been used in my teaching.
Psychological learning theories
Behaviourism
Behaviourism is the theory coined by Watson in 1913. Watson used Pavlov’s findings on animal responses to stimuli as a basis for his work. He believed that behaviour can be measured, trained, and changed, (Bush, 2006, p. 14). This is regarded as one of the strengths of the behaviourist approach because is it used scientific methods of research; experiments are objective, measurable and observable, (Trip, 2011).
From my very first lesson I have witnessed that behaviourism theory had been introduced in the classroom. Although this wasn’t a scientific experiment, it does suggest that all behaviour is learned and shows that ‘cognitive and biological elements to affect behaviour’ which behaviourism theory fails to talk about, (Trip, 2011). It argues that people learn behaviour by observing others getting rewarded. In my example of behaviourism the students behaviour has been modified and coached to react a certain way in a situation, (McLeod, 2008).
Students raise their hand when they have something to say, so when a student shouts out interrupting the teacher or a fellow student, the student is met with a negative reaction. I would regard this as a punishment because the student is ‘told off’ in front of everyone in the class. According to behaviourism, and also
Psychological learning theories
Behaviourism
Behaviourism is the theory coined by Watson in 1913. Watson used Pavlov’s findings on animal responses to stimuli as a basis for his work. He believed that behaviour can be measured, trained, and changed, (Bush, 2006, p. 14). This is regarded as one of the strengths of the behaviourist approach because is it used scientific methods of research; experiments are objective, measurable and observable, (Trip, 2011).
From my very first lesson I have witnessed that behaviourism theory had been introduced in the classroom. Although this wasn’t a scientific experiment, it does suggest that all behaviour is learned and shows that ‘cognitive and biological elements to affect behaviour’ which behaviourism theory fails to talk about, (Trip, 2011). It argues that people learn behaviour by observing others getting rewarded. In my example of behaviourism the students behaviour has been modified and coached to react a certain way in a situation, (McLeod, 2008).
Students raise their hand when they have something to say, so when a student shouts out interrupting the teacher or a fellow student, the student is met with a negative reaction. I would regard this as a punishment because the student is ‘told off’ in front of everyone in the class. According to behaviourism, and also