Unit 4 Theories and Principles for Planning and Enabling Learning
Unit 4 Theories and Principles for Planning and Enabling Learning
Level 4 Theory Assessment
Introduction
The purpose of this assignment is for me to demonstrate that I can identify and discuss the significance of relevant theories and principles of learning and communication; select and critically analyse the impact of two theories of learning on the planning and delivery of teaching in my own setting; and reflect on the impact that these insights have had on my own practice and professional development.
What is a theory? To me a theory is an idea of how something works. It is a way of explaining to others the concept of the how and why of something. What is a principle? To me principles are my beliefs about something. It is my feelings on a given subject. Geoff Petty (2004 pg 486) states that, ‘every teacher and every learner has a theory about learning.’ To be able to develop my own theories and principles on planning and enabling learning I need to learn what they mean to others.
Through research and reading I know that there are many different theories relating to teaching and learning. Those that I have looked at are Behaviourist, Cognitivist, Humanist, Gestalt and Motivation/Communication. They are not new concepts. Some Theorists have been dead many years but their theories still prevail.
The two theories of learning that I am going to use for this assignment are Behaviourist and Humanist.
Behaviourist Theory Behaviourists believe that individuals respond to stimuli found in their environment and from things that they have seen. Pavlov (1849-1936) dealt with conditioned learning (classical conditioning) using experiments on dogs for his hypothesis. We have all read about how he linked a specific sound e.g. a bell to feeding which made the dogs salivate. Over time just the sound of the bell caused the dogs to salivate. Thus the stimulus response conditioning had taken place. Pavlov like many other theorists worked with animals and not humans. Watson
Level 4 Theory Assessment
Introduction
The purpose of this assignment is for me to demonstrate that I can identify and discuss the significance of relevant theories and principles of learning and communication; select and critically analyse the impact of two theories of learning on the planning and delivery of teaching in my own setting; and reflect on the impact that these insights have had on my own practice and professional development.
What is a theory? To me a theory is an idea of how something works. It is a way of explaining to others the concept of the how and why of something. What is a principle? To me principles are my beliefs about something. It is my feelings on a given subject. Geoff Petty (2004 pg 486) states that, ‘every teacher and every learner has a theory about learning.’ To be able to develop my own theories and principles on planning and enabling learning I need to learn what they mean to others.
Through research and reading I know that there are many different theories relating to teaching and learning. Those that I have looked at are Behaviourist, Cognitivist, Humanist, Gestalt and Motivation/Communication. They are not new concepts. Some Theorists have been dead many years but their theories still prevail.
The two theories of learning that I am going to use for this assignment are Behaviourist and Humanist.
Behaviourist Theory Behaviourists believe that individuals respond to stimuli found in their environment and from things that they have seen. Pavlov (1849-1936) dealt with conditioned learning (classical conditioning) using experiments on dogs for his hypothesis. We have all read about how he linked a specific sound e.g. a bell to feeding which made the dogs salivate. Over time just the sound of the bell caused the dogs to salivate. Thus the stimulus response conditioning had taken place. Pavlov like many other theorists worked with animals and not humans. Watson