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Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Describe how understanding how we learn can be applied in a real-world setting with self and others.
Explain the basic premises of behaviorism as applied to learning theory.
Explain the basic premises of cognitivism as applied to learning theory.
Explain the basic premises of constructivism as applied to learning theory.
Explain the basic premises of humanism as applied to learning theory.
Identify evolving frameworks of learning theory that expand upon our understanding of how we learn.
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i.1 Understanding How We Learn
i.1 Understanding How We Learn
Have you ever
· tried to help someone with a task, but the more you encouraged him or her, the worse the process became?
· studied all night for an exam but received an F on the test?
· heard a song from 20 years ago on the radio but still knew the lyrics? (Maybe you even wondered how you could possibly still know the old melody but not remember the name of the classmate you met less than 24 hours ago.)
· ignored someone because his or her beliefs differed from your beliefs?
· felt frustrated because your child was struggling in school?
· needed to train a group of employees but had no idea how to begin the process?
· assumed that the people around you should learn something as easily as you do?
· looked back on a decision and recognized that you were not thinking logically when that decision was made?
· had someone dear to you pass away and, afterwards, found it difficult to focus on tasks for any length of time?
If you have ever experienced any of these situations, then the psychology of learning could potentially be one of the most important areas that you will ever study. Understanding how humans learn, based on the psychological principles of learning and educational psychologies, can have profound results on productivity, success, and the search for self-actualization. Such knowledge is applicable in your personal and professional lives. It can empower you to know yourself better. Your knowledge about learning can help you teach and support others better, too. Learning, in essence, is something that you do and that affects you every day (Curran, Harrison, & Mackinnon, 2013).
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Understanding how you learn enables you to teach and support others.
Before you can successfully apply such information in your daily life, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the theories, models, and conceptual frameworks associated with learning. A theory is a set of principles used to explain, predict, and understand why a phenomenon occurs. Theories are supported by research but may not be valid in all situations; theories are propositions, not facts. For example, cognitive load theory (CLT), which is discussed further in Chapter 3, proposes that learning is more effective when it is designed to support the brain’s processing structure. A model is much like a theory, but it explains how something may occur. Models often include visual representations of a theory. For example, Baddeley’s model of working memory, which is discussed in Chapter 3, can be explained using an illustration that depicts the core components of working memory and how different elements affect memory development. A conceptual framework (or theoretical framework) is a structure that supports a theory by providing clear connections to all aspects of a research problem. For example, a conceptual framework could be used when studying the association between cognitive load and working memory. Shields and Rangarjan (2013) noted that conceptual frameworks are “the way ideas are organized to achieve a research project’s purpose” (p. 24). (For more information about theories, models, and conceptual frameworks, see Research Skills for Psychology Majors , written by W. K. Gabrenya Jr.)
Psychologists have studied different aspects of learning from different perspectives over time. Their research continues to explore knowledge acquisition, the process of absorbing and storing new information in one’s memory. Researchers seek to explain how and when knowledge acquisition occurs and to identify the properties or characteristics in the environment that can affect it, also known as variables. The age of technology also provides researchers with new ways to better understand the mind and the variables that influence learning and memory (Jonassen, Howland, Marra, & Crismond, 2008; Willis, 2006).