Learning TheoriesA review for the teaching role

Behaviourism Cognitivism Humanism

Please consider the following:

Learning Activity and Reflection: What can you learn from the behaviourists to assist you in teaching in clinical practice?

Learning Activity and Reflection: What can you learn from the cognitivists to assist you in teaching in clinical practice?

Learning Activity and Reflection: What can you learn from the humanists to assist you in teaching in clinical practice?

Behaviourism

Classical conditioning – Pavlov and Watson showed us how to change an unconditional response to a conditional response.

What value is this to us?

Operant Conditioning

Skinner’s Box.

Random behaviour becomes focused dependent on the provision of a positive re-inforcement which increases probability of recurrence.

Ornegativere-inforcement which increases the probability of the behaviour that precedes the negative re-inforcement.

So what then do you understand by the terms

Punishment

Omission of re-inforcement

And the correct answers are...

Punishment is where an unpleasant stimulus occurs after the response. Punishment decreases the probability of occurrence of the response that precedes it.

Omission of re-inforcement is where the absence of re-inforcement will lead to extinction of the response.

Implications for Teaching and Learning

Behavioural objectives

Linear teaching programmes (chaining)

Branching teaching programmes (computer assisted learning)

Mastery Learning

Behaviourism – some points for reflection

Sub skill 1

Sub skill 2

Sub skill 3

Sub skills are chained together in Linear fashion

Classical vs operant

Classical conditioning – limited usefulness

Operant conditioning – quite influential in teaching.

Variable response re-inforcement most useful

Ignoring negative behaviour leads to extinction of that behaviour

Social or Observational Learning

Also called Vicarious Learning – learning by observing others. (ie Modelling)

Wide range of applications, perhaps most especially for the 1st year student

Giving senior students responsibility will enhance their desire to act as a role model to juniors

RetrievalRecover frommemory

StorageMaintain inmemory

Cognitivism

Memory

EncodingPut intomemory

2 Types of Memory

Short term memory (working memory)

Long term memory

Short term memory

Lasts seconds – minutes

To encode, we must ATTEND to it. This is a selective process.

How do you remember a new phone number?

Visually

Acoustically

Semantically

Try to remember this...

RLBKSJ

And now this…

SPT, OARE

And this…

O AIR TEK

How did you encode this info?

SPT, OARE Visually

O AIR TEK Acoustically

Storage is best when we need to remember 7 +/- 2.

Forgetting…

Try remembering this:

25734169385

Displacement occurs when…

Trying to learn too much. We usually forget the first numbers but remember the last numbers.

So, how can we boost our STM retention? By re-grouping (also called Chunking) sequences of letters/digits into units that can be found in LTM

What interferes with retention?

Decay Theory – lost due to lack of rehearsal

Repression Theory – Forgotten your dental appointment?! Wonder why??

Interference Theory – info becomes confused

Long Term Memory

From STM, info is either displaced or rehearsed before transfer to LTM

LTM–lasts for minutes and up to a lifetime

Encoding in LTM - neither visual or acoustic. Requires meaning. More striking when used in sentences

Making meaningful connections

Often the items we have to remember are meaningful, but the connections are not. Here, memory can be improved by creating links between items.

EGBDF

On old Olympus....

Storage and Retrieval

In LTM, these 2 aspects are considered together.

We need toPay attentionTake in meaningBe responsive to cues in the environment

Organisation of info is aided by sleep!

Exam Material

New Material

Exam

Exam Material

ExamSleep

ZZ

Z✔

✗

Forgetting!

Pro-active inhibition – old info interferes with new info

Retro-active inhibition – new info interferes with old info

Other means of forgetting - Emotional; Loss in STM; Decay in LTM; Repression; Altered conditions of recall; Physical damage

Improving Memory!

Use of mental imagery

Self recitation during study

Over learning

Organisational schemes

Important Factors associated with Successful Learning

Methods of presentation of material

Knowledge of progress and results

Distribution of practice

Study and Learning methods used by the learner

Implications for the Teacher

Relevance of info

Don’t give too much unfamiliar info

Motivation

Boredom/fatigue

Overlearning

Rehearsal and repetition

Organisation and content

Humanism – some thoughts for reflection

This perspective involves looking at the whole person in terms of their feelings, attitudes and values

Self direction, empowerment and autonomy are strong concepts

Maslow (1971) – self actualisation; Rogers (1983) – Freedom to Learn

Facilitator vs Teacher

Implications for teaching / learning

Rogers’ 10 principles of learning

Arouse curiosity; present problems or challenges; Learning contracts

Psychologically safe learning environment

Mutual respect; participation expected

Expression of feelings and values crucial

Self evaluation rather than external feedback

The 3 Approaches to Teaching & Learning

Find out what is right for your student

Find out what works for you

Pick up on cues from the student

Be conscious of your environment

Be alert to uncontrollable variables

Consider your presentation style

Get feedback as well as self evaluation