LEARNING

- can be defined as the process leading to relatively permanent behavioral change or potential behavioral change. - acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or references and may involve synthesizing different types of information. Learning as a quantitative increase in knowledge. Learning is acquiring information or knowing a lot. Learning as memorizing. Learning is storing information that can be reproduced. Learning as acquiring facts, skills, and methods that can be retained and used as necessary. Learning as making sense or abstracting meaning. Learning involves relating parts of the subject matter to each other and to the real world. Learning as interpreting and understanding reality in a different way. Learning involves comprehending the world by reinterpreting knowledge

THEORIES OF LEARNING 1. Classical Conditioning. One important type of learning, Classical Conditioning, was actually discovered accidentally by Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936). Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who discovered this phenomenon while doing research on digestion. His research was aimed at better understanding the digestive patterns in dogs. Basically, the findings support the idea that we develop responses to certain stimuli that are not naturally occurring. When we touch a hot stove, our reflex pulls our hand back. It does this instinctually, no learning involved. It is merely a survival instinct. But why now do some people, after getting burned, pull their hands back even when the stove is not turned on? Pavlov discovered that we make associations which cause us to generalize our response to one stimuli onto a neutral stimuli it is paired with. In other words, hot burner = ouch, stove = burner, therefore, stove = ouch. 2. Operant Conditioning. The term "Operant" refers to how an organism operates on the environment, and hence, operant conditioning comes from how we respond to what is presented to us in our environment. It can be thought of as learning due to the natural consequences of our actions. 3. Social Cognitive Learning. Made popular by Albert Bandura who emphasized the importance of imitation and observation in learning skills, in socialization, and others. 4. Insight Learning. Was developed by Wolfgang Kholer. Any organisms under any circumstances could readily solve a problem in an insight. He further stated that Insight Learning focuses on new concepts that lead to a solution.

LEARNING STYLES
Visual Learners: learn through seeing... These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). They may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and handouts. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information. Auditory Learners: learn through listening... They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder. Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners: learn through , moving, doing and touching... Tactile/Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.

MEMORY - is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. The three main processes involved in human memory are: ENCODING, STORAGE, RETRIEVAL/RECALL Encoding or registration: receiving, processing and combining of received information Storage: creation of a permanent record of the encoded information Retrieval, recall or recollection: calling back the stored information in response to some cue for use in a process or activity

3 TYPES OF MEMORY 1. Sensory memory corresponds approximately to the initial 200500 milliseconds after an item is perceived. The ability to look at an item, and remember what it looked like with just a second of observation, or memorization, is an example of sensory memory. 2. Short-term memory allows recall for a period of several seconds to a minute without rehearsal. Its capacity is also very limited. Modern estimates of the capacity of short-term memory are lower, typically on the order of 45 items

3. Long-term memory can store much larger quantities of information for potentially unlimited duration (sometimes a whole life span). Its capacity is immeasurably large. For example, given a random seven-digit number we may remember it for only a few seconds before forgetting, suggesting it was stored in our short-term memory. On the other hand, we can remember telephone numbers for many years through repetition; this information is said to be stored in long-term memory. FORGETTING Theories of Forgetting 1. Decay Theory it shows that the information stored in ones memory gradually fades until it is lost when the information is not being utilized for a long period of time 2. Retrieval Failure forgetting may result from difficulty in accessing information. the tip of the tongue experience 3. Interference forgetting may occur when we try to recall something by using a cue then the other data interferes with the recovery of the information or an event. MEMORY DISORDERS 1. Age associated memory impairment is a label for the general degradation of memory which results from ageing. It is a natural process, seen in many animals as well as humans, which often begins in our 20s and tends to get noticeably worse as we reach our 50s. While some specific abilities do decline with age, though, overall memory generally remains strong for most people through their 70s. 2. Amnesia is a condition in which memory (either stored memories or the process of committing something to memory) is disturbed or lost, to a greater extent than simple everyday forgetting or absent-mindedness. Amnesia may result either from organic or neurological causes (damage to the brain through physical injury, neurological disease or the use of certain drugs), or from functional or psychogenic causes (psychological factors, such as mental disorder, posttraumatic stress or psychological defense mechanisms). 3. Dementia. Sufferers exhibit serious loss of cognitive ability, beyond what might be expected from normal ageing, and particularly in the areas of memory, attention, language and problem solving. Alzheimer's disease or AD is a progressive, degenerative and ultimately fatal brain disease, in which cell to cell connections in the brain are lost. It is the most common form of dementia, and is generally (though not exclusively) diagnosed in patients over the age of about 65. 4. Parkinsons Disease is a chronic and progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs motor skills, speech and other functions. It is usually characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, and a slowing or loss of physical movement, but a high proportion of sufferers also experience mild cognitive impairment as the disease advances, including executive dysfunction (impaired problem solving, fluctuations in attention, etc), slowed cognitive speed and memory problems, and with recalling learned information. 5. Short-Term Memory Loss - "an abnormal degree of forgetfulness and/or inability to recall past events."

WAYS TO IMPROVE MEMORY 1. Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. 2. Memory is best practiced through association. Association also works if you create vivid, memorable images. 3. Group information together to help you remember them; this is called chunking. 4. Repeat information you're trying to memorize to yourself every few days or so. 5. Exercise your brain. 6. Eat well and eat right. 7. Give yourself time to form a memory. 8. Sleep well Learning and memory are closely related concepts. Learning is the acquisition of skill or knowledge, while memory is the expression of what youve acquired. Another difference is the speed with which the two things happen. If you acquire the new skill or knowledge slowly and laboriously, thats learning. If acquisition occurs instantly, thats making a memory.