Handout4

OverviewofLearningTheories
Introduction
Learningtheoryisabodyofresearchthatattemptstodescribe,explain,andpredicthow
learningoccurs(Smith&Ragan,1993).Knowledgeoflearningtheoriesprovidesinstructors,
coursedesigners,andlearningprofessionalswiththetoolsneededtointerpretthetheoriesand
applythemtothedesignanddevelopmentofinstructionandlearningactivities.Thereare
threemaincategoriesorphilosophicalframeworksunderwhichlearningtheoriesfall:
behaviorism,cognitivism,andconstructivism.

Definition

Behaviorism

Cognitivism

Constructivism

Behaviorismviewslearning
asanactthatmustbe
observable.Learning
occurswhenacorrect
responseisdemonstrated
followingthepresentation
ofaspecificenvironmental
stimulus.

Cognitivismviewslearning
asanactivementalactivity
thatinvolvesinternalcoding
andstructuringbythe
learner.Thistheoryfocuses
onhowlearnersremember,
retrieve,andstore
informationinmemory.

Constructivismviews
learningasaprocessin
whichthelearneractively
constructsorbuildsnew
ideasorconceptsbased
uponcurrentandpast
knowledgeorexperience.In
otherwords,learning
involvesconstructingone's
ownknowledgefromone's
ownexperiences.

Handout4
GoalsofInstruction

Behaviorism

Cognitivism

Instructionelicitsthe
Focusofinstructionisto
desiredresponsefrom
createlearningorchange
thelearnerwhois
byencouragingthe
presentedwithatarget
learnertouse
stimulus.
appropriatelearning

strategies.

Learnersmustknow
Learningresultswhen
howtoexecutethe
properresponse.
informationisstoredin

memoryinanorganized
andmeaningfulway.
Learnersacquireskills

ofdiscrimination
Instructorsare
(recallingfacts),
generalization(defining
responsibleforassisting
andillustrating
learnersinorganizing
concepts),association
informationinanoptimal
(applyingexplanations),
waysothatitcanbe
andchaining
readilyassimilated.
(automatically
performingaspecified
procedure).

Constructivism
Learningisanactive
processofconstructing
ratherthanacquiring
knowledge.

Instructionisaprocess
ofsupportingknowledge
constructionratherthan
communicating
knowledge

Theroleoftheinstructor
isamentor,nota
teller.

Instructorsdonot
structurelearningbut
engagelearnersin
authenticlearning
activitiesthatcenter
aroundrealworld
problems.

Instructorsencourage
reflectivethinkingand
higherorderlearning
skills.

Handout4
InstructionalStrategies
Behaviorism

Chaining(teaching
complexbehaviors
comprisedofdiscrete,
simplerbehaviors)

Drillandpractice
Fading(gradually
reducingcuesinitially
usedtoestablisha
desiredbehavior)

Cognitivism

Negative
reinforcement

Positivereinforcement

Advancedorganizers

Attachingnewideasto
previouslylearnedideas

Chunkinginformation
(breakingcomplextasks
intomoremanageable
steps)

Discriminatingbetween
examplesandnon
examples

Logicalsequencingof
content

Repetition

Summarization

Constructivism

Articulation(students
makingknowledge
explicitbyexplainingto
otherswhattheyknow)

Coaching

Collaboration

Exploration

Modelingandexplaining

Problemsolving
activities

Scaffolding(supporting
novicelearnersby
limitingthecomplexities
ofthecontextand
graduallyremoving
thoselimitsaslearners
gaintheknowledge,
skills,andconfidenceto
copewiththefull
complexityofthe
context)

Selfdirectedlearning

Handout4
ImplicationsforInstruction
Behaviorism

Developingbehavioral
objectives

Developing
performancebased
assessments

Cognitivism

Conductingneeds
assessments

Determining
prerequisiteskills

Developingcognitive
objectives(Blooms
Taxonomy)

Developingtask
analyses

Constructivism

Providingcomplex
learningenvironments
thatincorporate
authenticactivity

Developingproblem
orientedactivities

Developingauthentic
assessmentmethods

References
Dabbagh,N.(n.d.)Theinstructionaldesignknowledgebase.Retrievedfrom
http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm

Driscoll,M.P.(1994).PsychologyoflearningforInstruction(3rded.).Columbus,OH:Allyn&Bacon.

Smith,P.,&Ragan,T.(1993).Instructionaldesign.UpperSaddleRiver,NJ:PrenticeHall.