Essential Learning Theories and Styles
- 1. Learning Theories Learning Style Andragogy Malcolm Knowles VAK Experiential Learning David Kolb Kolb’s LSI Behaviorism Constructivism Cognitive Social Learning Theory Welcome to the Learning Theory and Styles Library Click on a book above to learn more about the learning theory or style
- 2. Andragogy proposes that adults learn best when: 1. They feel the need to learn 2. They have some input into what, why, and how they learn 3. The learning’s content and processes have a meaningful relationship to the learner’s past experience. 4. Their experience is used as a learning resource. 5. The material relates to the individual’s current life situation and tasks. 6. They have as much autonomy as possible 7. The learning climate minimizes anxiety and encourages freedom to experiment. 8. Their learning styles are taken into account. 9. There is a cooperative learning climate 10. We create mechanisms for mutual planning 11. We arrange for a diagnosis of learner needs and interests and enable the formulation of learning objectives based on the diagnosed needs and interests 12. We design sequential activities for achieving the objectives Malcolm Knowles and others theorized that methods used to teach children are often not the most effective means of teaching adults. Pedagogy "means "leading children." "Andragogy" was a term coined to refer to the art/science of teaching adults. In The Modern Practice of Adult Education (1970), Knowles defined andragogy as "an emerging technology for adult learning." His four andragogical assumptions are that adults: 1. Move from dependency to self- directedness; 2. Draw upon their reservoir of experience for learning; 3. Are ready to learn when they assume new roles; and 4. Want to solve problems and apply new knowledge immediately. Andragogy: Malcolm Knowles Home
- 3. David A. Kolb created a well-known model that includes four elements: concrete experience, observation and reflection, the formation of abstract concepts and testing in new situations. He represented these in the experiential learning circle (bottom left.) The four elements are the essence of a spiral of learning that can begin with any one of the elements, but typically begins with a concrete experience. 1. Concrete experience (feeling): Learning from specific experiences and relating to people. 2. Reflective observation (watching): Observing before making a judgment by viewing the environment from different perspectives. 3. Abstract conceptualization (thinking): Logical analysis of ideas and acting on intellectual understanding of a situation. 4. Active experimentation (doing): Ability to get things done by influencing people and events through action. Includes risk-taking. Experiential Learning Theory David Kolb Home
- 4. Behaviorism B.F. Skinner Skinner believed that t it is more productive to study observable behavior rather than internal mental events. He believed that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. He called this approach operant conditioning or the changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement given after the desired response. Skinner identified three types of responses or operants that can follow behavior. 1. Neutral operants: responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated. 2. Reinforcers: Responses from the environment that increase the probability of behavior being repeated. Reinforcers can be either positive or negative. 3. Punishers: Response from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Punishment weakens behavior. Home
- 5. Constructivism is currently a popular topic in educational philosophy. It potentially has significant influence on how current `traditional' instruction is organized and aligns with a number of educational trends, for example: 1. The transition of the teacher's role from "sage on the stage" (fount/transmitter of knowledge) to "guide on the side" (facilitator, coach); 2. The teaching of "higher order" skills such as problem-solving, reasoning, and reflection; 3. Enabling learners to learn how to learn; 4. Open-ended evaluation of learning outcomes; 5. Cooperative and collaborative learning skills. Definition: Constructivism is an educational philosophy which holds that learners construct their own knowledge that then resides within them, so that each person's knowledge is as unique as they are. Among its key precepts are: • Situated or anchored learning, which presumes that most learning is context- dependent, so that cognitive experiences situated in authentic activities such as project-based learning; • Cognitive apprenticeships, or case-based learning environments result in richer and more meaningful learning experiences; • Social negotiation of knowledge, a process by which learners form and test their constructs in a dialogue with other individuals and with the larger society. Constructivism Home
- 6. While behaviorists focused on the learner’s environment, cognitivists shifted focus to the brain. They developed an approach that focused on mental processes rather than observable behavior. Common to most cognitivist approaches is the idea that knowledge comprises symbolic mental representations, such as propositions and images, together with a mechanism that operates on those representations. Knowledge is seen as something that is actively constructed by learners based on their existing cognitive structures. Therefore, learning is relative to their stage of cognitive development; understanding the learner's existing intellectual framework is central to understanding the learning process. While behaviorists maintain that knowledge is a passively absorbed, cognitive constructivists argue instead that knowledge is actively constructed by learners and that any account of knowledge makes essential references to cognitive structures. Home
- 7. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Bandura (1977) states: "Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do.” Social learning theory is closely related to behavior modeling which is widely used in training programs. In recent years, Bandura has focused his work on the concept of self-efficacy in a variety of contexts (e.g., Bandura, 1993). Principles: 1. The highest level of observational learning is achieved by first organizing and rehearsing the modeled behavior symbolically and then enacting it overtly. 2. 2. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if it results in outcomes they value. 3. 3. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if the model is similar to the observer and has admired status and the behavior has functional value. Social Learning Theory Albert Bandura Home
- 8. Home The VAK learning style framework, developed in the 1920’s to teach dyslexic children, proposes that most people have one dominant or preferred learning style and although they can still learn using the other styles, their learning may not be as efficient or effective. The VAK model also recognizes that some people may have a mix of learning styles. Neil Fleming revised the VAK model to divide the visual learning component into two parts, a symbolic aspect (represented as V) and a textual aspect (represented as R). Additionally, Fleming advanced the original theory to supplement the auditory learning and kinesthetic learning components of traditional VAK theory. Although research on learning style and outcomes has been inconclusive, the VAK/VARK assessments are commonly used in educational and academic settings to gather learner information. VAK/VARK Learning Style
- 9. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory is based on the work of David Kolb and was designed to measure the degree to which individuals display the different learning styles derived from experiential learning theory. The Learning Style Inventory (LSI) describes the way you learn and how you deal with ideas and day-to-day situations.. Learning can be described as a cycle made up of four basic processes: Accommodating, Assimilating, Converging and Diverging. The LSI takes you through those processes to give you better understanding of how you learn. The original version of the LSI was developed in 1971 and the current version, the LSI 4.0 was revised to include new nine styles: Initiating, Experiencing, Imagining, Reflecting, Analyzing, Thinking, Deciding, Acting and Balancing. Learn more about the inventory at : http://learningfromexperience.com/tools/ Learning Style Inventory David Kolb