This section of my portfolio will cover five major learning theories that are important to consider when developing learning materials and teaching. Below is a brief overview of each of the five theories. You can click on the headings or use the navigation to learn more about each theory.
Behaviorism
Behaviorism is based on the view that people learn from their environment. Behaviorists explore how people react to certain stimuli and then try to reinforce or discourage the resulting behavior using repetition and conditioning. Repetition involves consistently introducing the stimuli and reviewing the correct way to behave when that stimuli is encountered. Conditioning involves using rewards to reinforce good behavior and punishments to discourage bad behavior.
Constructivism
Constructivism stems from the idea that children create or construct knowledge from the world around them. That being said, constructivists believe that children build off their existing knowledge when they encounter unfamiliar situations or objects. If they cannot figure out the unfamiliar situation with their existing knowledge, their mind adapts accordingly so that it can stay in a state of equilibrium. Constructivists also emphasize the role that social interactions play in learning. When children communicate with each other, or even with adults, they can learn new skills from other viewpoints that help build their knowledge.
Cognitivism
Cognitivism focuses on the internal mental processes that need to happen in order for learning to occur. One of the most important components of cognitivism is the idea of reducing cognitive load. This stems from the idea that the brain can only process so much information at one time. Presenting too much information to someone at once can overload their brain. As such, cognitivism focuses on presenting information in the most efficient way for it to be processed by the mind.
Connectivism
Connectivism is a learning theory that accounts for technological advancements that have occurred as we moved into the digital age. It recognizes that the internet provides us with a wealth of information that previously did not exist and says that we should use that to our advantage. Connectivism views information as a network that can be explored using online tools. When using a connectivist approach, learners are encouraged to go on the internet and explore various resources and online communities to find what they are looking for instead of having the information spoon-fed to them.
Andragogy
Andragogy is to adults as pedagogy is to children. In other words, Andragogy seeks to explain how adults learn. The way people think and their view of learning changes as they grow and mature, so Andragogy seeks to explain those changes. It is important to remember that adult’s have a lot more experience than kids, and this experience can serve as the basis for learning. Andragogy also offers solutions for how to make the learning process more engaging for adults, such as letting them play a role in their learning and ensuring that the content is relevant to their jobs or daily life.