This is how I see the three main learning theories
interacting with each other. First, I see behaviorism as the theory that
everybody encounters to begin to learn how to learn. We begin to shape our
identity by learning how to respond to outside stimuli. The community dictated
how we should respond to this stimulus. Secondly, “Cognitivism uses the
metaphor of the mind as computer: information comes in, is being processed, and
leads to certain outcomes.2” In cognitivism the information that
comes in is dictated by the community and how it is processed leads to the
identity of certain outcomes. Thirdly, constructivism is simply learning by
doing. Within a community we are always active and learning from our community
members, but we are always developing a sense of identity. Regardless of the identity
to the subject matter we are studying or were we belong in the community. These
theories are intertwined just as research states we all learn differently these
theories are applied as needed for an individual or community to learn. Finally,
the ultimate goal of these three theories is to gain knowledge and be able to
synthesis that knowledge.
1Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2012, February). at
Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved February 20th, 2012 from
http://www.learning-theories.com/
2Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2012, February).
Cognitivism at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved February 20th, 2012 from
http://www.learning-theories.com/cognitivism.html
National Standard: ISTE NETs Teachers
Grade:
Professional
Subject: Technology
Sub-Focus: None
Standard: ISTE 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Details: Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers: a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning. b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others. c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning. d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.
Subject: Technology
Sub-Focus: None
Standard: ISTE 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Details: Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers: a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning. b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others. c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning. d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.
Love your graphic. The one push back I have is that contructivism is a kind of cognitive theory - that says that we have to fit our new learning into our prior conceptions - and so we "construct" the new meaning by making that fit. Sometimes when we do this, our prior conceptions bias how the new things fits and can lead to misconceptions (there can also be misconceptions in the prior knowledge). So the "doing" in this sense can be almost entirely in the head rather than in the hands.
ReplyDeleteGreat point about 'doing'... I really didn't think about "doing" in the sense that it can be thinking and/or physical. I don't recall in any of the my readings about constructivism being connected to both the thinking and physical aspects of "doing". Maybe it is time for a new theory to emerge.
DeleteWith your mix of learning theories, you hit on Bransford's key elements in this way.
ReplyDeleteThe interrelation of the theories are learner-centered. They pick up where students are, even if the starting point may be a simple, behavioral response.
They are knowledge-centered because, as you said, they help students both gain and synthesize knowledge.
They are assessment-centered in that the community dictates when a learner has achieved "mastery".
And, as you pointed out, they are community-centered in that the community chooses what the learner should learn, how the learner should react, what outcomes are expected from learning, etc. The community is the driving force for learning.
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ReplyDeleteI'm posting this comment on behave of a fellow classmate who's post would not apply, Thank you Kevin:
ReplyDeleteI like the graphic you've created with your mash up theory. I too had all three theories present in my earliest version of my theory on learning. Triangles dominated my first sketches, sort of like your funnel.
One question I have is perhaps you might consider rearranging where "synthesis" is located. Perhaps before "knowledge" or as the "exit" of the funnel. As Bransford points out, students organize their thoughts when presented with external stimuli so that they can retrieve it later. Maybe the synthesizing process is a step toward learning and knowledge? Something to ponder..
Nice work!
Cheers,
Kevin McManamon (pdxTimber)
Kevin, although I see your thought direction I have to keep my mash up with knowledge coming first because without knowledge one has nothing to synthesize. Bloom’s Taxonomy has withstood the test of time as the model to how people best process the world around them. It is this taxonomy that I used to place knowledge first than synthesis. Wikipedia does a great job in presenting Bloom’s Taxonomy, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom's_Taxonomy.
Delete