Educational Learning Theories and Theorists

Observational Learning Theory-- Behavior can be learned through observation of others.

Constructivist Theory-- Individuals actively construct knowledge by comparing new ideas or concepts with their current knowledge (schema or mental models).

Learning by Doing-- Learning occurs through experience.

Genetic Epistemology-- Developmental stages of child development: 0-2 years: "sensorimotor" - motor development 3-7 years: "preoperation" - intuitive 8-11 years: "concrete operational" - logical, but non-abstract 12-15 years: "formal operations" - abstract thinking

Social Development Theory and ZPD-- Social interaction is critical for cognitive development.

Related to this is the idea of a "Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)." Some skills, an individual can perform independently. Other skills can be performed if the individual has assistance. Skills that can be performed with assistance are said to be within an individual's ZPD. The ZPD is the theoretical basis for scaffolding.

Multiple Intelligences-- Each individual possesses seven distinct and measurable forms of intelligence: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, musical, intrapersonal, and interpersonal.

Hierarchy of Needs -- Humans naturally strive to satisfy needs. The five levels of needs, from lowest to highest, are: physiological, safety, love, esteem, self-actualization. Lower level needs must be satisfied before the individual can move on to satisfy higher level needs.

Operant Conditioning (Behaviorism)-- Learning is the result of changes in behavior. As stimulus-response cycles are reinforced, individuals are "conditioned" to respond. Distinguished from Connectionism because individuals can initiate responses, not merely respond to stimuli.

Socioemotional Development-- Erikson's "Eight Stages of Man" describes a series of crises individuals pass through at different ages. The stages begin with "trust versus mistrust" in infancy and continue through a series of paired outcomes for each age through older adulthood.

Stages of Moral Development-- Pre-Conventional - based on self-centered interests Conventional - based on conformity to local expectations Post-Conventional - based on higher principles

Ethical relationships-- Gilligan stresses that unlike today's women who can speak the moral language of justice and rights nearly as fluently as the moral language of care and responsibilities, today's boys and men still find it very hard to articulate their moral concerns in anything other than the moral language of justice and rights. The primary aim of Gilligan's new studies is to demonstrate that Level Three thinking is, after all, the kind of thinking that should guide moral deliberation.

Instructional Theory into Practice Teaching Model-- Hunter identified seven components for teaching: 1.knowledge of human growth and development, 2.content, 3.

classroom management, 4.materials, 5.planning, 6.human relations, 7.instructional skills Hunter also developed a direct instructional model and elements of effective instruction.

The instructional model has seven components: 1.objectives, 2.standards, 3.anticipatory set, 4.teaching (input, modeling, checking for understanding), 5.guided practice/monitoring, 6.

closure, 7.independent practice

Subsumption Theory-- Mechanism by which new material presented in academic settings (lectures) can be integrated into existing mental structures. For subsumption to occur, the presentation of new knowledge should be preceded by "advance organizers."