IST 520: Learning Theories – SP18

Team 2 Group Project 1: Talking Paper – Cognitivism

PURPOSE: To provide colleagues with information on Cognitivism.

1. Principal Elements and Ideas Related to the Theory

a. According to Harasim, the primary focus of cognitivist theory was to explain what
occurs after the stimulus and before the response, revealing the processes of the mind.

b. Cognitivists viewed the mind as a computer and were concerned with better
understanding the mental structures and process models of the mind with respect to
behavior.

c. Similar to Behaviorism, Cognitivism maintained the epistemology of objectivism,

where the primary role of the instructor is to delivery information to the learner who in
turn assimilates it which is a didactic model.

2. Social Conditions/Economic/ Technological Context

By the early 1920s many researchers began to question the limitations of Behaviorism. One
major flaw was the simplistic view of solely the direct relationship between “stimulus and
response” that could not explain all social behaviors. This set the stage for Cognitivism to
flourish. According to Winn and Snyder, other factors required consideration of the impact to
“predictability” of a response to a stimulus. It was time to study the internal mental processes
responsible for evaluating the stimulus to determine the appropriate response. Cognitive learning
theory was highly impacted by the invention of the computer. Additional contributing factors
were developments in linguistics, neurology, psychology, education and computer science.
Intelligent tutoring systems and artificial intelligence were key cognitive learning technologies.

3. Positive Contributions

a. Technological advancements in education are a result of cognitivism.

b. Artificial intelligence (AI) was invented during the 1950s after World War II, with the goal
to build computers that would have the cognitive capabilities of humans.

(1) Through these cognitive processes, they would be able to enhance instruction.


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 (2) The demand for AI increased as many soldiers returned to the United States and
were attending universities and as a result college attendance grew.


(3) Thus, the contribution of cognitivism in education is its influence in instructional

design through learner-driven education via software or instructors.


(4) As a result, cognitivism’s legacy is explaining human behavior through analyzing

theories and behaviors.

c. Gagne’s Theory providing a taxonomy of learning outcomes, specific conditions for

learning outcomes and events of instruction that are beneficial for instructional designers.

d. Emphasis on individualized learning.

4. Criticisms and who made them (Source)

a. Finiley (1983) argues Gagné's theory:

(1) Is not beneficial to scientific curriculum due to too much emphasis on in inductive
empiricism. (p.5)
(2) Is too rigid, 9 steps may take too long for instructional design.
(3) Does not allow for creative problem solving

b. Buswell (1951) argues that information processing theory conflicts with mathematical
curriculum “Much harm has been done to the organization and teaching of arithmetic by
trying to force all learning situations to fit any one theory of learning. (p.210)

5. Major Contributors/their contributions/years of major contributions

a. Marriner David Merill: late 1960s – present. The Component Display Theory, Instructional
Transaction Theory and the First Principles of Instruction.

b. Charles Reigeluth: late 1970s – present. Instructional design theories and systemic
transformation of educational systems, transforming from the teacher-centered paradigm founded
in time-based student progress to the learner-centered paradigm founded in competency-based
student progress.

c. Robert M. Gagné: 1930s – 1990s. Conditions of Learning. Applied concepts of instructional

theory to the design of computer-based training and multimedia-based learning.

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 d. Jerome Bruner: early 1940s – early 2000s. Human cognitive psychology and cognitive
learning theory in educational psychology.

e. Roger Schank: late 1960s – late 2000s. Conceptual dependency theory and case-based
reasoning.

6. Collective Team Position on Situations of Application

a. Military: Experiential learning, social learning, and mastery learning.

b. Using cues, questions, summarizing and note-taking.

c. Concept mapping and virtual field trips.

d. Online games and reinforcement activities, such as sorting games, puzzles, and flashcards.

e. Observational learning.

7. Attached 5P analysis Rubric.

a. This rubric helps you address the question of whether the theory provides for the 5Ps-
Presentation, Practice, Production, Posting, Participation/Collaboration. An item may be non-
applicable to the situation. Or, an item that is not provided for may involve a mixed theory
approach.

b. Example: Constructivism does not seem to provide for practice. Or, if the opposite is your
position, support that with a comment as to how a Constructivist approach supports practice.
In applying the analysis to a Constructivist learning approach, the task readiness (Zone of
Proximal Development) of each member of the group would have to be assessed and risk or
remediation would have to be provided for.

c. Attach the rubric to the Talking Paper. Address each entry on the rubric.

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 Draft Rubric
Mapping Cognitive Science Against Learning Theories
The rubric below is an attempt at evaluation of something as complex as a learning theory. If we
believe that the activities listed below are what the cognitive scientists are saying is valid, then
we as teachers and designers and theorists should be informed by those findings. This draft is
worked from the brain-based motivation considerations and from Gredler, Schumann and the
material on how the neurons and glia operate. Please comment and add or modify as you see fit.
In Gredler’s book, the sections on Principles of Learning and Educational Applications should be
reviewed using this rubric.

Accounted
For?
Y = Yes
Element of Motivation N= No Comments
NA = Not
Applicable
? = Cannot
Determine
Presentation
The theory considers whether material is Y Student's attention is drawn to a
relevant to needs and goals of the learner task through highlighted material,
and/or student self-regulation.
The theory includes consideration as to Y Student's attention is maintained
whether material and/or presentation/ by connecting a concrete object
stimulus is novel, is something new and or other cue to the task.
interesting to the learner

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The theory concerns itself with the
presentation approach being intrinsically
pleasant/interesting/stimulating/ thought
provoking
The theory informs with respect to areas
such as wording, visuals, audio, language
being manageable and useable to the
receiving group or individual
Practice
The theory supports opportunities being
provided to develop proficiency in
application of the skill, knowledge, ability
or concept
The theory supports practice activities, to
include repetition and spiraling, designed
to develop automaticity in responses and
execution if appropriate
The theory requires that practice is
relevant to needs and goals of the learner
The theory covers self-assessment or
assessment by other means that evidences
that the Learner can see that skill/
competency acquisition is taking place
The theory requires practice activities that
are within or slightly above the learner’s
competency level
Y Student's attention is drawn to a
task through teacher input,
highlighted material, and/or
student self-regulation.
Y Student is provided with specific
aids for problem-solving and
memorization.
Y Student practices target
information through
verbalization, visual study, or
other means.
Y Students practice actions through
games, for example, where they
must repeat target information.
Y Student expands target
information by relating
information to real-life use.
Y Student simplifies target
information by converting
difficult or unfamiliar
information into more
manageable information.
Y Practices move from simple to
complex.
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The theory requires that practice be
designed to lead to correct response.
Production and Posting
The theory encourages application of the
skill, knowledge/ability or concept being
learned
The theory encourages publication of
whatever is produced by the learner to
group for peer view and learning
Participation/Collaboration
Theory supports synchronous or
asynchronous review of posted products
Theory promotes a Community of
Practice/Wisdom/Knowledge
Theory supports some form of
accountability with respect to who is
contributing and how they are contributing
to knowledge sharing
Theory accounts for variation in task
readiness and ability to contribute to group
effort to meet goals
Y Tasks, broken down into smaller
steps or chunks that use
information to develop
instruction, moves from simple to
complex building on prior
schema.
Y Tasks requiring an increased level
of processing are primarily
associated with strategies

having a stronger cognitive
emphasis.
N
Y Student uses computer-based
learning.
Y Perhaps mostly applicable in a
military environment.
Y Teacher and student can see and
hear how each of them is reacting
to the instructional and learning
process, which is accountability
achieved through bonding
Y Perhaps mostly applicable in a
military environment.
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In terms of theory, does the theory provide
for collaboration?
Y Teacher and student can see and
hear how each of them is reacting
to the instructional and learning
process, which is accountability
achieved through bonding
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