Distinction between learning as ‘Construction of Knowledge’ and

Learning as ‘Transmission and Reception of Knowledge’, Meaning of

‘Cognition’ and its role in learning, Socio-Cultural factors influencing
Cognition and Learning

Prepared by: Dr. Neha Goyal

 Transmission & Reception is model of learning where there is transmission of
knowledge from the external source (for example, teacher) to the receiver
(students). So, learning here is being taught. The teacher gives students the
concept and knowledge while students are only receiving it purely.
 Construction is totally different from reception because in this model, students
construct by themselves the meaning of concept of knowledge through discussion,
discovery, open-ended learning, making connections, etc. Here, learning means an
individual sense‐making. The students or learners may interact with other learners
to collaboratively build knowledge.
 “Constructivism is a view of learning that says learners use their experiences to
actively construct understandings, that makes sense to them, rather than have
understanding delivered to them in already organized form”.
 Unlike teaching and learning taking place through transmission and reception, a
mediational approach to teaching and learning aims at helping learners to
construct their own knowledge, solve problems on their own and to understand
their own thinking processes.

Prepared By: Dr. Neha Goyal

Prepared By: Dr. Neha Goyal
 Cognition comes from the Latin verb cognosco, meaning 'I know, perceive'
meaning 'to conceptualize' or 'to recognize‘.
 Cognition is the process of acquiring and understanding knowledge through our
thoughts, experiences, and senses.
 Cognition is "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and
understanding through thought, experience, and the senses."
 The very word cognitive refers to the process of knowing as well as the known:
 Cognition means `mental processes' that people use to gather/ acquire knowledge, and
 Cognition refers to the knowledge that has been gathered/ acquired subsequently used
in mental processes.
 It encompasses processes such as knowledge, attention, memory and working
memory, judgment and evaluation, reasoning, problem solving, decision making,
comprehension, production of language, etc.
 Human cognition is conscious and unconscious, concrete or abstract, as well as
intuitive (like knowledge of a language) and conceptual (like a model of a
language).
Prepared By: Dr. Neha Goyal
 Whenever we see or hear something new, we go through a series of cognitive
processes, which are the processes that result in learning.
 Cognitive processes use existing knowledge and generate new knowledge.
 Learning is broadly defined as change, learning is an active, constructive process
The focus can be on what we learn (the product of learning) or on how we learn
(the process).
 It is about how we change and how we adapt, grow, and develop. This adaptation,
growth, and development occur from the inside out.
 All eight cognitive processes play a role in our learning.
 Different processes concerning learning can be explained by analyzing the mental
processes first.
 It posits that with effective cognitive processes, learning is easier and new
information can be stored in the memory for a long time

Prepared By: Dr. Neha Goyal

 The culture and society into which the individual is born provide the most
important resources/ clues for human cognitive development.
 They provide the context into which the individual begins his experience of the
world.
 Social groups help in person's cognitive development by placing value/
importance on learning certain skills, thereby providing all important motivation
that the person needs and requires in order to learn and exhibit those skills or
behaviors.
 The individual is born into a society of potential intellect. Knowledge will develop
largely based on the evolution of intellect within the society and culture.
 Socio-cultural factors are the larger-scale forces within cultures and societies that
affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals.

Prepared By: Dr. Neha Goyal

 Family Structure
 Economic Status
 Regional Differences
 Gender Roles & Norms
 Child Rearing Practices
 Customs & Beliefs
 Moral Values
 Lifestyle & Attitude
 Religious Beliefs
 Ethnic & Racial Identity
 Rituals & Taboos
 Language

Prepared By: Dr. Neha Goyal