CHAPTER, The Social Construction of Learning ERIC BREDO ney ins INTRODUCTION Contemporary teaming theory laces a number of challenges. One of these ales rom the split of leaming theory Iaiely into two opposing canes, behaviorist and cognitivit (Bower & Hilgard 1981), At thelr most extreme. behaviorist studied bodily movement without mind, focusing on simple fearing in animals such 25 chickens, ats, and pigeons, while cogntwss ‘udied mind without bodily movement as in human symbolic peablem sl Ing modeled on computers. Many textboots ate divided down the middle between these two approaches, sometimes even using wo diletent dei tions of learning i the sime book. As one schoat pu i," can reasonably be aimed that these two psychologes of leaning remain separate Inco temporary psychology” (Catania. 1992p. 353), "The polarization between behaviors and cognitvist approaches toletn lng creates both theoretical and practical iicuies Theoretically Ht makes ithard to understand the relationship between leaning mechanical sills ‘and move complex symbolically mediated learning. Practically, education based on such polarized views i iy fo produce one-sided specialists who ‘actin one-sided way. Those insructing the “eating disabled in Schools ior example, tend tobe tained ae behaviors, while thove teaching the ted tend tobe trained in cognitive theory To the extent that these be come ealsive ovenatons thee i the danger that students of one grou‘ eat “ive who thar whot ining and students leer hk Sitet pact pecan , en ening thay comes om an ats re an ssc aspects emng Prag bere prc en dae song bunds betwee hl si sg sbng an nas, solog sot OUD Pe espaol uly uy ering ering he sa ea ae eccnghnduncbes Alerter tang de nt pen en ‘sat circ ronan mma cng Foe te eens eioato tn 2) 4 othe exon ols tein try at ses onthe one ras tthe ec Aang Sass eather eng make Si DY aa Aaah oer ale sharing the muta COs ees ht thence mmc enn one ie 2 deci ling siya of anes sen anew indaltc approach leaning sly aan eng se cena wel Tea that eh Mo reo gre min wl ope Hes Nave lt ha a proces ae) lc ee ome reece © fission (meron ha hee han sre taurine wale on se a newman e108, Sana Ea ene loping thd apron olen, of wich uenk Oe cine an emp row cols. © Dug 18° cee Tac Mens 1 Wor eig th ie Ns Cle are a sons such es peasy sacar see fo deropen sw el, 1089 Rog 1 oan aa ge tpie ion), etinanethodaon and nei {2S ta ama, fon, cere a 8 Cane 193 Nona ana Sa nr teas of practi (NE Mae Menge 19 and Deven pagan (redo, 94: Schn oe = at flows | dca these ne aprcchestoleaming—bearo ee oe mete cation conides the esomins eee fea apps, welling the the ere Bi ‘cme ees ae 1 Thess tt 5 ‘sophicl tadtons from which they have derived see Case 1991) 1 will 2550 ty to place each approach in at leat an abbreviated Wstorcal context 50 tha the evolution of diletent conceptions of earning is highligh