Unit 5 – Behavioral Learning Theories and Approaches to Learning

A. What is Learning?

-Learning is a change in behavior of the learners as a result of experience. The behavior can be

physical and overt,or it can be intellectual or attitudinal.

-The process by which experience brings about a relatively permanent change.

-The change in behavior that results from experiences and practice.

B. Approaches to Learning

1. Behavioral

- Behavioral learning is a school of study that focuces on how individuals learn and

how an individual’s learning can be measured.

3 types of behavioral learning

- CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

- OPERANT CONDITIONING

- OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING

2. Social cognitive

- Social cognitive learning occurs when an individual learns from other members of the group

by observing and imitating their behavior.

3 main factors of social cognitive learning?

1.) The environment (e.g., neighborhood, proximity to gym)

2.) Individual personality characteristics and/or experience (including cognitions), and;

3.)Behavioral factors.

3. Information processing

- Information Processing Theory uses a computer model to describe human learning.

Information comes in, it gets processed, and then it gets stored and retrieved. Of course this is

an oversimplification of human learning, but it gives us a good overview and simile by using

the computer model

4. Cognitive constructivism
 -Cognitive constructivism states knowledge is something that is actively constructed by

learners based on their existing cognitive structures. Therefore, learning is relative to their

stage of cognitive development.

- In other words, the external reality involved in Cognitive Constructivism is actually

learning".

- It is consciously being aware of external factors and using cognitive skills to take these

factors and process it internally with existing knowledge for new knowledge construction.

- Cognitive Constructivism Theory of learning and teaching is based on Piaget's beliefs that

humans cannot be given information that they immediately understand and use.

TWO VARIATIONS ON A CONSTRUCTIVIST THEME

1. Cognitive constructivism

- Emphasizes the development of meaningful learning by focusing on the

cognitive processes that take place within individuals

2. Social constructivism

- Emphasizes the development of meaningful learning by focusing on

culture and social interactions

5. Social constructivist

-Social constructivism focuses on the collaborative nature of learning. Knowledge develops

from how people interact with each other, their culture, and society at large. Students rely on

others to help create their building blocks, and learning from others helps them construct their

own knowledge and reality.

C. Connectionism

-Connectionism advocates that learning, representation, and processing of information are dynamic

and distributed. Language as a hallmark of human behavior has received in-depth treatment since the

beginning of connectionist research.

D. Conditioning
 1. Classical conditioning

-Classical conditioning, also called Pavlovian conditioning or respondent conditioning, is

learning through association. This behavioral learning method was first studied in the late 19th

century by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov.

2. Contiguous conditioning

- Classical conditioning is a behaviorist theory of learning. It posits that when naturally

occurring stimulus and anenvironmental stimulus are repeatedly paired, the environmental

stimulus will eventually elicit a similar response to the natural stimulus.

-Contiguous conditioning is also a part of the behaviorist school. This approach, developed by

Edwin Guthrie, states that a stimulus that causes a response will cause the same response if

the stimulus is experienced again. In other words, a behavior (response) will be re- peated if

the same situation (stimulus) is experienced again.

-For example, if a teacher provides a stimulus of “be quiet in the classroom” and the students’

response is silence every single time they are in the classroom this is considered contiguous

conditioning. Every time they hear “be quiet in

3. Operant conditioning

-Operant conditioning, sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning, is a method of

learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. Through operant conditioning,

behavior that is rewarded is likely to be repeated, and behavior that is punished will rarely

occur.

E. Behavior Analysis in Education F. Gestalt-Insight Learning

-Can be used to increase behaviors, such as attending to a speaker or greeting a peer. The principles

and methods can be used to teach a student new skills, including using a spoon and learning

addition.Can be used to maintain behaviors, for example, reading sight words that were learned.

Three Branches

1. 1.Conceptual Analysis of Behavior - Focus on theoretical or conceptual

2. Experimental Analysis of Behavior – Focus on discovering basic principles of behavior. Research

done in a laboratory environment with both humans and non-humans.

3. Applied Behavior Analysis – Focus on discovering and clarifying functional relations between

socially significant behavior and its controlling variables.

F. Experiential Learning Theory

-Insightful learning is also known as Gestalt learning which means that learning is concerned with

the whole individual and arises from the interaction of an individual with his situations or

environment. Throught his interaction emerge new forms of perception, imagination and ideas which

altogether constitute insight.

- Four Stages of Insight Learning. Insight learning is a process that has four stages. These four stages

are preparation, incubation, insight, and verification. Each phase of insight learning can be thought of

as a part of a story.