LEARNING THEORY

Adult Learning Principles (Knowles)

Principles of adult learning;
• The need to know — why do I need to learn it?
• Learner self-concept — responsible for own decisions/
treated as capable of self-direction
• Role of learners' experience — own experiences the
richest resource for learning
• Readiness to learn —ready to learn those things they
need to know in order to cope effectively with life
situations.
• Orientation to learning — motivated to learn to the
extent that they perceive that it will help them perform
tasks they confront in their life situations.
• Motivation – internal rather than external
• What is ‘knowledge’?

• What is ‘learning’?
What is learning?

• A process, or a product?
• A change in knowledge, beliefs, behaviours or attitudes?
• Adaptability?
What have you had to learn
to do your job?
 Knowing others

Managing Ability to read

People the situation one
oneself & one’s
own behaviour finds oneself in
Control Situations

Knowledge
of ..

Knowing how to Process Practice Patient

do things / go diagnosis,
about things management,
Conceptual assessment …

Theories &
principles held Michael Eraut
Performance Facts
Practical Technical
Theories in use Formal theories
Tacit knowledge Formal or codified knowledge

Knowin Knowin
g how g that
(the what, the
(the how)
facts, the who)
“When I chisel at a wheel, if I go slow, the chisel
slides and does not stay put; if I hurry, it jams and
doesn’t move properly. When it is neither too slow or
too fast, I can feel it in my hand and respond to it
from my heart. My mouth cannot describe it in words,
but there is something there. I cannot teach it to my
son, and my son cannot learn it from me. So, I have
gone on for seventy years, growing old chiselling
wheels. The men of old died in possession of what
they could not transmit. So, it follows that what you
are reading are their dregs.”

Account by Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi (369-286 BC)

Wheelwright talking to a powerful general

How do people learn?
…Broadly in 4 ways…..
Behaviourism..
Stimulus/ response
Humanism..
Being all you can be….
Cognitivism..
The mind as active processor…
Constructivism
• The mind actively creating knowledge through experience
Question?

Exercise:

Write down your thoughts in response to the

following:

what motivated or inspired me as a learner

was………

Share with neighbour

Question?

Write down your thoughts in response

to the following:

What inhibited or demotivated me as a

learner was…..
Share with neighbour
WORKPLACE LEARNING
A dynamic interaction….

Teacher Learner

Learning

Experience /
Environment
content
…A thought….
Move from?;

‘What do I want to teach them?’

To
‘Who are my learners?’
‘What do they need to learn?’
‘How will they best learn it?’
THE LEARNER -
MOTIVATION
What motivates learning?

• "Learners are motivated within a context

of interlocking rewards and relationships,
incentives and barriers.’ (Mann, 1999)
• One of the most powerful motivators is
assessment
• The ‘hidden curriculum’
• Intrinsic & extrinsic motivation
 curriculum as assessed

curriculum as intended curriculum as delivered

‘Hidden
curriculum’

curriculum as
learnt
THE ENVIRONMENT
Discussion…
• What might this mean for your teaching?
• Can you think of examples from your teaching or learning
where aspects of these were at play?
• Does it give you any thoughts for changes to your
teaching?
LEARNING FROM
EXPERIENCE
“Learning is the
process whereby
knowledge is
created through
the transformation
of experience”
(Kolb, 1984)
 Experiential learning cycle

Do
(practice)

Apply Review
(plan) (reflect)

Theorise
(interpret)
Discussion…
• What might this mean for your teaching?
• Can you think of examples from your teaching or learning
where aspects of these were at play?
• Does it give you any thoughts for changes to your
teaching?
Learning from experience
SOCIAL LEARNING
Socratic
questioning
 Click icon to add picture
Situated
learning theory
• Apprenticeship
• Communities of
practice
• Legitimate
peripheral
participation
Discussion…
• What might this mean for your teaching?
• Can you think of examples from your teaching or learning
where aspects of these were at play?
• Does it give you any thoughts for changes to your
teaching?