Three major learning theories

  • Behaviorism, which emphasizes observable behavior, holds that learning is a response to external stimuli. In teaching, the behaviorist approach usually involves explicit goals, repetitive exercises, and timely feedback to reinforce desired behavior.
  • Cognitivism is concerned with internal mental processes such as thinking, memory, and problem solving. According to this theory, learners take the initiative to process information, and teaching should organize content to promote the understanding and memory of information.
  • Constructivism advocates that learners construct their own knowledge through experience and reflection. Learning is regarded as an active and contextualized meaning-making process. Teaching strategies should encourage exploration and problem solving, and use real situations to help learners understand based on existing knowledge.

These three theories have different emphases, but they are not mutually exclusive in instructional design. Effective instructional design often combines a variety of theories and adjusts to specific learning objectives and contexts. For example, the behaviorist approach may be more effective for teaching basic skills, while the constructivist strategy may be more appropriate for developing higher-order thinking skills.By understanding and applying these learning theories, educators can design teaching activities that are more in line with learners’ needs and improve learning outcomes.

What concept did you find difficult to understand? How did you approach learning the concept?

During my studies, I found the concept of constructivism particularly challenging to grasp. Constructivism is a learning theory that posits learners actively construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiences and reflection. Rather than passively receiving information, individuals build upon their existing knowledge base, integrating new information to form unique understandings. The abstract nature of this concept made it difficult for me to comprehend fully.

In order to overcome this challenge, I employed several strategies:

  1. Analogies: I related constructivism to building a house, where each new piece of knowledge serves as a brick, and personal experiences act as the mortar holding them together. This analogy helped me visualize how learners build upon their existing knowledge base.
  2. Diagrams: I created concept maps to illustrate the relationships between prior knowledge, new information, and the contextual factors influencing learning. Visual representations aided in organizing my thoughts and clarifying complex ideas.
  3. Examples: I examined real-world applications of constructivist teaching methods, such as project-based learning and collaborative group work, to see how the theory is implemented in educational settings. Observing these examples provided concrete instances of the abstract concept.

In my opinion, this approach not only enhanced my understanding of the concept but also equipped me with tools to tackle other complex theories in my studies.