LEARNING PROCESS

Learning Process and Theories

Learning Process and Theories

Introduction

The term Learning Process is a technique by which individuals learn how to organise information in logical cerebral structures. It focuses on learning organising principles - the cubby holes in which the mind organises facts into ideas. Learning process is a catalyst for challenging the individuals to think at higher levels, the process of leaning is to acquire knowledge throughout the life time; there is no age limit for the learning process. People usually consider learning as a student activity; it is not so (Cook, Levinson & Garside, 2008). Learning process starts from very early age and then continues till death. We usually learn different things on a daily basis, be it intentionally or unintentionally. In this regard, there are three types of learning theories, Cognitive, Behavioural and Constructivist.

Theories of Learning

There exist three main theories of learning, which relates to all types of leaning. These theories will elaborate thoroughly.

Cognitive Learning

Cognitive theory focuses on the study of mental processes that lead to learning in humans, taking into account some unobservable factors or internal processes such as knowledge, meaning, intent, feelings, expectations and thoughts. That is, studies how the individual receives, processes and uses information and the change that occurs in their cognitive structures during learning due to interaction with environmental factors (Bostrom & Lassen, 2006). In summary, the cognitive try to discover how people can solve problems, learn concepts, perceive and remember information as well as many others manages to do complex mental tasks.

Gestalt psychologists belong to the so-called cognitive theories of learning, in other words, those who try to explain how an understanding of influences on learning. Unlike behaviourist that explain how learning behaviour, cognitive psychologists believe that learning - is a complex process that involves finding possible solutions, intellectual study of the problem, intuition, imagination, perception and purpose. They also believe that learning can be latent that remains in hiding until the need arises to use it. Such knowledge does not manifest itself until such time as it has developed completely. For example, many smokers the cause of their habits is unknown. This does not mean that explicit change of behaviour will manifest immediately, but over time, smoking status may change (Zhou, 1999).

Behavioural Learning

Behaviourism as a theory of learning that focuses on objectively observable behaviours and defines learning as the acquisition of new behaviour through conditioning that occurs through interaction with the environment. Behaviourism operates upon the works of Ivan P. Pavlov, B. F. Skinner, J. B. Watson, and others (Piaget, 1971).

There are two types of possible conditioning: (1) classical conditioning, where the behaviour becomes a reflexive or involuntary response to stimulus, and (2) operant conditioning, where there is reinforcement of behaviour by a reward or a punishment. Classical conditioning starts with a reflex: an instinctive, unintentional behaviour caused by an antecedent environmental experience.

According to behaviourism, behaviour can be studied in a systematic and obvious way without considering internal mental states or cognitive processes of the learner. Behaviourism assumes a learner is essentially ...