THEORIES ABOUT LEARNING

Theories about learning



Table of Content

INTRODUCTION3

LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR UK4

LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR NETWORKS5

FROM LIFELONG LEARNING TO LIFELONG TEACHING7

THE TEACHING-LEARNING RELATIONSHIP9

STYLES OF LIFELONG TEACHING10

TEACHING AND LEARNING THEORIES IN LIFELONG LEANING SECTOR12

CONCLUSION17

REFERENCES18

Theories of Learning

Introduction

The kinds of learning theories that students use are linked to the quality of their learning outcomes and can provide useful insights into students' conceptions of and goals for learning, and their effectiveness as learners. Moreover, the strategies students use are linked to the approach to learning they adopt, for example, deep, surface or achieving, when they study. Both students and their teachers can benefit from an increased awareness and understanding of the different learning strategies that students are using to learn and how these may change over a course of study. However, students and teachers rarely have information about students' use of learning strategies and how these may change. Findings from two studies investigating student learning - one looking at school leavers and the other at mature age university students - showed that it is possible to gather such information. The studies found that students used different learning strategies including rehearsal, elaboration and organisation strategies and that their use of these strategies changed over time. These findings highlight the value for both students and teachers of gathering data about learning strategies. Knowing how students learn is especially critical for how teachers plan the curriculum and choose and use instructional practices and assessment tasks. Feedback about learning strategies can have a significant impact on both learning and teaching and can be a valuable source of information for both learners and teachers. Moreover, such data can be gathered using different tools and incorporated into regular assessment tasks. There are a number of implications of expanding assessment to include learning theories for helping students to be effective learners, enhancing the quality of learning and teaching, and strengthening the partnership between students and teachers (Jarvis, 2005, pp. 45-196).

Lifelong Learning Sector UK

The Lifelong Learning Sector of education in the UK has in recent years been the focus of unprecedented attention from policy makers, leading to profound changes in practice and in teacher education. In addition, the important role played by informal and work based learning is increasingly being recognised. These often contentious political, social and cultural influences on lifelong learning highlight the need for critical approaches to teaching and learning in post-compulsory education and training.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive, practical and theoretically informed text for teachers, trainee teachers and others working in the Further Education System and the wider Lifelong Learning Sector, including work-based learning (WBL). It incorporates advice on teaching, including working with different kinds of learners, with groups, and individual tutoring. It provides an introduction to key concepts relating to learning and assessment. There is an outline of frameworks for Initial Teacher Training for the sector, dealing mainly with the further education system but also discussing other contexts.

This paper demonstrates a critical overview of learning theories in Lifelong Learning Sector of education in the UK, focusing particularly ...