THEORIES OF LEARNING

Theories of Learning

Theories of Learning

Learning describes the acquisition, processing, dissemination, application and knowledge creation that can occur in the individual, group and organizational level. There is general agreement that learning involves a change that may come as a change in behavior, cognitive or social. Although it is generally assumed that learning involves a positive change, there is some recognition that learning is not necessarily better. According to many learning theorists, learning is impossible to separate its underlying epistemology, therefore, learning and all attempts to define learning involves underlying epistemology or theory of knowledge. (Bandura, 1986, 23-29)

.Include behavioral learning theories, constructivist, sociocultural, cognitive and experiential approaches. Each of these views on learning considers (1) the importance of students' reactions and behavior to external stimuli, (2) the importance of context in knowledge creation, (3) the decision process rational learning, and (4) the importance of students' experience and subsequent reflection on that experience, as well as significant barriers to reflection. (Bandura, 1986, 23-29)

Like constructivists, cognitive theorists focus on internal mental strategies necessary for the creation of new knowledge. These structures are often referred to as mental models or cognitive maps. The cognitive approach is more concerned than other approaches of how these existing mental maps to limit or restrict learning. The cognitive approach suggests that the mental maps guide people's actions and that these maps restrict how people integrate and implement new knowledge and process information. Cognitivists concern themselves with what knowledge is stored, how it is stored, and what variables facilitate storage. Chris Argyris and Donald Schön describe the process of acting on these mental maps as the single-loop learning. double-loop learning, however, describes the situation where people are a critical analysis of these underlying mental maps and the question and to reconfigure its rules, norms, values and plans. Cognitive theorists describe learning as from a concrete experience, then the student experience by integrating this symbolic representation.

In trying to help students discover the mental structures, cognitive theorists have reasoned that the best way to make mental models includes the development of structures that help students process information efficiently on existing mental models and use of metaphors, narratives, and the analogy to bridge the mental structures. For Argyris and Schön, advocate to discover the barriers to mental models or variables that prevent the integration of new knowledge. In organizations that are undergoing change, this process of discovery will allow students to redesign their mental maps to be more efficient. (Bandura, 1986, 23-29)

Behaviorists believe that learning is the result of environmental stimuli 'condition' behavioral responses. Behaviorists assume that humans and animals learn the same way, so that the principles derived from animal research apply to human learning. Learning is studied by observing and measuring the responses of an organism to environmental stimuli.

From his studies of cats trying to get out of a box of puzzles, Edward Thorndike postulated that learning usually involves trial and error behavior. When responses are followed by favorable consequences, responses were stronger, but when ...