Introduction to learning theory
Staff Development Hour, 16th February 2011
Session outline• How do people learn?• Learning theories• Elearning and information literacy• Learning at what level?• Designing for learning• Reflection
Learning outcomes
By the end of this session you should:• Have an overview of some relevant theories and what
they mean for IL as well as for learning and teaching in general
• Be able to select the appropriate approach for what you want to do (face-to-face teaching or online activity)
Your own experience of learning
• Recall some specific learning experiences and think about what made them good or bad
• How have these influenced the way you yourself teach, or write online activities?
• What are the preferred ways of teaching and learning in the subjects that you work with?
How do students learn?
How students learn
• Need to relate new learning to existing knowledge and experience
• It’s what the learner does that results in learning • Two-way conversation (Laurillard, 2002)• Different learning styles, but depends on context• ‘Deep’ and ‘surface’ learning• Reflection is important
Kolb learning cycle
Ripples on a pond (Phil Race)
Wanting/Needing
Doing
Feedback
Making sense
Jargon-busting• Pedagogy• Andragogy• Behaviourism• Cognitivism• Constructivism
Pedagogy
• The art, occupation, or practice of teaching. Also: the theory or principles of education; a method of teaching based on such a theory (OED)
Andragogy
Theory of adult learning• Adults need to know why they need to learn something• Adults need to learn experientially• Adults approach learning as problem solving• Adults learn best when they see the topic is of
immediate value to them
Behaviourism
• About conditioning, and reinforcing behaviour• There is objective knowledge which can be learnt and is
measurable• Relevant to skills development, e.g. ‘How to’ type
teaching• Teacher-centred
Cognitivism
• About the mind making sense of material with which it is presented
• How the brain operates in learning – what helps / hinders
• People learn better in short segments, where there is reinforcement at the end
Constructivism• Is about the learner creating new meanings for him or
herself– http://vodpod.com/watch/5027058-constructivism-in-
learning?u=joaoa&c=joaoa• Everyone starts from their own perspective:
– http://www.youtube.com/oulife#p/u/3/VNgNcJ112pU (Building on experience - OU student view)
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqCIUXNYkxw (Victor Borge - How people with different occupations play the piano)
• Social constructivism: about how meanings and understandings grow out of social encounters
Elearning‘Learning facilitated and supported through the use of
information and communications technology (ICT)’ (JISC, http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elearning)
Key principles of effective elearning (Dyke, Conole et al, 2007):
• Thinking and reflection• Experience and activity• Conversation and interaction
(E)learning and information literacy
Learning at what level?
• The language of learning outcomes• Bloom’s taxonomy:
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/bloomtax.htm • IL levels framework: http://library.open.ac.uk/ILLFramework/
Bloom’s taxonomy (revised Anderson & Krathwohl)
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/bloomtax.htm
IL and progression• IL levels framework aims to define level at which
students should be able to perform skills, e.g. for Understand the information landscape– Level 1 identify a limited number of key sources of
information– Level 2 identify a range of key sources– Level 3 select from and use a wide range of
sources…
Designing for learning• Constructive alignment (Biggs & Tang, 2007)
– Constructive because it’s about what the learner does, constructing own knowledge
– Alignment because learning outcomes, assessment and teaching and learning activities are all consistent with each other
Example of constructive alignment for IL from TU120• Learning outcome: Critically evaluate information from a variety
of sources• Assessment: Part of the EMA and carries 25/100 marks.
Apply PROMPT criteria to at least two of the sources you have referred to in your report, to explain why you have chosen to use this material. Write no more than 500 words.
• Learning activities include: – What would a good piece of information look like? – What is meant by each of the criteria represented by
PROMPT? – Summary activities to test what people have learnt, make clear
it is about developing a critical approach and apply to a real-life scenario
Activity• Think of an activity or training session you have worked
on recently. – What was it about? – How did you go about teaching or training? – How well did it work? – In light of what you have learned in today’s session,
what would you do differently next time?
Reflection
• Two key things you have got from this session• A question you still have
Acknowledgements• Joel Mark Witt (2008) Leadership: ask better questions,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelmarkwitt/2797956179/• Peter J. Bury (2008) adult learning cycle by David Kolb,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bury_irc/2827216705/ • Manic Toys (2010) A curious discovery 2,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liam-manic/4507751075/ • Stacy Lynn Baum (2009) Buzz Lightyear,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacylynn/4142811972/ • With thanks to Clare Humphries, University of Cranfield
After the session…(for OU people only, sorry)
• Please visit SocialLearn: http://sociallearn.open.ac.uk/social/paths/view?pathId=7656
• Work through the learning path as and when you have time• Join the group and make any comments• Fill in the questionnaire with your feedback on SocialLearn
as a learning platform
Further reading / viewing• See SocialLearn learning path, ‘Learning theory for OU
Librarians’: http://sociallearn.open.ac.uk/social/paths/view?pathId=7656
• Angles on learning: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/index.htm
• Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2007) Teaching for quality learning at university: what the student does, 3rd edn, Maidenhead, Open University Press
• Conole, G. & Oliver, M. (eds) (2007) Contemporary perspectives in elearning research: themes, methods and impact on practice, London, Routledge.
• Introduction to learning theories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsX5Tq3WTBw
Information Literacy Unit, Library ServicesThe Open UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AA
www.open.ac.uk
