Module 1: Theory of Learning for ISOM

Ph.D. StudentsDr. Aprille Black

Spring 2012

Spring 2012 2

Overview

• Introduction – Background, assumptions, expectations

• Review of syllabus• Intro to learning theories• Learning theories and Course Design• Exercise• Q&A

Spring 2012 3

Introduction

• Background– What brings you to this course?

• Assumptions– What are your thoughts about

learning, theory, and instruction

• Expectations– What do you want out of this course?

Spring 2012 4

Review of syllabus

• My beliefs, assumptions, expectations

• Readings• Deliverables• Criteria

Spring 2012 5

Beliefs & Assumptions

• This course is concerned with scientific approaches to the study of learning and cognition

• No single learning theory is adequate to account for all aspects of learning

• A theory of learning does not automatically prescribe the best way to teach

• What people learn through formal instruction is only a very small subset of what they know

6

Course Deliverables

• Unit summaries & analyses• Learning activities• Application papers • Personal theory of learning

7

Application Papers

• Paper #1: Select behaviorism, cognitive information processing, or meaningful learning/schema theory to explain a learning scenario and articulate its effectiveness or inadequacy

• Paper #2: Choose two theories to compare and contrast in relation to a personally relevant setting, issue, or problem

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Theory Matrix

Driscoll (2005), p.418

9

Personal Learning Theory

• Focus on inputs, means, results• Take a stand on the merits and faults

of one or more particular theories• Identify gaps in theory and suggest

future research• Determine applicability to settings

relevant to you, and preferably a wider audience

10

Intro to Learning Theories

Driscoll (2005), p.1

11

Key Definitions I

• Learning: A persisting change in performance (or performance potential) that results from experience and interaction

• Cognition: Processes by which sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, & used

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Key Definitions

• Theory: Set of interrelated constructs, definitions, and propositions that present a systematic view of phenomena for the purpose of explaining, predicting, and controlling

• Learning theory: A set of constructs linking observed changes in performance with what is thought to bring about those changes

13

More on Theories I• Theories originate with questions or counter

evidence• Motivation leads to conducting systematic

observations, on the basis of which plausible answers can be constructed

• Theories don't give us "the truth of the matter," only a conceptual framework for making sense of the data collected so far

• A particular theory stems from a particular perspective: thus, theories carry "worldviews"

14

More on Theories II

• Different paradigms approach phenomena with different assumptions and beliefs– Behaviorism: quasi-experimental, a priori– Cognitivism: quasi-experimental, emergent– Constructivism: emergent, naturalistic

• Two apparently competing theories may not even be directed at the same phenomena

15

Epistemology & Theory

Driscoll (2005), p.15

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Theory Building & Testing I

• Generally accepted stages of theory-building process built on these: – What kinds of assumptions and beliefs will

you bring to the question? – What specific questions would you start with? – What sort of observations or data collection

would you use? – How would the results of your data collection

help you in the next step of building your "theory"?

17

Theory Building and Testing II

Driscoll (2005), p.5

18

Learning Theory & ID

• Assumption: effective instruction is informed by theories of learning

• Goal is to identify conditions for learning and design instruction

• But:– Theory is descriptive– Instruction is prescriptive

• Consequently, difficult to interpret descriptive understandings to prescriptive intentions for change…

Spring 2012 19

Exercise

20

Q&A

• Learning, learning theories, instructional design

• Syllabus• Course management• Others…