Learning Theories

1. Cognitive -Learning ls a Mental Process

1.1. Understanding how the brain works results in better understanding of how learning occuras

1.2. cognitive learning involves mental process of receiving and processing information

1.3. learning is meaningful when it relates to concepts the learner knows and understands

1.4. Adults need to be able to impose their own idea of structure on the learning material

1.5. Social Cognitive Theory-Learning ls Social and Context Bound

1.6. self efficiency

1.7. beliving oneself capable of successfully performing certain behaviours or reaching certain goals

2. Constructive -learning ls Creating Meaning from Experience

2.1. An individual prior experiences mental processesing and beliefs influence learning

2.2. the learner is an information constructor people actively construct or create their own subjective representations objective reality ,new knowledge is linked to prior knowledge.

2.3. the learner is not a blank slate but the past experiences and cultural factors to a situation

3. Behaviorist -Learning ls a Change in Behavior

3.1. Learning occurs through practice and reshaping what has been learnt

3.2. believes that the learner starts with a clean slate and behavior is shaped by positive and negative reinforcement

3.3. reinforcements either positive or negative increases the possibility of an event happening again

3.4. punishments either positve or negative decrease the possibility of an event happening again

4. Humanist - earning ls About the Development of the Person

4.1. learning occurs on the basis of a persons motivation derived from needs the desire to grow in a positive way . self concept and subjective feelings

4.2. learning is facilitated by caring facilitators and a nurturing environment that encourage spontaneity , emotional , creativity , emotional expressions

4.3. personal choices