Unit 03 Theories, principles and models in education and training
1 Understand the application of theories, principles and models of learning in education and training
1.1 Analyse theories, principles and models of learning
There are many theories, principle and models of learning. The theories of learning can be broadly categorised into three distinct schools, which are the behaviourist school, the cognitivist school and the humanist school. There are a number of ‘subsidiary’ schools, an example is Gestaltism is a derivative of Humanism (Machin et al., 2014), though largely it is the three schools that are most considered. All the three theories differently about learning and have distinct characteristics in relation to their conceptualisations of it. Thorndike (1898) and Skinner (1938) advocated the behaviourist school and proposed that learning takes place in response to a learner’s surroundings and situation (Wilson, 2014).
Behaviourist school takes a biological perspective of learning and characterises learning as a mechanistic process in which learning is passive and in which the learner reacts to teaching as opposed to responding more actively (Wilson, 2014). The cognitive school was advocated by Piaget (1932). It was proposed that learning should be considered in line with individual’s conceptualisations taking into account their beliefs and attitudes, which influence their behaviour and concomitantly their learning (Buckler and Castle, 2014). The cognitive school takes a psychological perspective of learning. This school has a cognitive based theory and recognises the importance of the mental processes that are involved in learning (Wilson, 2014). The humanistic school was supported by Rogers (1951; 1959). This school emerges the concept that learning was about self-fulfilment and realising potential. This humanistic school also recognised that the confounding factors in the learning process could be complex and unstable (DeCarvalho, 1991). The humanistic school takes a sociological perspective of learning.
One of the principles of learning was proposed by Thorndike (1932) who defined the principles of learning in the ‘laws of learning’ is one of the most accepted conceptualisation. Thorndike (1932) proposed that there are three key principles that relate to learning, which are readiness, exercise and effect. Another principle was the principle of exercise which relates to the ability of learners to retain information and how well learning is reinforced (Thorndike, 1999). The principle of effect relates to the learners experience of the teaching that has taken place and is related to motivation (Thorndike, 1999). If a learner has a positive experience, learning is strengthened and it is weakened if a learner has a negative experience, hence it is vital that the teacher praises and uses positive reinforcement, which will enable the learner to recognise and acknowledge their effort and attainment which serves to bring about positive feelings (Armitage et al., 2003).