EPSY 335 Learning Theories
Karen Parks, Haibei Zhang, Huong Hoang
-Fall 2001-
Introduction
The lesson:
 is part of a unit in 10th grade Advanced
Biology, entitled: “The Cycling of Energy
and Matter through the Earth’s Ecosystem”
 is half way through this multiple-lesson unit
Introduction
Objectives of the lesson:
 help students understand the structural and
functional relationships between and among
organic chemicals
 provide a foundation for understanding the
cycling of matter and energy between the
soil, atmosphere and living organisms in the
ecosystem
Introduction
Difficulties encountered by the students
 Misconception
 Confusion
 Difficult to remember
SOLUTION
Learning Theories:
 David Ausubel’s Cognitive Psychology
(basis of Concept Map)
 Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
Ausubel's cognitive psychology
 Meaningfulness
• Students need to employ meaningful learning rather
than rote learning (memorization) to promote higher
order thinking and retention of knowledge.
 Assimilation
• Learning takes place by the assimilation of new
concepts and propositions into existing concept
propositional frameworks held by the learner.
 Advance Organizers can be used
Cognitive Structure
 Cognitive structure is hierarchically
organized
 Concepts in cognitive structure undergo
progressive differentiation,
 Integrative reconciliation occurs when two
or more concepts are recognized as relatable
Concept Mapping
 A powerful tool for organizing and
representing knowledge
Research Findings
 Consistent correlations between quality of concept map
and student achievement
 Concept maps could be used to distinguish experts from
novices within a domain
• Ruiz-Primo and Shavelson (1996)
 Concept map enhances student achievements in:
– Multiple-choice measure of misconceptions
– Fill-in-blank concept map instrument
– General measure of concept relatedness
• Zeilik et al. (1997)
 Combining concept map with lecture resulted in
significantly better learning and retention
• Cliburn(1990)
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
 Social environment is critical for learning
 Social environment influences cognition
through cultural tools
 Zone of Proximal Development
 Learners also bring their own
understandings to social interactions
 The use of instructional scaffolding
Lesson Plan
Applying Ausubel’s Cognitive
Psychology/Concept Mapping
Concept maps will:
 mirror the way ideas and knowledge are organized in the learner’s cognitive




structures
Be useful for reviewing knowledge and allow students to assess prior
knowledge
uncover misconceptions
help students to organize knowledge and focus on important concepts
The visual map helps students remember the lesson better
Lesson Plan:
Applying Vygotsky’s
Sociocultural Theory
/Cooperative Grouping
 Requiring students to work together in cooperative
groups so that:
– Social interaction brings about higher motivation
– Some group members will be in the ZPD, and others will provide support
to advance their learning
– Cognitive incongruity requires the group members to develop a common
understanding by correcting misconceptions
– Through rich dialog, learners process information using more elaboration
and establish more propositions in their cognitive structures, increasing
the depth of understanding and retention of knowledge
– Dialog between students and construction of maps provides the teacher
with a clear visual model of students’ cognitive structures.
Integration of Technology
 A number of software has been develop to
build concept maps
 Inspiration is one of them
 It is possible to use Inspiration for Karen’s
lesson
 An example of concept map produced by
Inspiration
Advantages of Technology
 Easy to use
 Possible to draw the map quickly
 Easy to modify the map
 Possible to produce beautiful and clear
maps
Disadvantages of Technology
 Expensive method (requires computers and
may be printers for large size papers)
 Less individual involvement than the
manual method as not much work is
required -> sometimes less exciting
Critique
Ausubel/Concept Mapping
 Not all knowledge can be arranged in a
hierarchical order
 Extensive training is required
 It does not work well for direct teaching or recall
of rote learning
 Time consuming
 Some students are uncomfortable with it
 It can only be combined with Constructivist
methods
Critique
Vygotsky/Cooperative Grouping
 Must be designed to give each individual in the
group a responsibility for accountability.
 Requires training of students in cooperative
behaviors and responsibilities.
 Requires continuous monitoring and feedback
from the teacher.
 It can promote misconception without monitoring
 Time consuming
Reference

Ivie, Stanley D. “Ausubel’s Learning Theory: An Approach to Teaching Higher Order Thinking
Skills,” High School Journal. Oct. 1998: Vol. 82,, i1, p.35.

Novak, Joseph P. and Gowan, D. Bob. Learning How to Learn, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, 1984.

Romance, Nancy R. and Vitale, Michael R. “Concept Mapping as a Tool for Learning,” College
Teaching. Spring, 1999: Vol.47, i2, p74.

Sandoval, Jonathan. “Teaching in Subject Matter Areas: Science,” Annual Review of Psychology.
1995: Vol.46, p355.

Schunk, Dale H. Learning Theories, and educational Perspective, 3rd Ed., Prentice Hall, 1996.

http://cmap.coginst.uwf.edu/info/

http://www.utc.edu/Teaching-Resource-Center/concepts.html

http://158.132.100.221/CMWkshp_folder/CncptMapp.Wkshop.html

http://users.edte.utwente.nl/lanzing/cm_home.htm

http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/proc3abstracts.html#Ahlberg-MeaningfulLearnin

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cberger/compmapanalysis.htm

http://www.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/~mathews/Ohio_Project/reports/PDF_files/SLBretz.PDF

http://www.dean.usma.edu/math/activities/cape/assessment/concept_mapping.htm

http://www.aals.org/profdev/newideas/athomas.html

http://www.spjc.edu/SPG/Science/Lancraft/cmapping/cmapping.html#A1

http://ericit.org/digests/mapping.shtml
Thank you
for your attention