Chapter 5 in Breitborde and Swiniarski
Thinking About Learning
Breitborde and Swiniarski
• Resist the idea that “prescribed materials
and specific guidelines for teachers will
make the curriculum almost “teacherproof.”
Teaching is (should be) an
Optimistic Line of Work
• Existentialists and Progressives see
themselves as allowing children to be
actors in their own education
• Behaviorists understand their role (and
power) in shaping and modeling
experiences for children
I attend class because
1. I paid for this
experience
2. My parents paid
for this
3. I want to grow
4. I love the ideas
5. I fear failure
6. I’m rewarded by
A’s
17%
17%
17%
17%
17%
17%
I paid for this e...
I want to grow
My parents paid f...
I love the ideas
I fear failure
I’m rewarded by A’s
Importance of Reflection
• Reflective Practice – teacher is engaged
with thinking about how students learn,
and with all of the teacher attitudes,
behaviors, philosophies, and dispositions
which shape student-teacher interaction
and affect student learning.
• Sometimes called ‘Critical Pedagogy’
Behaviorism
• Behaviorism is often ‘invisible’ in our own
lives.....example of family structures that include
behaviorism in greater or lesser degrees.
• Teacher – authority- behavioristic modes and
questions we might have….
• Mr. Keating in Dead Poets’ Society
• Mr. Hand in Fast Times @ Ridgemont High
Behaviorism
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Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Extrinsic Rewards
Intrinsic Rewards
Learning Kits
Learning and Modeling
Learning Theory and your
Hypothetical Midterm
• Study…. Lock in an A – wait till May to find
out
• Party ….likely get a B – wait till May to find
out
• Party ….be with friends… enjoy some
doughnuts, fall in love….immediate
feedback
I would probably….
1. Stay Home and
Study
2. Attend the party
50%
Stay Home ...
50%
Attend the...
Learning as Development
• Some room for overlap with behaviorism,
but emphasis is on the biological stages of
child development
• Stage Theories of Development and
Learning
• Related to 1950s, 60’s, and 70’s cognitive
revolution
Piaget
• Sensorimotor
• Pre-Operational
• Concrete Operational
• Concrete Operational
• Formal Operational
Constructivism
• Sometimes called Social Constructivism or
Constructivist learning theory.
• Builds on John Dewey – learning is
experiential and social (and democratic).
• Lev Vygotsky at center of theory –
challenges the omission of social and
mentor in Piaget
• Jerome Bruner – cognitive and social and
narrative
Lev Vygotsky
• Towering figure in contemporary
educational theory about learning
• Educational Psychology
• Mind In Society
• Thought and Language
Vygotsky
• Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD
• Notion of ‘scaffolded’ learning
• Learners start from developmental stage
and add to learning through supports.
Learning Styles
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Tremendous Variety of Theory
Auditory, Kinesthetic, Visual, Verbal
Gregorc:
Concrete-Sequential
Concrete Random
Abstract Sequential
Abstract Random
I like to study..
1. Enter answer text...
100%
I like to study
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
With Music
In a dark room
In the library
Outside
While active
With others
In silence
With a book
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
With Music
Outside
In a dark room
While active
In silence
With a book
In the library
With others
Basic Factors
• Physical
• Social
• Emotional
• Persistence?
• Example of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Howard Gardner
• Multiple Intelligences Theory
• Grounded in Stage Theory, but chiefly a
reaction to overuse of Intelligence Testing
• Binet’s Intelligence Quotient,
• Examples of Immigration Policy in US.
Multiple Intelligences
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Linguistic
Logical-Mathematical
Musical
Spatial
Kinesthetic
Interpersonal –Intrapersonal
Also? Naturalistic, Existential (spiritual)
Criteria According to Gardner
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Living examples
Core-cognitive properties
Developmental trajectory
Evolutionary plausibility
Experimental research
Psychometric findings
Symbolic encoding
Isolated in Brain
I would characterize myself as….
100%
1. Enter answer text...
I would characterize myself as…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Verbal-linguistic
Kinesthetic
Musical
Logical
Mathematical
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Spatial
Naturalistic
Existential
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
Verbal-linguistic
Kinesthetic
Musical
Logical Mathemati...
Interpersonal
Spatial
Intrapersonal
Naturalistic
Existential
Technology and Learning
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Wealth and Poverty
Urban, Suburban, and Rural
Gender
Age
• “Digital Natives” versus “Digital
Immigrants”
Technology
• Maryanne Wolf of Tufts University
speculates that technology will change
brains vis a vis literacy.
• Janet Healy argues this in “Endangered
Minds”
Culture and Learning Style
• Importance of Affect in Teaching and
Learning
• Sociocultural factors
• Socio-economic factors
• Historical Factors
Culturally Responsive Teaching
• Anecdotes – Importance of Teacher
reflection and sensitive and versatile
pedagogy.