Running header: LEARNING THEORY
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Learning Theory
Jessica Banes
EDUC 5123
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Considering all the assumption statements that we addressed so far this semester, there
are two that have had a greater influence on me as an up and coming teacher. The two
statements include: 1. Each student’s unique learning style(s) should be incorporated into each
lesson; and 2. Active learning is superior to passive learning. When I initially wrote about these
two assumptions, I agreed with both. Reflecting back on my thoughts, the statements written by
my fellow classmates, and the discussions that developed as a result of these two assumptions, I
still agree with them both.
One reason these two assumptions have such a significant impact on me as an up and
coming educator, may relate to the personal struggles and triumphs I faced as a student
throughout my educational journey. Examining my personal successes and failures, with the
new teacher perspective I am gaining this semester, I believe I am able to look at each
assumption statement from an alternative point of view from other teachers. In addition, I
believe I may have an easier time recognizing the learning styles and needs of my students.
Researching both assumption statements, I see a combination of Cognitivist,
Constructivist, Social Learning theory, and Multiple Intelligences theories incorporated into both
(Melbourne: Department of Education and Training [DET], 2010). Looking into who developed
each theory and the essence of each framework, the theories can be broken down further to gain
a more extensive understanding of each. The Cognitivist theories believe that the students are
the information processors who absorb information, cognitively operate to break the information
down, and then store the information within their memory (Melbourne: DET, 2010). The
Constructivist theories are based on the assumption that all learners actively construct,
reorganize, and store their knowledge through classroom interactions. This theory is commonly
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backed up by the influential work and theories of Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner (Melbourne:
DET, 2010).
Albert Bandura developed the Social Learning theory, which suggests that individuals
learn through the facilitation of modeling, observations, imitations, and peer teaching. Through
these social interactions, students rely on processes such as, attention, retention, reproduction,
and motivation (Melbourne: DET, 2010). Lastly, the Multiple Intelligences theory, developed by
Howard Gardner, believes that individual intelligences actually consist of several distinct
“intelligences” (Melbourne: DET, 2010). These intelligences consist of: (a) bodily-kinesthetic;
(b) linguistic; (c) logical-mathematical; (d) musical; (e) spatial; (f) interpersonal; and
intrapersonal (Melbourne: DET, 2010). After diving deeper into these intelligences, I believe all
teachers should get to know their students at a deeper level in order to discover which of the
above learning styles they need to incorporate into their curriculum.
Knowing which theories support each assumption statement, I begin to consider how we,
as educators, can transfer the framework behind each assumption into our classrooms. As new
and upcoming teachers, we have been taught several teaching models and strategies (i.e. visual
aids, auditory cues, and hands-on practice activities) to implement within our classroom
curriculums. In fact, these models and strategies are readdressed quite frequently throughout our
education and area specialization classes. As a result, these strategies should be a fixed set of
automatic responses that we all have as we are preparing our classroom curriculums.
In addition to implementing strategies, we are also taught, and encouraged to come up
with creative activities that will assist our students with staying engaged throughout the
progression of each unit. Over the past 20 years, a critical shift has occurred, which involves a
significant movement from passive learning to active learning within the classroom environment
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(Wilson & Peterson, 2006). As a result of this shift, an increasing number of resources are being
developed to assist teachers in transitioning their classrooms to a more active learning
environment. Overall, the resources tend to focus on the same objectives: allow students to
become more involved in discussions (large and small group); have students write about the
information they are learning in journals; have the students personally relate to the information;
and have the students apply the information to real-life situations. Subsequently, students
become more engaged in their learning, obtain more information, and succeed in recalling a
wider range of knowledge (Wilson & Peterson, 2006).
There are plenty of techniques available to assist teachers with implementing active
learning into their classroom curriculum. Techniques chosen will depend on individual teacher
preference, as well as the grade and subject matter being taught (The Seven Principles Resource
Center: Winona State University, n.d.). Teachers can access information from sources such as,
books, articles, magazine subscriptions, and accredited websites. Winona State University’s
Student Learning Resource Center suggests incorporating several techniques into the classroom
curriculum in order to incorporate active learning, including:
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Ask students to present their work to the class
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Give students concrete, real-life situations they can relate to
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Ask students to summarize similarities and differences among a variety or sources
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Model asking questions, listening behaviors, and feedback
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Encourage the use of personal journals
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Implement technology to encourage learning
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Use class time to work on individual and/or group projects
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Drawing to a close, I examine the insight and diverse perspectives I have gained from this
class over the course of the semester. Having the opportunity to peel back the layers of the
various assumption statements we have addressed, I have gained a significant understanding into
the realm of educational theory. I hope to take the knowledge I have acquired, and construct a
diversity-friendly, active learning environment for all my students. In addition, as I prepare for
each new school year, I plan to reflect upon the previous year and readdress my classroom goals
and objectives, assumption statements and theories supporting my curriculum, and the level of
active involvement within my class. As a result, I will be able to appropriately adjust my
classroom environment and lesson plans to accommodate the needs and specific learning styles
of all my students.
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LEARNING THEORY
References
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Position statement on developmentally appropriate
practice. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Retrieved
from http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/dap
Learning-Theories.com. (2013). Index of learning theories and models. Retrieved from
http://www.learning-theories.com
Melbourne: Department of Education and Training (DET). (2010). Most influential theories of
learning. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations, Retrieved
from http://en.unesco.org
The Seven Principles Resource Center: Winona State University. (n.d.). Seven principles for
good practice: Enhancing student learning. Winona State University: Center on Research
for Learning and Teaching, 85-87.
Wilson, S. M., & Peterson, P. L. (2006). Theories of learning and teaching: What do they mean
for educators? National Education Association.