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PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING
LESSON 2
1. Introduction
I
hope
you
find
lesson
1
interesting.
To
complement
your
understanding and appreciation of the complexities yet pleasing world
of teaching, this second lesson presents and discusses the different
principles of learning.
There are various principles on how learning is facilitated. These
principles enable the teacher to handle and teach the students
effectively. In this regard, the teacher must understand some of the
basic principles of learning.
Lesson 2 focuses on the following subject matters:
 Learning Defined
 Three Domains of Learning
 Principles of Learning
 Active response or active learning
 Exercise and Repetition
 Association
 Timing
 Effect
 Motivation
 Apperception
 Transfer
 Readiness
 Set
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 Individual Differences
 Contrast
 Recency
Objectives
The lesson on the Principles of Learning will not only help you
identify the different principles of learning but as well assist you
in giving examples of situations where these principles of
learning are applied. In due course, you will find out the
indispensable
contributions
of
these
principles
to
the
effectiveness of the teaching and learning process.
As you go through with Lesson 2 and performing the enrichment
activities and exercises, let your actual experiences guide you in
attaining the objectives of the lesson. Do not hesitate to share
your ideas to best describe the principle/s being discussed.
You are expected to complete studying the concepts of the
lesson in an hour. Greater emphasis is given to the completion of
the enrichment activities and exercises for you to fully grasp the
sense of the principles. These parts require relatively longer
period of time since some components are dependent on actual
circumstances. Therefore, your mentor will decide the time that
you need to devote on these.
So, get yourself ready and make the most out of the experiences
Lesson 2 can offers.
(“,) Enjoy learning!
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2. Presentation
“Learning is the essence of the teaching’s success”
William Kelly
Learning Defined
Learning has been defined in various ways. Several authorities
give the following definitions of this term:
 A process inferred from relatively stable changes in behavior
that result through practice or interaction with an adaptation
to the environment (Goodview and Klaus Meier, 1975).
 The
development
of
new
associations
as
a
result
of
experience (Good and Brophy, 1977).
 The modification of an organism’s behavior as a result of
maturation and environmental experiences (Garrison and
Magoon,1972).
 Learning maybe defined as the acquisition, retention, and
application of knowledge, skills, attitudes, ways of thinking or
some other types of new response. Learning, there is more
than simple acquisition. A student who promptly forgets some
knowledge or skill, which he has briefly possessed, cannot be
said to be have learned it in any sense which would be
significant to a teacher. Similarly, one who is unable to use
the material, which he has retained in new situations, has not
learned that material (Kolesnik, 1963).
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 It is an episode in which a motivated individual attempts to
adapt his behavior so as to succeed in a situation, which he
perceives as requiring action to attain a goal (Pressey,
Robinson and Havocks, 1959).
 Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that
can be explained in terms of practice or experience. The
learning process itself cannot be directly observed, but the
learner’s performance can be observed and recorded, and
from this we can infer the presence or absence of learning
(Aquino, 1988).
 Changing one’s potential for seeing, thinking, feeling and
doing
through
experience
partly
perceptual,
partly
intellectual, partly emotional, and partly motor (Morse and
Wingo, 1969).
Regardless of what definitions have been formulated about
learning, the essence of learning revolves around the concept of
change in human behavior (Bustos and Espiritu, 1996). This
change can be a new or modified knowledge, abilities, skills,
habits and values.
Three Domains of Learning
Cognitive domain of learning focuses on the development of
concepts, ideas and insights (development of knowledge).
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Psychomotor domain of learning involves the development of
skills.
Affective domain of learning involves the development of
desirable attitudes, values and appreciation.
Principles of Learning
A new
learning experience
or
a combination of learning
experiences maybe acquired by the learner as a result of his
active involvement in any learning activity. Learning may take
place in the absence of a teacher, but good teaching helps
enhance
the
learning
process
more
effectively
and
more
efficiently. Whenever learning takes place under the influence of
good teaching, the number and quality of the new learning
experiences acquired by the learner are influenced by:
a. extent and intensity of the involvement of the learner in the
learning activity
b. methods of teaching utilized
c. personality of the teacher
Below are the various Principles of Learning. Initiate classroom sharing if
you are familiar with the situation where each principle is applied.
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1. An effective way to change the behavior of the student is to
have them participate actively in doing what is to be learned.
This is often called as the principle of Active response or
active learning.
Implication: Learning by doing is more effective than direct
methods.
Caution: Just doing something or keeping busy by trial and error
in no way guarantees the acquisition of learning experience.
2. A learning activity participated in many times tend to be
remembered longer and to be called easier. This is usually
referred as the principle of Practice or the principle of
Exercise/Repetition.
Implication: Practice does not in itself make perfect. It does
increase efficiency and eliminate some wasteful motion.
Caution: Routine drill or repetition for the sake of repetition may
often be meaningless and can impair efficiency.
What may a teacher do in responding to this law?
a. provide more practice test, exercises, and drills
b. do not monopolize the discussion, provide more students’
activities
3. Experiences that occur together tend to recur together. This is
referred to as the principle of Association.
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Implication: To bring about behavioral changes may require
more than just pointing out the advantages of a new technique.
It may also be necessary to break the spell of the old.
Caution: The teacher must be constantly alert to what his
students are actually learning, e.g., dislike school because of
boring repetition, or to be lazy because there is no reward for
initiative.
4. Learning takes place more readily when a fact or a skill is
taught either at the time or just before the time when it can be
used with some serviceable way. This is the principle of Timing.
Implication: The teacher must anticipate the learner’s needs and
present new material at the most desirable time possible. He
must decide when the learner will need it and present it
somewhat in advance.
Caution: Avoid teaching technical information long before the
learner would need it in relation to certain skills he needs to
learn.
5. Satisfaction promotes learning. This is usually referred to a s
the principle of Effect.
Implication: Teach and work with the learner in such a way that
what is learned or accomplished brings about the greatest
possible degree of learner satisfaction.
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What may a teacher do in responding to this principle?
a. make the school atmosphere conducive to learning with the
teacher’s liveliness and cheerfulness, innovative and creative
teaching, being approachable
b. make the classroom homelike
c. make the school plant and its facilities adequate
6. The ease of learning varies directly with the meaningfulness of
the materials presented. This is referred to as the principle of
Motivation.
Implication: Share teaching objectives with students in order to
make the learning activity meaningful to them.
Caution: Avoid squirrel cage activities, i.e., repetitive but
meaningless activity.
7. Learners perceive the new in terms of the old. This is the
principle of Apperception.
Implication: Teach the unknown in terms of the known.
8. A person learns through transfer to the extent that the ability
acquired in one situation will help in another. This is referred to
a s the principle of Transfer.
Implication: Try to find elements in the learner’s repertory
similar to what you are presenting now and tie the two together
whenever possible.
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9. The more fully a person is in readiness to act in a certain way,
the more satisfying, it will be to act, and more annoying if
prevented. This is the principle of Readiness.
What may a teacher do in responding to this law?
a. motivate students using properly done audio-visual materials
b. give life-like situations and concrete examples
c. provide sufficient drills, exercises and practice sets
10. Past experiences keep individuals from using objects in
different ways. This is referred to as the principle of Set.
Implication. Teachers must recognize that presenting new or
different situations alone does not always change the learner’s
behavior. His attitude may be too firmly fixed to allow him to
accept change and may have to be changed first.
11. No two individuals are exactly alike. People vary in their
ability to benefit from any one teaching method or technique.
This is the principle of Individual Differences.
Implication: The teacher should develop skill in handling and
using a variety of methods, technique and materials in order to
serve a heterogeneous group. Variety is the spice of learning.
12. We tend to remember best those things that are in sharp
contrast to one another. This is the principle of Contrast.
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Implication: The teacher should make or collect a series of
charts, pictures and other visual aids which show easily
recognized differences.
13. The more recent the experiences, the more readily it can be
recalled. This is the principle of Recency.
Implication: Capitalize on recent events, which are vivid in the
mind of the learners – events that will create a greater desire to
learn more about your subject matter.
Enrichment Activities
The activities below will test your ability to apply the
Let us examine
this.
principles discussed by examining an example lesson
plan. Study them well and be critical enough to probe
the contents of the lesson plans.
1. Obtain a copy of Operation Handbook of the
2002
Basic
Education
Curriculum
in
any
subject area.
a. Analyze the prototype lesson plans provided in
the Handbook. Go over the different parts of the lesson plans.
b. Find out which among the principles of learning have been used in
preparing the various parts of the lesson plans.
c. Make a list of these principles.
2. Suggest learning activities that would be more appropriate or
applicable than the learning activities found and listed in the
prototype lesson plans. Your suggestions should be based on
the concepts of the principles of learning presented.
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3. Summary
The presented principles of learning can guide us achieve
effective
and
efficient
delivery
of
our
intended
learning
outcomes. Identifying one principle greatly depends on the
nature of our students and the subject matter. Allowing for the
use of these principles facilitate pleasurable teaching and
learning, both for teachers and students. Application of one
principle alone may not be sufficient to attain the objectives of
the lesson, and subsequently help students understand our
topic. A combination of the various principles is better than
solely capitalizing on one.
4. Exercise
Direction: Choose the principle of learning being described by
the following statements. Encircle the letter of your answer. If
you have the full grasp of the lesson, you can complete this
exercise for at most 10 minutes.
1. The use of flashcard to enable pupils to master addition applies
the law of :
a. readiness
c. effect
b. motivation
d. exercise
2. Which of the following is a good incentive that the teacher can
use effectively to motivate students?
a. grades
c. honor roll
b. praise
d. all of the above
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3. A teacher who capitalizes on recent events that are vivid on the
minds of the learners makes use of the principle of _____
a. association
c. recency
b. motivation
d. apperception
4. A teacher who gives praises to students who made worthy
contributions to the class recognizes the principle of ______
a. effect
c. individual differences
b. timing
d. set
5. A teacher applies the principle of _____ when students are asked
about their experiences related to the lesson
a. apperception
c. effect
b. transfer
d. timing
6. Reviewing the definition of triangles and its parts before teaching
students solve for its area shows the principle of ____
a. apperception
c. association
b. individual differences
d. timing
7. Giving of problems sets in Mathematics shows the application of
the principle of __
a. effect
c. timing
b. readiness
d. exercise
8. Reading research news about young scientists’ contribution in
the development of Science and technology before pupils do
their experiment shows that the teacher uses the principle of
____
a. association
c. recency
b. motivation
d. apperception
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9. A teacher who shows a piece of paper before and after burning
so pupils can compare its characteristics in appearance uses the
principle of____
a. association
c. effect
b. contrast
d. set
10. Choosing teaching methods appropriate for heterogeneous
group of pupils shows the application of the principle of ____
a. association
c. individual differences
b. exercise
d. timing
11. Presenting new situations alone does not change the learner’s
behavior because their behavior might be fixed to allow
change. This shows the principle of ___:
a. association
c. effect
b. contrast
d. set
12. “Strike while the iron is hot” is the adage applicable for the
principle of_:
a. readiness
c. apperception
b. effect
d. timing