Thursday 15 December 2011

Behaviourism, Constructivism and Connectivism Theories

Learning Theories

The Behaviourism theory “dictates what knowledge the learners will learn, in what order they will learn it and how it is to be learnt”. The focus of this theory is for students concentrate on key points and to remember them, rather than taking in lots of information as a whole. Examples of behaviourism activities include; learning touch typing or other keyboard skills, carrying out lab tests, trades areas where structured process is important, inductions or information sessions, and physical training such as the defence forces (Commonwealth of Australia, ud).

Constructivism “is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in” (Funderstanding, 2011). It is a philosophy which is based on observational, scientific study about how people learn (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004). When teachers use constructivism in the classroom, some examples of teaching practise may include; prompt students to formulate their own questions, allow multiple interpretations and expressions of learning, and encourage group work and the use of peers as resources (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004).

The link below takes you to a Youtube video on the learning theories; Behaviorism, Cognitivism and Constructivism.

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