Running Head: SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES

Synthesis and Analysis of Lea ning Theo ies Dani!a "a !e #ni$e sity of Onta io Institute of Te%hnology

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES

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Synthesis and Analysis of Lea ning Theo ies

Introduction

As a ne' tea%he ( one of )y )ainstays 'as G ade 1* A++lied Histo y, I 'as %onf onted 'ith the so)e'hat daunting tas! of ensu ing that &- la gely uni)+ essed and un)oti$ated teenage s had a dee+ unde standing and es+e%t fo all of the histo i%ally signifi%ant e$ents that affe%ted .anada /et'een 10** and &***, It 'as diffi%ult to e$e get )u%h fu the than the Se%ond 1o ld 1a , Still( I en2oyed tea%hing the %ou se( )ostly /e%ause( unli!e )y English %ou ses( histo y see)ed to /e + etty st aightfo 'a d, The e 'as s+e%ifi% %ontent that I had to tea%h, The e 'e e lots of !ey 'o ds and te )s to +ut in 'o d sea %hes, The )ate ial 'as $e y %ondu%i$e to % eating 3eo+a dy4style e$ie' ga)es, As I leaf th ough )y $aguely )ilde'ed %ou se /inde s f o) )y fi st fe' yea s of tea%hing( I a) a/le to $ie' that tea%hing en$i on)ent 'ith a ne' set of eyes,

The Lesson: Grade 10 Applied History, 2004

5lanning the %ou se see)ed elati$ely si)+le, I had a te6t/oo! and I used that as the /asis fo all of )y lessons( and 'hile I 'as fo%using on 'hat the students had to lea n( I didn7t gi$e )u%h thought to ho' they 'e e going to lea n it, I7) elie$ed to see that )u%h of )y tea%hing( 'hile not info )ed /y a g eat deal of theo y( does not sho%! o

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES ho ify )e in light of )y g o'ing !no'ledge and unde standing of lea ning theo ies, Loo!ing at a standa d lesson +lan I see that I sta ted )ost if not all of )y %lasses

'ith a 9'o d of the day,: I e)e)/e that an asso%iate tea%he %alled this 9/ell'o !(: and it 'as eally )u%h )o e a/out %lass oo) )anage)ent than lea ning, It sent the )essage that lea ning /egan ight a'ay( /ut it didn7t e;ui e any 'o ! f o) )e so that I %ould ta!e attendan%e( deal 'ith indi$idual students( and +ut out any fi es, Students !ne' that the e 'ould /e a 'o d on the /oa d ea%h day that they had to define /y using thei te6t/oo!, Then they 'ould ha$e to use the 'o d in a +a ti%ula %onte6t, The 'o d of the day al'ays tied into the day7s lesson, 1e 'ould then )o$e on to so)e so t of 'hole %lass inst u%tion, In the lesson +lan e6a)+le I loo!ed at( I sa' that I had students tu n to a +a ti%ula +age in the te6t/oo! that dealt 'ith tu n of the %entu y te%hnology, The e 'as a +i%tu e( and I as!ed students to identify 'hat they sa' in the +i%tu e, I7) easona/ly %e tain that I as!ed the ;uestion and then 'aited fo hands to +o+ u+( at 'hi%h +oint I7d %all on the sa)e th ee students 'ho al'ays $oluntee ed ideas, Then I + o/a/ly 'ould ha$e identified all the things I noti%ed in the +i%tu e, The ne6t stage in the lesson in$ol$ed a note, At an ea ly stage in )y %a ee ( I thought note ta!ing 'as an essential +a t of ea%h lesson, It ga$e students a /inde full of +a+e <the sign of a %ons%ientious tea%he =o so I thought>( a tas! they %ould a%%o)+lish <in )ost %ases>, And it ga$e )e the sense that I had so)eho' t ans)itted !no'ledge into thei / ains th ough the shee a%t of +en )o$ing a% oss +a+e , Ne6t I )o$ed on to a 2igsa' lesson 'he e I a anged students in 9ho)e g ou+s: <Best Practises, &**?>, I nu)/e ed the students and then /ased on the nu)/e ( ea%h

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES student 'as es+onsi/le fo esea %hing a +a ti%ula to+i%, Students )o$ed into 9e6+e t

g ou+s: 'he e they 'o !ed 'ith othe students to /e%o)e e6+e ts on one +a ti%ula to+i% =in this %ase an ea ly &*th %entu y in$entions, 1hen they finished( they e+o ted /a%! to thei 9ho)e g ou+s,: I e)e)/e that one of the + o/le)s I en%ounte ed 'as that athe than tea%h the othe students( they tended to 2ust +ass thei notes a ound and let the othe students %o+y, 1e de/ iefed this a%ti$ity /y ha$ing ea%h g ou+ %hoose 'hi%h te%hnology they thought 'as )ost i)+o tant, Finally( students d e' a 9fate %a d: f o) a /o6 I !e+t on )y des!, At the /eginning of ea%h unit( students 'e e assigned a +a ti%ula identity, On s+e%ifi% days( students 'ould d a' a %a d that 'ould e$eal a %hange in thei fate( %o es+onding to a%tual histo i%al e$ents, They 'ould efle%t on ho' the e$ent 'ould %hange thei li$es and ho' they felt a/out this,

Analysis and Synthesis

1hen t ying to dete )ine 'hi%h of the th ee )ain lea ning +a adig)s 'e7$e studied info )ed )y inst u%tion( I e6+e%ted to find one +a ti%ula theo y 'ould /e )ost + e$alent( /ut I found ele)ents of "eha$iou is)( .ogniti$is)( and .onst u%ti$is), I 'as 'o !ing unde the )is%on%e+tion that one lea ning theo y 'as /est( /ut afte eading " enda @e gel7s +a+e on inst u%tional design( I ealiAed that diffe ent lea ning theo ies )ay /e )o e a++ o+ iate fo diffe ent lea ning tas!s <@e gel( 100->,

Behaviourist le!ents

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES

At fi st I laughingly %onside ed a %onne%tion /et'een 9/ell'o !: and 5a$lo$7s %lassi%al %onditioning( /ut u+on fu the %onside ation ealiAed that )y 'o d of the day a%ti$ity )o e %losely %o es+onded to S!inne 7s o+e ant %onditioning <TIP: Theories />, I 'anted students to get into the ha/it of g a//ing thei te6t/oo!s off the shelf( eading the 'o d on the /oa d and loo!ing u+ the definition 'ithout any assistan%e f o) )e so that I %ould %o)+lete )y attendan%e and othe 9house!ee+ing: duties 'hile engaging the students in a )eaningful a%ti$ity, 1ithout fail( ho'e$e ( I 'ould ha$e to e)ind students to get sta ted( efo%us thei attention( and deal 'ith students 'ho %lai)ed that they %ouldn7t find the 'o d <e$en though it 'as usually in /old and I + o$ided the +age efe en%e>( o didn7t unde stand the definition, Loo!ing /a%! no' I ealiAe that the e 'e e t'o + o/le)s that I didn7t diagnose, Fi st( the tas! )ay ha$e /een too %hallenging fo so)e of )y students to do inde+endently, Se%ond( I + o/a/ly didn7t + o$ide enough +ositi$e einfo %e)ent, 1hile g ades did fun%tion as einfo %e)ent fo so)e students( othe s found the) less )oti$ating, If I 'e e to )odify the a%ti$ity in light of 'hat I !no' no'( I 'ould ensu e that the a%ti$ity 'as a%%essi/le fo all students /y + o$iding st ategies fo students to use if they en%ounte ed diffi%ulty( su%h as dis%ussing thei definition 'ith a +a tne , I 'ould also ensu e the e 'e e )o e o++o tunities fo i))ediate +ositi$e einfo %e)ent su%h as + o$iding $e /al + aise,

"o#nitivist le!ents

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES Ad)ittedly( I didn7t ha$e a g eat deal of theo y to info ) the +lanning of )y

inst u%tion( /ut 'hen I %onside Gagne7s .onditions of Lea ning <TIP: Theories a>( I %an see that I did a++ly a nu)/e of the diffe ent lea ning e$ents /ased on 'hat I 'as t ying to a%hie$e( al/eit 'ith $a ying deg ees of effe%ti$eness, I gained thei attention 'ith the 'o d of the day( /ut I didn7t %lea ly identify the o/2e%ti$e of the lesson, 1hile I 'asn7t %ons%iously t ying to )a!e a %onne%tion to + io !no'ledge( I a) a'a e no' that 'as 'hat I 'as doing 'hen I had the) identify the diffe ent +ie%es of te%hnology they sa' in a +hotog a+h f o) the te6t/oo!, In et os+e%t( it 'ould ha$e /een )o e effe%ti$e if I7d as!ed students to dis%uss 'hat they /elie$ed to /e the )ost i)+o tant +ie%e of te%hnology in thei li$es, I + esented the sti)ulus( a note, 1hile( that )ay not sound +a ti%ula ly sti)ulating( I do e%all that I had the students hel+ to /uild the note /y eading f o) the te6t/oo! and then as a %lass( su))a iAing the !ey ideas to +ut into a note, Then I guided thei lea ning and eli%ited +e fo )an%e /y ha$ing the students 'o ! on the 2igsa' a%ti$ity, Ste+s se$en th ough nine <+ o$ide feed/a%!( assess +e fo )an%e( and enhan%e etentionDt ansfe > see) %ons+i%uously a/sent( 'ith the e6%e+tion of the lesson de/ iefing, I + o/a/ly had the students hand in thei 'o !sheets( /ut I e6+e%t that feed/a%! o e)ediation 'as li)ited, 1hile I thin! I ealiAed the i)+o tan%e of / ea!ing a tas! do'n into ste+s( I did not ha$e a %lea enough %on%e+t of 'hat I 'anted students to !no' and /e a/le to do /y the end of the lesson, I also didn7t ha$e a %lea enough +lan to assess 'hat students !ne' /y the end of the a%ti$ity, If I 'e e to e$ise this lesson I 'ould use a st ategy li!e an e6it and ent y %a d to dete )ine 'hat students al eady !ne' and find out 'hat they had lea ned /y the end of the lesson so I 'ould !no' 'hethe o not I needed to eadd ess

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES any to+i%s in the ne6t lesson <Constructivism in learning>,

"onstructivist le!ents

The 2igsa' ele)ent of )y lesson e$eals %lea ele)ents of Fygots!y7s theo y of the Aone of + o6i)al de$elo+)ent, 1hile Fygots!y is te%hni%ally a .ogniti$ist( his so%ial de$elo+)ent theo y is one of the foundations of .onst u%ti$is), "y 'o !ing in e6+e t g ou+s( students 'e e a/le to inte a%t 'ith thei +ee s 'hi%h Fygots!y /elie$ed 'as essential fo %ogniti$e de$elo+)ent <Learning Theories Knowledgebase>, Students 'e e a/le to dis%uss ideas and %la ify )is%on%e+tions /efo e etu ning to ho)e g ou+s as e6+e ts, Gi$en the $a ying deg ees of !no'ledge and a/ility 'ithin the %lass( so)e of the students 'e e a/le to /enefit f o) inte a%ting 'ith the st onge students in the %lass so that 'hen they etu ned to thei ho)e g ou+s( they 'e e a/le to feel %onfident a/out the )ate ial they 'e e sha ing 'ith thei +ee s, Also( /y tea%hing the )ate ial to thei +ee s( they 'e e )o e li!ely to etain the !no'ledge, Students 'e e +laying an a%ti$e ole in thei lea ning athe than /eing +assi$e e%i+ients of !no'ledge, As + e$iously stated( one of the %hallenges I en%ounte ed 'as that athe than tea%hing thei +ee s( )any students 2ust +assed thei notes a ound, I %an see on )y lesson +lan that I ha$e a%tually ' itten( 9@AGE S#RE THEY DON7T 3#ST .O5Y EA.H OTHER7S NOTES,: I /elie$e no' that I 'as ta!ing fo g anted the students !ne' 'hat I )eant 'hen I as!ed the) to 9tea%h: ea%h othe , They + o/a/ly felt that 'hat 'as i)+o tant 'as ha$ing info )ation %o+ied into thei notes and that /y %o+ying the info )ation( they had 9lea ned: the )ate ial, I7) not su e ho' I %ould i)+ ess u+on the

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES students that %o+ying the info )ation does not e;uate to lea ning the info )ation( /ut +e ha+s /y )odeling 'hat I e6+e%ted in te )s of 9tea%hing(: the students 'ould /e less in%lined to %o+y, I 'ould also %onside telling students that they need to /e + e+a ed to sha e the info )ation %ont i/uted /y one othe g ou+ )e)/e 'ithout use of thei notes, This )ight in% ease a%%ounta/ility, I thin! I also 'ould ha$e /een )o e +u +oseful in

st u%tu ing the g ou+s so I %ould ensu e hete ogeneous g ou+ings, It 'ould /e diffi%ult to get students into the Aone of + o6i)al de$elo+)ent if the g ou+ did not ha$e a 9)o e !no'ledgea/le othe ,: 1hile this +a ti%ula lesson did not + o$ide )u%h in the 'ay of + o/le) /ased lea ning <5"L>( I 'ould a gue that( unintentionally( I + o$ided )any othe o++o tunities fo students to e6+e ien%e )o e authenti% lea ning o++o tunities, The fate %a ds that students d e' 'e e an atte)+t to % eate a )o e authenti% lea ning e6+e ien%e fo the students, Du ing the Fi st 1o ld 1a unit( students ea%h too! on the ole of an a%tual lo%al soldie f o) the a ea, 1hile I fi%tionaliAed )any of thei 9fates(: I did !no' 'hi%h soldie s su $i$ed the 'a and 'hi%h ones died, I 'ithheld this info )ation until the end of the unit, The students 'e e )u%h )o e engaged in this a%ti$ity than any othe 'e did( li!ely /e%ause they 'e e a/le to )a!e a )o e +e sonal %onne%tion to the %u i%ulu), The fo%us 'as on sol$ing o at least ea%ting to a + o/le) athe than lea ning s+e%ifi% %ontent, This 'as a )a2o fo%us fo )y de+a t)ent, @y de+a t)ent head tu ned his enti e fa ) into a Fi st 1o ld 1a eena%t)ent site 'he e students %ould e6+e ien%e life in the t en%hes, No' that I ha$e a /ette unde standing of ho' and 'hy 5"L is effe%ti$e( I 'ould use this st ategy )o e f e;uently <@a6'ell( @e gendolle ( H "ellisi)o( &**?>,

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES "onnectivist le!ents

.onne%ti$is) is a $e y ne' lea ning theo y( /ut it add esses )any of the %hallenges that edu%ato s fa%e 'hen dealing 'ith tea%hing in an in% easingly %onne%ted 'o ld, In )y e6+e ien%e( students often find histo y diffi%ult to %onne%t 'ithI they do not see it as ele$ant o )eaningful, A++lying so)e of the theo ies of .onne%ti$is) )ight hel+ students see histo y as so)ething that is not e)o$ed f o) thei o'n e6+e ien%e, Fi st( I 'ould ha$e students % eate /logs instead of 2ou nals so that they %ould sha e thei thoughts 'ith the othe students in the %lass, A%%o ding to Geo ge Sie)ens( one of the + in%i+les of %onne%ted lea ning is that 9lea ning and !no'ledge ests in a di$e sity of o+inions: <Sie)ens( &**B>, Th ough %o))ents on /log +osts( students 'ould /e a/le to see and e6+e ien%e )o e than one o+inion, Then I 'ould loo! fo othe %lasses to %onne%t 'ith so that students %ould e6+and thei +e sonal lea ning net'o !s, "y o+ening u+ ou %lass oo) to othe %lasses( +a ents( and +e ha+s e$en + ofessional histo ians( students 'ould ha$e g eate a%%ess to a $a iety of o+inions, G adually I 'ould int odu%e othe sou %es fo !no'ledge so that they %ould fo ) ne' %onne%tions and /egin to unde stand that the tea%he and the te6t/oo! a e not the %ente s of all !no'ledge in the %lass oo), Outside the %lass oo)( students e6+e ien%e a i%h $a iety of sou %es of info )ation, One of )y ne' + io ities 'ould /e tea%hing students ho' to %onne%t these info )ation sou %es <nodes> in effe%ti$e 'ays,

"onclusion

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES

1*

I 'as initially a++ ehensi$e a/out e$aluating )y ea ly tea%hing in light of 'hat I no' !no' a/out lea ning theo ies( /ut /y doing so I lea ned that I 'as unintentionally a++lying a nu)/e of as+e%ts of the lea ning theo ies 'e7$e studied in this %ou se, Gno'ing )o e a/out these theo ies allo's )e to /ette diagnose easons fo su%%esses and failu es 'ith %e tain lea ning tas!s, Rathe than a t ial and e o a++ oa%h( I %an anti%i+ate the 'ays in 'hi%h students 'ill es+ond to diffe ent tea%hing )ethods and I 'ill ha$e a /ette ationale fo %hoosing these )ethods,

Refe en%es Best Practices: Pieces of the Puzzle <&**8>, Ret ie$ed 1&DBD&*1*( &*1*( f o) htt+:DD''',sas!s%hools,%aD%u J%ontentD/est+ a%ti%eD2igsa'Dinde6,ht)l

SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF LEARNING THEORIES Constructivism in learning Ret ie$ed 11D&1D&*1*( &*1*( f o) htt+:DD''',lea ningandtea%hing,infoDlea ningD%onst u%ti$is),ht) Learning Theories Knowledgebase <&*1*( De%e)/e >, So%ial De$elo+)ent Theo y <Fygots!y> at Lea ning4Theo ies,%o), Ret ie$ed 1&DBD&*1* f o) htt+:DD''',lea ning4theo ies,%o)D$ygots!ys4so%ial4lea ning4theo y,ht)l @a6'ell( N,( @e gendolle ( 3,( H "ellisi)o( Y, <&**?>, De$elo+ing a + o/le)4/ased

11

lea ning si)ulation: An e%ono)i%s unit on t ade. imulation ! "aming, #B<?>( ?--4 ?0-, doi:1*,11EED1*?C-E-1*?&C?E-0 @e gel( ", <100->, Learning theories of instructional design Ret ie$ed 1&D?D&*1*( &*1*( f o) htt+:DD''',usas!,%aDedu%ationD%ou se'o !D-*&+a+e sD)e gelD/ enda,ht) Sie)ens( G. Connectivism: Learning as networ$%creation % &''( % ) T* Ret ie$ed 1&DBD&*1*( &*1*( f o) htt+:DD''',astd,o gDL.D&**BD11*BJsei)ens,ht) TIP: Theories <a>, Ret ie$ed 1&D&D&*1*( &*1*( f o) htt+:DDti+,+sy%hology,o gDgagne,ht)l TIP: Theories </>, Ret ie$ed 1&D?D&*1*( &*1*( f o) htt+:DDti+,+sy%hology,o gDs!inne ,ht)l