Francine De Asis

BSBA MM 2-C
Prof. Jhon Ven Saint Pasahol
Consumer Behavior

OBJECTIVES

 to define what cognitive learning theory is all about

 to understand it’s application in real-life situation
 to explore the world of theories and psychology related to cognitive learning
 to examine it’s uses for us as a students

Understanding Cognitive Learning Theories and Their Application in Education

Cognitive psychology is about how we know, understand, and think about the
world around us. Jean Piaget, a psychologist in his year 1936, was responsible for the
development of Cognitive Learning Theory (CLT) He discovered how our minds develop
and how we acquire language.
To understand Cognitive Learning Theory, it’s vital to understand two key terms:
cognition and metacognition.
Cognition simply refers to thinking. It is the “mental action or process of acquiring
knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. In contrast,
metacognition means thinking about thinking. Doing so helps us understand how our
thought processes influence our learning. Mastering metacognition means gaining a
deeper understanding of your thoughts and mental processes.
In other words, Cognitive Learning Theory focuses less on what you’re learning
and more on how you’re learning, it’s the difference between mindlessly memorizing
facts to pass a test and building sustainable, repeatable, and substantive learning
patterns that allow for long-term growth. By understanding how to learn, learners can
confidently approach new tasks while also boosting their comprehension and problem-
solving skills.
Cognitive learning promotes a love of learning by making the process of
acquiring new knowledge fun and exciting. Rather than passively listening to new
information, cognitive learning allows you to apply what you've learned and connect the
dots between what you're learning and what you already know.

Key Theorists and their Contributions to the field of Cognitive Psychology

 Cognitive psychology involves the study of internal mental processes—all of the
workings inside your brain, including perception, thinking, memory, attention, language,
problem-solving, and learning Cherry, K. (2022)
Cognitive Learning Theory comes from the field of psychology and has roots
going back to the beginning of Western philosophy. Important voices in this area
include: Plato, Descartes, William James, John Dewey, and Jean Piaget.
Jean Piaget developed and researched a theory explaining how young people
eventually learn to reason clearly and scientifically. Piaget was a psychological
constructivist who believed that assimilation—fitting new experiences into preexisting
concepts—and accommodation—fitting existing concepts into new experiences—played
a combined role in the process of learning. These two processes oscillate, which results
in both short-term learning and long-term developmental change. Piaget's cognitive
theory primarily focuses on long-term developments.
Piaget made significant contributions to psychology. He supported the theory that
children thought differently than adults, and his research found several significant
stages in children's mental development. His work also sparked an interest in cognitive
and developmental psychology. Piaget's views are still frequently studied by students of
psychology and education. In the case of the latter, he once observed, "The principal
goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of
doing new things, not simply repeating what previous generations have done."

Fundamental Concepts of Cognitive Learning, Including Schema Theory,

Information Processing, and Cognitive Load Theory

The Cognitive Learning Theory invites us to consider how our ability to think can
be influenced by both internal and external factors. Examples of these external factors
include whether or not our community values the knowledge we are gaining and
whether or not we receive praise from others for learning new things.
Schema theory proposes that all of our knowledge is organized into mental
frames. Schemas are higher-level cognitive functions that organise memories
maintained in long-term memory. They serve as reference templates when
encountering fresh knowledge.
The Information Processing Theory is made easier by comparing the human
brain to a computer or basic processor. The brain, like a computer, is thought to operate
in a predetermined order. The sequence is as follows: "receives input, processes the
information, and delivers an output".
 Information processing theory is currently being used in various industries, areas of
study, and technology careers. Beyond the individual, the concepts, models, and ideas
in information processing are being applied to various entities such as:

 Business Information processing theory has been used to describe

organizational behavior (an example is discussed in the previous section). For
example, various models are used to understand how businesses utilize market
information, how they decide which information is relevant or important, and how
it affects their long-term strategies (Rogers, Miller, & Judge, 1999).
 Family unit.The theory is used to understand family systems that include
attending, sensing, and encoding of stimuli within the family as a whole or the
individuals. A family unit then develops mutual and individual schemes that affect
how information is processed and attended to. The schemes can be examined to
describe family dynamics, culture, and relationships (Ariel, 1987).
 Artificial intelligence (AI) Information processing theory was developed in
cognitive psychology and the desire of scientists and experts to understand how
the human mind works. AI studies aim to understand human cognition and
replicate the processes in machines such as natural language processing,
memory encoding, information retrieval, learning, and more (Langley, 2016).

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) is an instructional design theory that deals with how
the human brain processes and stores information. Teachers should be familiar with the
basic principles of CLT as it helps educators consider how learners process knowledge
Cognitive Load Theory helps you design training or learning materials that
reduce the demands on learners' working memory, so that they learn more effectively.

Role of Memory, Attention, and Metacognition in the Cognitive Learning

Process

Memory is the predominant (coherent or mental) cognitive prepare that

characterizes the worldly measurement of our mental organization. It is our capacity
to encode, store, hold, and after that review data and past encounters.
Attention is an important aspect of information processing because it allows us to
focus specifically on a particular stimulus while ignoring irrelevant information. There are
different types of attention, including selective attention, alternative attention, and
sustained attention.
Metacognition helps develop autonomous students and increase their awareness
of their own cognitive processes and self-regulation. This allows students to adjust their
learning and transfer it to all areas of life.
 How Cognitive Learning Theories Differ from Behaviorist Approaches and
Constructivist Theories

Behaviorists incline to focus only on the external behavior of learners and

disregard internal states and processes. In contrast, a cognitive perspective on learning
focuses on the internal physiological and conceptual structures that support behavior
and learning.
Constructivist approaches emphasize the importance of student-centered
learning and the role of students in constructing their own understanding of the world,
whereas cognitive scientific approaches emphasize the cognitive underpinnings of
human cognition. Focus on understanding the process.

How Cognitive Learning Theories Inform Instructional Design and Teaching

Strategies

Cognitive theories focus on making sense of knowledge and helping learners

draw up new information and relate it to knowledge held in memory. Effective instruction
requires that instruction be based on students' existing mental structures or schemas.
Learning theories help instructional designers understand how people retain and
retrieve information, stay motivated, and engage in learning. There are three main
groups of learning theories and a new his fourth group: behaviorism, cognitivism,
constructivism, and connectivism.
Cognitive strategies provide a structure for learning when a task cannot be
completed in multiple steps. For example, in mathematics, an algorithm provides a
sequence of steps to solve a problem. Follow the instructions and the problem will be
resolved.

Application of Cognitive Strategies such as Scaffolding, Problem-Solving, and

Cognitive Apprenticeships in Classroom Settings

Using of Visual Aids Graphic organizers, pictures, and charts can all serve as
scaffolding tools. Graphic organizers are very specific in that they help kids. Showing
students how to do something and teaching them how to do it can be an effective way
to support learning. Try to solve the problem by walking students through the steps or
explaining the process. You can also assign some students as models for their
classmates.
 Typical strategies include trial and error, applying algorithms, and using
heuristics. To solve a large, complex problems, it is often helpful to break the problem
into smaller steps that can be taken individually to arrive at an overall solution.
The goal of cognitive apprentices is to address the problem of idle knowledge
and make the thought process of learning activities visible to both students and
teachers. Cognitive and metacognitive components of learning are concerned with
problem-solving processes and strategies and are used in situations where learners
need to extend their knowledge to new or complex situations outside the classroom.
Cognitive education focuses on revealing internal thought processes for students
to observe and learn. Cognitive apprenticeship theory emphasizes knowledge that can
be applied to real-world settings.

The Effectiveness of Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments based on

Cognitive Learning Principles

One useful tool in this context is “Technology Enhanced Learning” (TEL). These
are systems based on the use of technology to support and improve the learning
process. The TEL environment provides the opportunity to access a wide range of
materials, content, and information and encourage students to actively participate in
constructing their own knowledge. TEL systems offer valuable opportunities and
alternatives to classical learning methods. Therefore, the use of technology and the
associated flexibility and interactivity are described as leading to improved constructivist
learning environments. By transforming the experience into a learner-centered
approach.

Two Real-World Case Studies that Demonstrate the Application of

Cognitive Learning Theories in Educational Contexts

1. Learning Theory in Practice: Case Studies of Learner-Centered Design

2. Demystifying instructional innovation: The case of teaching with case
studies
Case Study 1: Model It

Learning is when students consciously engage with situations and experiences,

which helps them change attitudes and behaviors, develop higher-order thinking skills,
improve cognition, and build knowledge. Case-based learning is a promising pedagogy
for developing the above characteristics. Teaching with case studies requires a strong
mastery of learning theory, as no single theory can fully represent the teaching and
learning process.

How learning occurs remains a confusing topic for educators and learning
facilitators. Much has been written about learning theories that explain the complex
learning process in all its intricacies. Among the various learning models, behaviorism,
cognitivist, and constructivism have received significant interest in higher education
(Cicciarelli, 2007; Hemming, 2012; Warin, Kolski & Sagar, 2011). These models form
the basis of learning behavior understanding and educational guidance (Yilmaz, 2011).
The Case Study Experience. The faculty at a college of nursing in the United Arab
Emirates embarked on a curriculum transformation exercise; a shift from the traditional
curriculum to the case-based pedagogy. The idea of changing the curriculum was not
met with a great deal of enthusiasm by most of the faculty and students
simultaneously. .
The overarching goal of case-based teaching is developing learners’ higher order
thinking dispositions such as conceptualizing the significance of the data, interpreting
the information, and creating ideas. Through discussion, learners are prompted to find
solutions and determine the best means of implementing the solutions. While learners
voice their thinking, teachers can assess learners’ thinking processes (Facione,
Facione, & Giancarlo, 1997). In this regard, assessment may be geared toward
capturing learner's “orderliness” in working with the problem, “diligence” in searching for
relevant data, “reasonableness” in the selection of the actions, “persistence” through
encountered difficulties, and “precision” in implementing the actions (Facione et al.,
1997). Therefore, it is essential that discussion be structured and skillfully led. Real-life
situations provide the context for learning. The format used to structure the situations in
this case study experience is known as ‘ground breaking’, which, according to Harling
and Akridge (1998), such type of cases have an exploratory nature. The focus is
analysis rather than problem-solving. Each case study introduces the content to be
learned using behavioral terms. Integrated in each case are fundamental concepts such
as pathophysiology, pharmacology, professional practice, and social behavior. To
promote learning with cases, students must be responsible and self-directed and must
value cooperation and collaboration in learning (Barnes et al., 1994). Students develop
these attributes as soon as they take part in the educational process. In their search,
students either work individually or in groups. The effectiveness of case-based teaching
is highly contingent on the educator’s knowledge and skills in leading discussions and
fostering engagement (Barnes et al., 1994). Apart from drafting the cases, educators
decide on groups, determine learning activities, monitor group interaction, guide and
lead the discussion, and assess and evaluate the learning process. Without seeking
insights into issues and concerns of case-based learning, application and effectiveness
of the approach will remain unclear (Lauver, West, Campbell, Herrold, & Wood, 2009;
Tanner, 2009), and curriculum transformation will be an ordeal.
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