Learning Theories

What are Learning Theories?

Learning theories are a system of ideas used to understand how humans learn. There are many theories, but each theory is nothing more than a reasonable suggestion. Theories are useful to make forecasts in children’s behaviours. A theory is designed to show one plan or set of rules that explains, describes, or predicts what happens when children grow and learn. Theories do not necessarily apply to all cultures, ethnic groups and races.

Some learning orientated theories explain what is happening in the mind, while others look only at the behaviour that can be seen. Developmental theories explain changes in a child due to interaction between growth and learning. Behaviourist theories emphasise change that originates in the environment through learning.

What are the Learning Theories?

Behaviourism has been the leading theory of learning up until 1960 because of its teacher based properties. However since then the theories have become student based, such as the cognitive, constructivism and sociolinguistic theories. However since the No Child Left Behind Act was introduced, the two different types of theories have begun working together. The main theories are behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism and sociolinguistics.

Behaviourism focuses on observable and measurable acts. O’Donohue and Kitchener (1998, as cited in Tompkins, 2010) describe that behaviour can be learned or unlearned, and that learning is the result of stimulus-and-response actions. This theory focuses on leaders, such as teachers, being the suppliers of knowledge, and responsible role models. Another behaviourist theorist is Skinner. He believed that by providing positive reinforcement, observable behaviours could be strengthened or shaped. Therefore if unwanted behaviours are ignored, they will reduce in frequency, or possibly even disappear.

Constructivism states learning as an active process. It states that learners actively construct new ideas based upon current and past knowledge and experience. Therefore it means that each person has a different interpretation and construction of the knowledge. It means that a teacher is not a dispenser of knowledge; rather they give students experiences that enable them to build their own knowledge base of learning. Jean Piaget explained that learning is ‘the modification of students schemas as the actively interact with their environment’ (1969, as cited in Tompkins, 2010). A schema is knowledge that is organised in to cognitive structures. New knowledge is organised to, or added with, existing knowledge; therefore each individual’s schemas are different. Piaget uses accommodation and assimilation as described in the learning blog.

Cognitivism looks beyond an individual’s behaviour to the brain to explain learning. Theorists believe that the mind functions like a computer; information is processed and then stored. Theorist Albert Bandura noted that learning takes place that is not determined by forces outside the learner but depends on the learner’s attention to someone else’s behaviour. Behaviour that is witnessed can change a person’s way of thinking. Just as the environment in which someone is raised may influence later behaviours.

Sociolinguistics explains the importance of language and social interaction in learning. Lea Vygotsky is one of the best sociolinguists. He theorised that language helps to organise thought and that student’s use language to learn as well as to communicate and share experiences with others (1978, 1986, as cited in Tompkins, 2010). For Vygotsky, word meaning links speech and thought, and thus language is the key to learning.

Child development theorists attempt to describe basic processes that explain how children learn and when they are more likely to learn specific concepts and skills. It is important for teachers of young children to be familiar with a variety of theoretical approaches in order to understand, explain, and respond to young children’s behaviour.