Module 4 Take-aways

• https://www.learning-theories.com/
• https://www.techsmith.com/jing-tool.html
• https://powerpointschool.com/

As usual I notice certain things to little too late….well this time maybe not. Randomly read through the reflective journal rubrics and noticed that I should fine-tune the previous posts. XD

So, through Module 4 we have covered the main learning theories within pedagogy-Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism & Connectivism.

I’d like to start off with behaviorism, which makes humans look like trained dogs, who initially have a clean slate brain and then is triggered through the use of external stimuli….where learners are compared to creatures who behave or change their behavior because they were given a punishment or a treat.

(added later) To be honest, I had never heard of Pavli’s dogs, however this month I went to see ‘Laringa Mekkanika’ which is a play adapted from a Clockwork Orange and they mentioned the dogs which reminded me again of this topic and how we can be controlled and obey because of certain triggers.

Then in the 1960’s, the cognitivist strategy replaced the behaviorism, where the human brain is compared to a computer which is given input that is then processed and provides a form of outcome. If focuses on mental processes such as how humans perceive, think, remember, learn & solve problems.

Following this, there’s the constructivism theory which suggests that humans create and construct knowledge from their previous experiences instead of acquiring it. In fact this theory has been widely used in education and effected other teaching methods and learning theories.

Within today’s digital age, an alternative learning theory has emerged – connectivisim – where it shows that technology and the internet have affected and changed the concepts of teaching & learning. Informal learning that is now happening through worldwide connections and participation, however one has to cope with the information overload and it’s reliability and yet in encourages life long learning.