Educational important notes

Theories about human learning can be grouped into four broad "perspectives". These are

Behaviorism - focus on observable behavior

Cognitive - learning as purely a mental/ neurological process

Humanistic - and affect play a role in learning

Social - humans learn best in group activities

The development of these theories over many decades is a fascinating story. Some theories developed as a negative reaction to earlier ones. Others built upon foundational theories, looking at specific contexts for learning, or taking them to a more sophisticated level.

There is also information here about general theories of learning, memory, and instructional methodology.

Read brief descriptions of these four general perspectives here:

Learning www.allonlinefree.comTheories: Four Perspectives

Within each "perspective" listed below, there may be more than one cluster of theories. Click on the name of the theorist to go to the page with biographical information and a description of the key elements of his/her theory.

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Educational Psychology important notes

1. Behaviorist Perspective

Classical Conditioning: /Response

Ivan Pavlov 1849-1936 Classical Conditioning Theory

Behaviorism: Stimulus, Response, Reinforcement

John B. Watson 1878-1958 Behaviorism

Edward L. Thorndike 1874-1949 Connectivism

Edwin Guthrie 1886-1959 Contiguity Theory

B. F. Skinner 1904-1990 Operant Conditioning

William Kaye Estes 1919 - Stimulus Sampling Theory

Neo-behaviorism: Stimulus-Response; Intervening Internal Variables; Purposive Behavior

Edward C. Tolman 1886-1959 Sign Theory & Latent Learning

Clark Hull 1884-1952www.allonlinefree.com Drive Reduction Theory

Keneth W. Spence 1907-1967 Discrimination Learning

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Educational Psychology important notes

2. Cognitive Perspective: Learning as a Mental Process

Gestalt Learning Theory: , Decision making, Attention, Memory, & Problem Solving

Max Wertheimer 1880 -1943 Gestalt Learning Theory 1890 - 1947 Field Theoretical Approach Wolfgang Kohler 1887 - 1967 Insight Learning Kurt Koffka 1887 - 1941 Gestalt Theory 1919 - 1989 Cognitive Dissonance

Information Processing and Computer Models

D.O. Hebb 1904 - 1985 Neurophysiologic Theory George A Miller 1920 - Information Processing Theory Allen Newell 1927 - 1992 General Problem Solver Craik & Lockhart Levels of Processing Allan Paivio 1941 - Dual Coding Theory David E. Rumelhart 1942 - Interactive Activation with Competition

Constructivism: Knowledge is Constructed; the Learner is an Active Creator

David Ausubel 1918 - 2008 Subsumption Theory 1915 - Constructivism 1896 - 1990 Jean Lave Situated Chris Argyris 1923 - Double Loop Learning Rand J. Spiro Cognitive Flexibility David Kolb Learning Styles John Flavell Metacognition Roger Schank Script Theory

Psychoanalytic: The role of the Unconscious in Learning

Sigmund Freud 1856-1939 of Learning www.allonlinefree.com 3. Humanistic Perspective: Emotions and Affect Play a Role in Learning

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Educational Psychology important notes

Abraham Maslow 1908-1970 Humanistic Theory of Learning

Carl Rogers 1902-1987 Experiential Learning

Jack Mezirow Transformational Learning

4. Social Learning Perspective: Learning as a group process

Lev Vygotsky 1896 - 1935 1925 - Observational Learning John Seely Brown Cognitive Apprenticeship

5. General Theories of Memory &

Intelligence J. R. Anderson ACT* J.P. Guilford Structure of Intellect Multiple Triarchic Theory of

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