learning theorists every trainee teacher must know, Schemes and Mind Maps of Pedagogy

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learning theorists

every trainee

teacher

must know

JEAN PIAGET

Understanding

the mind of the child

BORN IN: Switzerland KEY WORDS: cognitive development; schemas; assimilation

Piaget was one of the first theorists to study how children think

and learn. While his contemporaries saw learning as either

intrinsic, from the child, or extrinsic, from the environment,

he believed that neither fully expressed learning. He saw

children as constructors of their own knowledge, taking

information from the people and objects in their environment

and making meaning from them. Piaget was of the opinion

that children’s own curiosity would drive their learning, and

that the most effective way of enabling learning was to provide

an environment which promoted curiosity and challenge and

allowed children to control their own learning.

READ MORE: Aubrey and Riley, Understanding and Using Educational Theories 9781473905900

B.F. SKINNER

Operant conditioning

BORN IN: USA

KEY WORDS: behaviour modification; positive reinforcement; negative reinforcement Skinner defined his own branch of behaviourism ‘operant conditioning’, a theory that supposed behaviour is determined by consequences, such as positive and negative reinforcers, and the application of these will increase the possibility of a behaviour occurring again. His theories became popular as a means of modifying behaviours for those suffering from phobias or addiction or in schools and clinics. Although his experimental work was undertaken with animals Skinner saw no reason why this should not be applied to human behaviour too, and had a keen interest in how human behaviour could be modified. READ MORE: Aubrey and Riley, Understanding and Using Educational Theories 9781473905900

JEROME BRUNER

An evolution of

learning theories

BORN IN: USA

KEY WORDS: spiral curriculum; cognitivism; computation

Jerome Bruner argued against the traditional view that children

should learn facts and systems and was in favour of children

constructing knowledge in a scientific manner. In so doing,

if the child comprehended the fundamental process in a

particular curriculum area, the child could then progress to

think in a holistic way about newly introduced topics. He argued

for a ‘spiral curriculum’ where themes were initially presented

to learners and then revisited later on in the programme to

reinforce understanding and give added vigour. The child in

Bruner’s eyes was an active problem-solver with his or her

own ways of understanding the world.

READ MORE: Aubrey and Riley, Understanding and Using Educational Theories 9781473905900

JOHN HATTIE

The rope model

BORN IN: New Zealand KEY WORDS: self-concept; visible learning; learner motivation

Hattie believed that how learners see themselves, and what

they perceive as most important in terms of their learning

and their desired outcomes, will have a significant effect

on their motivation to learn and subsequent behaviour in

class. In the rope model, Hattie argues that there is no single

strand underlying an individual’s self-concept but rather many

overlapping concepts of self. The strength of the rope lies not

in any single strand but in the combination of many overlapping

strands. He claims that when any of the strands become

weak, the learner will start to experience such a sense of

helplessness that they feel they can’t cope with the learning;

the result being that they disengage with learning activities.

READ MORE: Bates, Learning Theories Simplified 9781473925335 1950 – present

CAROL DWECK

Mindsets

BORN IN: USA

KEY WORDS: growth mindsets; fixed mindsets; learner motivation Carol Dweck has developed a theory of learner motivation based on the learner’s own beliefs about their ability to accomplish tasks, achieve goals and function successfully in life. She suggests that people have two extremes of belief about themselves - people who believe their ability is fixed and there is very little they can do to improve it, and people who believe their ability is enhanced by learning. She argues that about 20% of learners are in the middle of these extremes and that the rest are equally divided between the two extremes. She categorises the extremes into fixed mindsets (intelligence is static) and growth mindsets (intelligence can be developed). Dweck argues growth mindset learners are motivated by an inner desire to improve rather than by external stimuli. READ MORE: Bates, Learning Theories Simplified 9781473925335 1946 – present

BELL HOOKS

Education as the

practice of freedom

BORN IN: USA

KEY WORDS: engaged pedagogy; critical thinking; democratic education bell hooks’ significant contributions to education have emerged and are embedded in her convictions of the inequality that is still evident where matters of race, gender and social class are concerned. hooks feels that democratic education in the United States has been weakened because of capitalism’s influence, whereby student’s view education being solely a means to material success. This materialistic notion of education values the gathering of information. Whereas the democratic model of education values the process of attaining knowledge and critical thinking. She laments that progressive university lecturers who strive for a democratic education are often ostracised or urged to leave academia. READ MORE: Aubrey and Riley, Understanding and Using Challenging Educational Theories 9781473955806 1952 – present

HENRY GIROUX

Critical Pedagogy

BORN IN:USA

KEY WORDS: hidden curriculum; neoliberalism; critical citizenship Henry Giroux can be considered one of the most notable present- day thinkers and writers on education. His central themes call for an emphasis in an education which embraces the community, and focuses on democracy, fairness and social justice. For these themes to be realised he contends that teachers and others concerned with education should be politically active. It is only through democratic processes and the advance of a critical and progressive pedagogy that neoliberalism and what Giroux considers a society driven by class structures can be challenged. For Giroux, schools ought to be centres of cultural creativity and transformation but not reproduction. They should be the focus for critical and participatory democracy which welcomes diversity and a range of different cultural and social alliances. READ MORE: Aubrey and Riley, Understanding and Using Challenging Educational Theories 9781473955806 1943 – present