Learning Theories

Behaviorism vs. Cognitivism Raul Rivera

Behaviorism vs. Cognitivism

Behaviorism and Cognitivism are two major psychological perspectives that have dominated how learning has been viewed throughout the 20 th century and into the 21 learning takes place.

st century. Both theories provide unique approaches to how

Behaviorist Theorist

John Dewey (1859-1952) Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990)

John Dewey - Background

• At the age of 15 attended the University of Vermont and obtained his bachelor’s degree • Doctorate in Philosophy was obtained from John Hopkins University in 1884 • Began teaching philosophy and psychology at the University of Michigan • In 1894, Dewey joined the faculty of philosophy at the University of Chicago • In 1904 joined Columbia University

John Dewey - Publications

• Psychology (1887) • Leibniz’s New Essays Concerning the Human Understanding (1888) • Studies in Logical Theory (1903) • How we think (1933) • Arts as Experience (1934) • Knowing and the Known (1939)

John Dewey - Contributions

• Founder of philosophical movement know as pragmatism • Functional psychology pioneer • Leader of progressive movement in education • Developed a metaphysics that examines, precarious, histories, and ends • Precarious – ongoing experience problematic • Histories – process of change with an identifiable outcome • Ends – goals of moral actions

John Dewey – Impact on education

• One of the first ones to propose the connection of education through experience • His impact to education could be found in current curriculum of K-12 schools, colleges and universities • Course offering where student have experience to his/her field by doing internships, externships and work-study's to obtain credit for the course as a reward

B.F. Skinner - Background

• Skinner attended Hamilton College pursuing a career as a writer • Obtained a B.A. in English literature from Harvard University, later, he obtained a PhD., in Psychology. • Taught at University of Minnesota, and Indiana University where he was chair of the psychology department • Returns to Harvard University in 1948, as a tenure professor, and where he was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto

B.F. Skinner - Publications

• Two types of conditioned reflex and a pseudo type (1935) Journal of General Psychology • Superstition in the pigeon (1938) Journal of Experimental Psychology • Are theories of learning necessary (1950) • Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971)

B.F. Skinner - Contribution

• Coined the term operand conditioning – Neutral, Reinforces, & Punishers • Studied operand conditioning by conducting experiments using animals which he placed in a “Skinner Box” • His philosophy was “Radical” behaviorism • Influential psychologist of the 20 th century

B.F. Skinner – Impact on education

With his Operant Conditioning theory, or also called the Skinner Box, He used animals to measure response of organism and their orderly interaction with the environment.

Cognitivism Theorist

Jerome Bruner (Born 1915)

Jerome Bruner Background

• Bachelor’s degree from Duke University • PhD, from Harvard University • Honorary Doctorates: Harvard, Sorbonne, University of Brazil, Bruxelles, Chicago, Manchester, Oslo, Cambridge, Montreal, Pennsylvania, Barcelona, Berlin, Rome, etc.

• Research director at Institut Jean-Jacques Rouseeau, Geneva (1921-25) • Professor of Psychology, Sociology and the Pylosophy of Science, University of Neuchatel (1925 29) • Director, International Bureau of Education, Geneva (1929-67) • Director, Institute of Educational Sciences, University of Geneva (1932-71)

Jerome Bruner Publications

• A Study of Thinking (1956) • Toward a Theory of Instruction (1966) • Actual Minds, Possible Worlds (1987) • The Culture of Education (1996) • Acts of Meaning (1991)

Jerome Bruner – Impact on education

Bruner’s three modes of representation • Enactive (0 – 1 years) – Encoding action based information and storing it in our memory.

• Iconic ( 1 – 6 years) – information stored visually as images • Symbolic (7 years onwards) – information stored as code or symbol, such as language.

Summary - Behaviorism

Behaviorism as we can see we John Dewey’s contribution, education, benefits when using experimental process such as internships and work study.

Performing these activities, help a student what to expect in the real world through practicing by doing an internship and getting as a reward school credit

Summary - Cognitivism

As it was seen with Jerome Bruner theory, where he uses the Three Modes of Representation • Many adults can perform a variety of motor tasks that they would find difficult to describe visually or in written context • visual materials helps the adult to have a better understanding of what it’s being taught using illustration • Bruner’s constructivist theory suggest it is effective when faced with new material to follow a progression from enactive to iconic to symbolic

Resources

http://www.biography.com/people/john-dewey-9273497?page=1 In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved June 20, 2013 from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160445/John-Dewey John Dewey, American Pragmatist . Retrieved June 20, 2013 from http://dewey.pragmatism.org/ http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/centcat/fac/facch08_01.html

Wikipedia. Retrieved June 20, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dewey_bibliography McLeod, S. A. (2007).

Psychology.

B.F. Skinner | Operant Conditioning - Simply Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.html

http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/bio_skinner.htm

Resources

Prolog press release. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.prlog.org/10814354-influence-of-educational-theorists on-thinking-in-education.html

Wikipedia. Retrieved June 22, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Bruner http://www.psych.nyu.edu/bruner/ Simply psychology. Retrieved June 23, 2013. http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html

Wikipedia. Retrieved June 22, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Bruner

References

• Dewey, John. [Photograph]. In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/136338/Studio portrait-of- John-Dewey • Skinner, B.F. [Photograph]. Education.com. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/skinner-burrhus frederic 1904-1990/ • Bruner, Jerome. Dr. Jerome Bruner. Retrieved from http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/flemmerl/EDTECH575/jeromebruner.

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