With the evolution of the psychology and the sociology, people started to have better hold of the way learning ability of the humans are supposed to happen. To comprehend the learning patterns of the individuals and to understand the way human mind learn anything that is new, learning frameworks were developed(Capuzziand Stauffer, 2016, p.65). These learning frameworks are based on the premises that how the knowledge is absorbed and accumulated by the person as well as the fact that what is the retaining mechanism of that knowledge. There are many factors that play an important role as far as the development of the learning theories are concerned. For instance, the prior experience as well as the cognitive, environmental and the emotional influences also impact the learning ability of the person(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). The two core learning theories that are going to be discuses during the course of this paper are Behaviourism and the Cognitive Information Processing which is also called cognitivist. While the theory of the behaviourism was based on the fact that how the changes in the behaviour trigger or compliment the learning process, the cognitive theory talks about the fact that how the information processing leads to better understanding and retention of the problem(Beck et al. 2015, p.45).
Understanding the Theory of the Behaviourism
Some of the background work for the theory of the behaviourism was carried out by the BF Skinner and the main idea behind the theory was that of the operant conditioning(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). The theorists that were the proponents of the theory believed on the fact that how the knowledge of any thing is bound to exist incidently and outside of the people(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). The basic premises of this theory is that how most of the times, people are blank slate and how experience is needed to be provided to these blank slates to make sure that the learning process of these people can be augmented(Capuzziand Stauffer, 2016, p.65). The practitioners of the theory also tend to believe on the fact that how association between the stimuli and the responses is bound to occur when new behaviours and the changes are observed with the passage of time. As there is this association, there is bound to be some change in the behaviour of the people(Beck et al. 2015, p.45).
Learning Process in Behaviourism
When one talks about the way learning process is carried out in behaviourists, the key thing that is needed to be taken care off is that how the objective observations changes in the behavior(Capuzziand Stauffer, 2016, p.65). The practitioners of this theory tend to believe that the learning is the process is simply an acquisition of the new behavior or change in the underlying behaving pattern of the individual(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). The theory postulates the fact that how the learning is supposed to begin when a cue or stimulus from the environment is supposed to be presented. When that cue is presented, the learner is supposed to react to that stimulus. The idea is to make sure that there must be some sort of response to that stimulus(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). Reinforcement of the consequences that set the desired behavior along with the results that individual expects to take out from it(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). For instance, studying for the test and getting a good grade is something that is a consequence and the reinforcements as per the practitioner of the behaviourist theory(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). The new behavioural pattern has to be learned quite a few times before it can be made sure that it has become the part of the overall learning process(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). When there is change in the behavior, it sorts of signifies that how the learning has occurred with the passage of time(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). The teachers tend to use the behaviourism when they are awarding or reprimanding student for a certain behavior(Beck et al. 2015, p.45). It has to be noted that Behaviourism does not prepare the learner for the problem solving or creative thinking process(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). The learners are merely doing what they are being told and there is no such thing as taking any new initiatives or improvisation to ensure that things are improved to an extent(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). The learner is only able to recall the facts that and the automatic response that they have prepared for things. At the same time, the whole learning process is restricted to performing certain tasks and not going beyond these tasks. Thus at times this learning theory stifles the learning process(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188).
Cognitivist or the Cognitive Information Processing Theory
Comparing it with the cognitivist or the cognitive information processing theory, then it talks about the thought process that goes behind the behavior of the person(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). Thus rather than relying on the external stimuli, it talks about the importance of why the information that is processed and received by the human beings is important rather than just merely responding the external stimuli most of the times(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). The main idea of the theory is that human process the information they received in a different manner. The changes in the behavior are going to be observed most of the times(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). The changes though are only acting as the indicator of what is going on as per the thought process of the learned(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). It has to be noted that one of the main premises of this theory is that how the mind of the learning goes on like a mirror and how the new knowledge and skills are being reflected in the said mirror(Payne et al. 2015, p.3). One of the instances when the cognitive information processing is being used when the learner is intending to play an active role when it comes to seeking ways to understand and process the information in the right manner(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). The idea is to make sure that how to process that is already known and stored in the memory of the person in the given time period(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188).
Learning Process in the Cognitive Information Processing Theory
One of the key beliefs of the cognitive learning theorists is that how the learning is supposed to occur with the help of the internal processing of the information(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). The main contrast that can be seen with the behaviourism is the fact that how the internal processes are the ones that are guiding the learning rather than the external stimuli(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). The approach tends to play more attention towards what is going on in the mind of the learner(Hofmannand Otto, 2017, p.89). The mental processes are the core focus of this theory rather than any behaviour that can be observed from the onset(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). Changes in the behavior are observed, but they are only used as the indicator if what is happening inside person’s mind. The key aspect of the learning process during the course of the theory is that how the reorganization of the experiences is supposed to be carried out(Fleesonand Jayawickreme, 2015, p.92). The new experiences can be acquired with the help of the new insight as well as making sure that the old insights are changed(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). The idea is to make sure that the learning is based on the fact that how the change in the knowledge is based on the memory(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). As a matter of fact, the change in the behavior is only the starting point when it comes to the realization of the learning process(Montanoand Kasprzyk, 2015, p.124). For instance, the learning process is said to be completed when the classification of the chunking information is carried out or the linkage of the concepts. Or using the real world examples to make sure that the clarity regarding some of the concepts that are being used in the modern education is being carried out(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188).
Comparing and Contrasting Theories
Looking at the way both of the theories are going to work out, the key thing that that is needed to be noted that how both theories have different rationale when it comes to the learning process. While the behaviourist theories is about the fact that how the learning is a process that is completely based on the external stimuli. On the other hand, if one talks about the cognitive theories, they tend to discuss the importance of how the learning is something that comes from within and it is an internal process(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188).
Which Theory is More Appealing?
Looking at the way both of these theories work out, there are is rationality in both side of the argument. While the behaviourist theory tends to give importance to the external environment, it has to be noted that it does not explain that why different people who are exposed to the same learning environment are not picking up the same concepts. At the same time, it does not tend to explain the underlying fact that how important it is to make sure that the person develops the skill from within(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188). The cognitive theory becomes more appealing due to the fact that it gives importance to the observation as well as internal compartmentalization of the learning process(Ashbyand Valentin, 2017, p.188).
Intelligence in Learning
When one talks about the host of literature regarding the learning in the recent days, one of the things that is emphasized a lot these days is the emotional side of the learning. The sample and the research that was carried out from the University have showed that how the development of the empirical studies are needed to be carried out to make sure that better skill development is witnessed among the students. At the same time, there are four main areas in which the learning plays an important role as far as the way conceptual development of the individual is supposed to be carried out. The
- Making sure that they bring about the psychological adjustment to the change in environment that is happening around them.
- Ensuring that the quantity and the quality of the interpersonal relationship is setup in the right manner
- Significant reduction in the academic performance of the students.
- Appearance of the behavior that is disruptive to the learning ability as well as the indulging in substance abuse
In last few years, one of the key things that have been discussed with regards to the role of intelligence in terms of the education is that how the psychological well being of the students is being talked about. The framework regarding the theory is that the perception, the assimilation and the regulation of the emotional processes is very important when it comes to the overall learning process. When the overall evaluation of these components was carried out, the conclusion was reached that the skill measurement of the people had improved to a great extent. The student who are better when it comes to controlling their emotional impulsiveness are more likely to be successful in the long run as far as their overall mental health and well being is concerned.
Information Processing in Learning
For Cognitive Psychology the action of the subject is determined by its representations. For the processing of information, these representations are constituted by some type of computation. The concept of the learning in the human being and the way information is processed is more or less based on the way computers are supposed to be operating. In other words, in certain ways they work as a metaphor regarding the way information processing is carried out at the individual level among people. The psychological research that has been carried out in the recent weeks have made sure that the recognition has to be made regarding the recognition of the behavior of the human beings under different circumstances. Thus enough attention has been placed towards the memory, perception and the way patterns of the recognition work out in people’s behavior. The information processing model integrated contributions of the behavioral model within a cognitive scheme, highlighting the importance of internal structures as mediators of behavior.
The processing of information begins with the selection of stimuli in the sensitive register by virtue of the mechanisms of attention and selection. Once the information is selected, it is encoded and stored for short periods of time in the short-term memory. Retention and recovery determine the processing of information in long-term memory. Retention depends on the way in which the information has been encoded. The recovery is a program with processes of reconstruction and organization of the recovered material. The storage in the long-term memory is done by assimilating meanings of the new information to the personal systems themselves. Memory implies an effort towards meaning and memory, a construction. That is, memory is constructive, abstract and based on meanings. The schemes have been rescued by current cognitive psychology. The new schema concept has a computational origin. That is, it has been rescued in the framework of studies on Artificial Intelligence. The schemes are the concepts available to the processing system. A schema is a data structure to represent generic concepts stored in memory. Therefore, the theory of the schemes is considered as a theory of the representation and use of the concepts stored in the memory. It is a general theory of processing. All information processing depends on the activation of schemes.
Motivation as Driver For Learning
Motivation plays a fundamental role in our learning. According to one study , motivation influences our performance in mathematics more than our IQ. Specifically, the researchers found that intelligence was strongly related to student achievement in mathematics, but only in the initial development of the subject matter. The importance of motivation and study skills were more significant factors in the development of later mathematical skills. Students who felt competent were intrinsically motivated, used skills such as explaining, synthesizing, making connections with other materials, avoiding learning by memorization and showed greater development in mathematics than those who did not feel motivated. The behavior of people can serve as an indicator to measure motivation. It is a fairly reliable indicator, which teachers can use to estimate students’ motivation and be able to act on it. Research has shown that interaction between teacher and student is more important to the learning process than structural factors, such as educational materials and class size. This relationship between student and teacher is important not only in the first school years, but also later, when the challenges become greater.
References
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Beck, A.T., Davis, D.D. and Freeman, A. eds., 2015. Cognitive therapy of personality disorders.Guilford Publications.
Capuzzi, D. and Stauffer, M.D., 2016. Counseling and psychotherapy: Theories and interventions. John Wiley & Sons.
Fleeson, W. and Jayawickreme, E., 2015.Whole trait theory. Journal of Research in Personality, 56, pp.82-92.
Hofmann, S.G. and Otto, M.W., 2017. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Evidence-Based and Disorder Specific Treatment Techniques. Routledge.
Montano, D.E. and Kasprzyk, D., 2015. Theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior, and the integrated behavioral model. Health behavior: Theory, research and practice, pp.95-124.
Payne, H.E., Lister, C., West, J.H. and Bernhardt, J.M., 2015. Behavioral functionality of mobile apps in health interventions: a systematic review of the literature. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 3(1).
