The theory of conceptualization for learning

Introduction

Conceptualization learning refers to the understanding of one person learning that he applies in order to perform a task. Conceptualization is a stage here learner experience new information about the specific thing over the knowledge that he already has. Conceptualization increases the interaction between the learner and peer or a tutor to develop more concepts. The theory of conceptualization actually offers a conceptual framework for the theories of Conceptualization and Constructivism into a defined principle that will enable the development of technology-based solutions.

Discussions

My father played an important role in my learning process along with my school. Father was born into a rich family, and because of the rich family style, he did not pay any attention to his studies. When he dropped out of school, he realized that he made a big mistake and decided to learn and complete his studies. He used to give me private tuition in Mathematics. He saw intelligence in me and developed an interest in mathematics, so he used to send me to competitions, which increased my confidence and abilities. With life going on I started asking questions about the topics I encounter in a study, this made me a rational thinker and a curious learner. Later on, I started loving this field of science, which I continued further and succeeded in life. Throughout my life, active learning has been the key component of my success.

Over the past decade, educational psychologists and researchers have hypothesized many theories of learning, some of them are Behaviorist, Humanist, Cognitivist, Social cognitivist and Constructivist. Humanist theory of learning says that it is a philosophical approach that can be viewed as a person’s own actions to fulfill their own potential. Key central assumptions are that people act with values and intentionality (Huit, 2001), which is against the fact that behavior is an outcome of the application of consequences. However cognitive psychologists believe that constructing means or discovering knowledge is central to learning. Humanist believes that in order to learn one should learn a human as a whole, especially human grown and develops over a lifespan. In humanist theory, learning is centered on the students and is also personalized. The role of a teacher, professor, or educator is the facilitator. The cognitivist revolution replaced the behaviorist approach in the late 1960s. The main focus of the theory is on inner capabilities, such as thinking outside the box.

Learning can be defined as a change in a learner’s mental constructions (Ertmer & Newby, 1993). The theory that explains, through the mode of observation, modeling, and imitation, people learn from one another is termed a Social learning theory. People learn more from the attitudes and behaviors of others (Bandura, 1977). The theory explains the continuous reciprocal interaction between environmental and behavioral influences in human behavior. A constructivist theory explains that learning is not about acquiring constructive knowledge but conceptualizing the constructive process. This construction is based on the knowledge of personal experiences (Churchill et al., 2016).

In the early stages of my life, the behaviorist model was adopted by the primary school where I was studying. The model explains that rewards and punishments are associated with the behavior of the student. It could be possible that a student’s behavior in the class is not up to the mark of the teacher, but if he possesses high intelligence, he will get punished. In the schools of small villages, they punish more instead of rewarding. At that time, I did not accept this approach to learning. This approach was not appealing to me. The behaviorist model tends to neglect the cognitive skills of a learning process. Later on, social constructivism and humanism theories of learning were connected to my life. Constructing meaning is a learning process, which is what social constructivist theory explains. The main focus of the theory is the use of cultural tools like language as a major influence in constructing meaning. The competitions I participated in during my childhood made me a rational thinker. I started asking questions about whatever I learned in school. There was a time when I lost my grades in my graduation period, but with continuous support and motivation, I achieved what I wanted to achieve. My eagerness to learn new things never stopped. Asking questions and thinking outside of the box have been my key strengths in becoming who I am today. Throughout my lifespan, my cognitive thinking has changed how I used to think about the world when I was a kid and now what I think of the world. They are totally different.

Conclusion

Learning is a continuous process. Always look at the big picture. Develop rational thinking for yourself. Challenge yourself at every stage of your life, this will keep you motivated towards achieving your goal. Social constructivist and active learning method has polished my inner strengths.

References

Huitt, W. (2001). Humanism and open education. Educational Psychology Interactive.

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective.Performance improvement quarterly, 6(4), 50-72.

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press.

Churchill, P. Ferguson, S. Godinho, N. Johnson, A. Keddie, W. Letts, K. Lowe, J. Mackay, M. McGill, J. Moss, M. Nagel, K. Shawchapter (2016). Teaching: Making a Difference, 3rd EditionRick, 3, pp 84-9