Day 5: Learning Theories

How does learning occur? Can we know the answer to that question? We try, that is the basis for all teaching and education.

Scientific approach.

• Develop a theory that seems to explain and predict patterns of behavior. 
• Test the theory 
• Reject, tweak, or tentatively accept the theory 
• See if the theory still works with more data and different contexts. 
• A theory that has been proven is called a fact. 

Very few theories relating to learning rise to the level of fact. 

Some theories that have been tried.

Behaviorism - Stimulus/Response
Cognitivism - Brain as a black box, gotta open it up
Situated cognition- apprenticeship training on the job. LPP
Constructivism: you learn by building upon previous experience
Constructionism - you learn by creating things (artifacts of learning eg notes, diagrams, charts, tables.)
Social Constructionism - you learn by creating things that you intend to share

Connectivism you learn by creating connections between yourself and your networks

UCaPP Ubiquitously Connected and Pervasively Proximal

Three Domains of learning: Cognitive, affective, and psycho-motor. 

ICT Continuum based on an understanding that the design of learning experiences need to emphasize the cognitive AND affective domains.