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Learning Theories,

Learning Styles and


Differentiated Instruction

Rhonda Christensen
University of North Texas
What is Learning?
 Learning is a transfer of knowledge
– Not necessarily directly from teacher to
student
 Multiple Theories of how we Learn
– Behaviorist
– Cognitivist
Variables Affecting Learning
 Environmental Factors
– Hunger, sleep, lighting, temperature
 Psychological Factors
– Emotions, self concept
 Personal Filters
– Individual’s beliefs, values, attitudes, cultural
differences
– Filters are present in both the sender and receiver
Learning as Communication

Graphic from Allyn and Bacon 2005


Theories Supporting
Computer Use in Education

 Behaviorist Theory
 Cognitive Theory
Behaviorism

 Expect any effective instructional


activity, such as a computer-based
tutorial, to change the student in some
obvious and measurable way
 In education we use behavioral
objectives
Behaviorism
 Thorndike’s connectionism theory
– learning is based on a series of
associations or connections between new
situation and previous situation
– Provided the impetus to the programmed
instruction movement
Behaviorism
 Pavlov’s classical conditioning
– Ring bell, feed dog, dog salivates because
of food
– Ring bell, remove food stimulus, dog
salivates
– Over time, the new stimulus (bell) will
produce the response even if the original
stimulus is removed
Behaviorism
 B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning
– involves the use of reinforcement to
promote desirable changes in behavior
 Skinner’s contributions to educational
practice and CBI
– stating objectives in terms of desired
outcomes
– assessing learner prior to instruction
– recording learners’ progress for feedback
Cognitive Theory
 Moving from behaviorism to internal
processes that occur during instruction
 Cognitive Theory concentrates on the
conceptualization of students’ learning
process
 Influential proponents - Jerome Bruner,
Jean Piaget, Seymour Papert
Cognitive Theory
 Believe instruction must be based on a
student’s existing state of mental
organization, or schema
 Where behaviorists were more outcome
based, cognitive theorists are more
interested in the content of instruction
Cognitivist/Constructivist
 Jean Piaget
– A developmentalist in which learning
occurs through assimilation and
accommodation
– Learning is in progressive stages
– Theorized that children build cognitive
structures during all developmental stages
Cognitive Guidelines for
Designing or Evaluating CBI
 Predisposition to learning
 Structure and form of knowledge
(concrete vs. abstract)
 Sequencing of instructional material
 Form and pacing of reinforcement must
be considered
 Discovery learning is an important
technique (LOGO)
Learning Theories
(differences)
 Cognitive theory provides educators
with a missing piece of the puzzle - they
look at learners
 Behaviorists look at outcome
Learning Theories
(commonalities)
 All approaches advocate feedback
 All are interested in how experiences
are sequenced
Learning Styles
 Based on sensory preferences - the
conditions under which we best learn
– Auditory - Learn best by hearing
– Visual - Learn best by seeing
– Kinesthetic - Learn best by doing/touching
 The instructional event should seek to
match teaching style with learner style
Personality Types
 Myers-Briggs has developed a typology
for personality types
 This is another piece of the puzzle for
knowing your learners
Myers-Briggs Types
Extrovert - outer Introvert -inner world
world of persons of concepts
Sensing - perceptions Intuitive - perceptions
based on objects and based on personal
solid facts meaning
Thinking - decides Feeling - decides
based on objectively based on subjective
analyzing facts values and views
Judging - lives in Perceiving - prefers
planned, organized more flexible and
way, prefers control spontaneous way of life
Measuring Intelligence
 Intelligence Quotient - a quantitative
measure of intelligence
 Stanford-Binet is most commonly used
IQ test - measures verbal and
mathematical ability.
 Gardner’s New View of Intelligence
includes more thantwo types of
intelligences.
Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligences
 According to Gardner, everyone possesses
some degree of each of the intelligences but
one or more dominates for each individual.
– Linguistic - Interpersonal
– Logical-mathematical - Intrapersonal
– Musical - Naturalistic
– Spatial - Existential
– Bodily-Kinesthetic
Teaching Style
 Every teacher has his/her own learning
style, cognitive style, and dominant
intelligence.
 Teaching style is a reflection of one’s
learning style.
 Teachers must be aware of matching
their teaching style to the learning style
of their students.
Teaching and Learning
 Teaching = a systematic, planned sequence
of events
– A process that communicates ideas/skills
– Takes into account individual and
environmental factors
– Aware of learning theories & learner
characteristics
Learning Differences
 Physical
 Psychological
 Style of Learning
 Processing of information
 Type of intelligence that is dominant
 Hemispheric Dominance
 Gender learning differences
Gender Learning
Differences
 Boys learn better from abstract to specific (big
picture to details).
 Girls learn better specific to abstract
(incremental steps).
 Girls can go between hemispheres of their
brains more quickly than males.
 Boys tend to have advantage in left
hemisphere by being able to recall facts and
rules and categorize.
The New Gender Gap
 Boys are scoring lower than girls on national
writing tests (an avg of 24 points).
 By fourth grade, the average boy is
developmentally two years behind the
average girl in reading and writing.
 Boys make up 70% of special ed. Classes
and are as much as four times as likely to be
diagnosed with ADHD.
 College age - for every 100 young men
earning a BA, 133 young women do.
Helping Boys Succeed
 Tap into visual spatial strengths
 Allow time for movement
 Use hands-on materials
 Incorporate technology
 Provide male role models
 Allow opportunities for completion
 Choose books that appeal to boys
 Create a supportive classroom environment
From “The New Gender Gap” by D. Connell & B. Gunzelmann
Differentiated Instruction
 A simple yet often overlooked fact is that our
students are not all the same.
 "If students can't learn the way we teach, we
must teach them the way they learn” - Carol Ann
Tomlinson (Webpage)
 Differentiated instruction is something teachers
do every day in the classroom so that every
student’s learning needs are met.
 Resources are available to help reach all
students.
Differentiated Instruction
 Curriculum should be differentiated in
three areas:
– Content: Multiple options for taking in
information
– Process: Multiple options for making sense
of the ideas
– Product: Multiple options for expressing
what they know
Can Technology Enhance
Learning?
 Computers, like any tool, can be used
correctly or incorrectly. Teachers should
attempt to maximize the positive effect
computers can have and minimize potential
negative influences.
 Technology should one of the components
considered in a well-planned instructional
event, selected to enhance instruction.
How Can Technology Help
in the Teaching/Learning
Process?
 A resource to facilitate learning
 Matches particular student’s learning
style (sequential, organized, etc.)
 Help the learner construct and test
mental models in a safe environment
 Support the construction of new
knowledge through social interaction
Recommended Resources
 “A Mind at a Time” by Mel Levine
 “Boys and Girls Learn Differently” by
Michael Gurian
 “Brain-Based Strategies to Reach Every
Learner” by J. Diane Connell
 “Why Gender Matters” by Leonard Sax
Online Resources
 Brain Dominance (http://brain.web-us.com/brain/LRBrain.html)
 Multiple Intelligences (http://www.mitest.com/)

 Multiple Intelligences and Technology


http://www.casacanada.com/multech.html

 Using Technology to Address Multiple


Intelligences (http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic68.htm)

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