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Behaviorist Learning Theory. Behaviorism is an approach to psychology based on the proposition that behavior can be researched scientifically without recourse to inner mental states.

Behaviorist Learning Theory

It is a form of materialism, denying any independent significance for mind. Its significance for psychological treatment has been profound, making it one of the pillars of pharmacological therapy. One of the assumptions of behaviorist thought is that free will is illusory, and that all behavior is determined by the environment either through association or reinforcement. The behaviorist school of thought ran concurrent with the psychoanalysis movement in psychology in the 20th century. Its main influences were Ivan Pavlov, who investigated classical conditioning, John B. Within that broad approach, there are different emphases. Classical: The behaviorism of Watson; the objective study of behavior; no mental life, no internal states; thought is covert speech. Learn more about Educational Psychology >> J. Methodological behaviorism B.F. Behaviorism. Behaviorism (or behaviourism), is the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only,[1] it is also an approach to psychology that combines elements of philosophy, methodology, and theory.[2] It emerged in the early twentieth century as a reaction to "mentalistic" psychology, which often had difficulty making predictions that could be tested using rigorous experimental methods.

Behaviorism

The primary tenet of behaviorism, as expressed in the writings of John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and others, is that psychology should concern itself with the observable behavior of people and animals, not with unobservable events that take place in their minds.[3] The behaviorist school of thought maintains that behaviors as such can be described scientifically without recourse either to internal physiological events or to hypothetical constructs such as thoughts and beliefs.[4] Versions[edit] Two subtypes are: Definition[edit] Experimental and conceptual innovations[edit] Relation to language[edit] Constructivism (learning theory) Jean Piaget: founder of Constructivism In past centuries, constructivist ideas were not widely valued due to the perception that children's play was seen as aimless and of little importance.

Constructivism (learning theory)

Jean Piaget did not agree with these traditional views, however. He saw play as an important and necessary part of the student's cognitive development and provided scientific evidence for his views. Today, constructivist theories are influential throughout much of the non-formal learning sector. One good example of constructivist learning in a non-formal setting is the Investigate Centre at The Natural History Museum, London. For more detailed information on the philosophy of the construction of human knowledge, see constructivist epistemology. Formalization of the theory of constructivism is generally attributed to Jean Piaget, who articulated mechanisms by which knowledge is internalized by learners.

It is important to note that constructivism is not a particular pedagogy. Constructivist teaching methods. History[edit] Constructivist teaching strategies[edit] Characteristics of Constructivist Teaching[edit] One of the primary goals of using constructivist teaching is that students learn how to learn by giving them the training to take initiative for their own learning experiences.

Constructivist teaching methods

According to Audrey Gray[who?] , the characteristics of a constructivist classroom are as follows: the learners are actively involvedthe environment is democraticthe activities are interactive and student-centeredthe teacher facilitates a process of learning in which students are encouraged to be responsible and autonomous. Connectivism. Connectivism is a hypothesis of learning which emphasizes the role of social and cultural context.

Connectivism

Connectivism is often associated with and proposes a perspective similar to Vygotsky's 'zone of proximal development' (ZPD), an idea later transposed into Engeström's (2001) Activity theory.[1] The relationship between work experience, learning, and knowledge, as expressed in the concept of ‘connectivity, is central to connectivism, motivating the theory's name.[2] It is somewhat similar to Bandura's Social Learning Theory that proposes that people learn through contact. The phrase "a learning theory for the digital age"[3] indicates the emphasis that connectivism gives to technology's effect on how people live, communicate and learn. Nodes and links[edit] The central aspect of connectivism is the metaphor of a network with nodes and connections.[4] In this metaphor, a node is anything that can be connected to another node such as an organization, information, data, feelings, and images.

Cognitivism (learning theory) In psychology, cognitivism is a theoretical framework for understanding the mind that gained credence in the 1950s.

Cognitivism (learning theory)

The movement was a response to behaviorism, which cognitivists said neglected to explain cognition. Cognitive psychology derived its name from the Latin cognoscere, referring to knowing and information, thus cognitive psychology is an information-processing psychology derived in part from earlier traditions of the investigation of thought and problem solving.[1][2] Behaviorists acknowledged the existence of thinking, but identified it as a behavior.

Cognitivists argued that the way people think impacts their behavior and therefore cannot be a behavior in and of itself. Cognitivists later argued that thinking is so essential to psychology that the study of thinking should become its own field.[2] Cognitivism has two major components, one methodological, the other theoretical.