Theorist, Jerome Bruner was one of the 20th century’s most influential educational psychologists. Here, his theories he wrote about the process of pedagogy. His theory of instruction describes the key components of curriculum; its sequence of activities in which learners become self-sufficient problem-solver. (Bruner, 1966) avers that, “a theory of instruction is prescriptive in that it sets forth rules concerning the most effective way of teaching knowledge or skills. It also sets up criteria and states the condition for meeting them. Instruction, he further put forward is an effort to assist or shape growth with improving rather than describing learning”. In essence, it is concerned with how what one desires of teaching can be best learnt. …show more content…
The crux of the matter is that the learner selects and transforms information; they make appropriate decisions, postulate hypotheses relying on a cognitive structure to do so; which affords individual the opportunity to "go beyond the information given".
Bruner (1966) posits that a theory of instruction should address four major aspects: predisposition towards learning, structure and form of knowledge, sequence of knowledge, and nature and pacing of rewards and punishments.
According to Bruner, as cited in (Young, 2009) the learner’s environmental experiences should foster a predisposition to learn. Motivation, personal factors and culture may affect learner’s predisposition to learning. In addition, he is believes the best motivation is for learners to be confronted with problems that will arouse curiosity and uncertainty. The onus is therefore on the facilitator to motivate, pique and maintain students’ interest. In addition, the structure and form of knowledge should also be
A learners’ reason for wanting to learn something new can affect their motivation. A learner who is self-funded and wants to learn for personal or job progression reasons is likely to be more highly motivated than some who been “told” to attend, sent against their will or who is not interested in the subject.
Learning, as defined by Slavin (2012), is “a change in an individual caused by experience” (p. 116). Learning can occur intentionally or unintentionally. All learning, however, is stimulated by something that is the learner (student) has encountered. As an instructor, your goal every day is to use the right stimuli to capture the student’s attention so they can absorb the knowledge you are trying to share.
All three theories suggest that experience is an important cause of learning, feedback is important in promoting learning, and reinforcement and punishment in explanations of behavior (Mary A. Miller, 2015).
Einstein’s “On Education” encourages various fundamental aspects of teaching in order to suggest how to structure the learning process to consequently educate students to better society.
From this we further investigate and try to understand the different theorist’s point of view and how their theories affect each individuals learning, in order to assist a teacher when preparing the lessons.
Humans are adapted uniquely to learn, and this process id has done throughout their entire lifespan, for the cases of learning, it does not stop even after higher education, implying that learning is a gradual process throughout the entire lifespan. Those people who keep learning are always very successful in transforming their lives, that of their families, and then that of the entire community. Also, the process of learning does not take place in isolation. Furthermore, there are some factors that may either be instrumental in boosting the learning process or hindering the process of learning. The motivation of a person can either help or sometimes hinder his ability in the process of learning. One's external factors, for instance, the demands and obligations can be either hinder or help his learning process. There are some factors can influence learning behavior of a person, and these may include the resources of possessed by the people, availability of the information concerning learning opportunities, the presence of favorable learning environment, and among
Comprehension as a process is an intriguing phenomenon. The ability to understand a particular student is affected by inevitable factors such as age and intelligence of that individual. The method employed during teaching is a constant factor. The intelligence quotient varies between various individuals. It is, therefore, paramount to always employ an effective means of teaching. This entrusts a feeling of equity ascertaining that all students acquire a minimum preset level of comprehension of the subjected lesson. The forged policies and pedagogy is a by all means a basis of universal teaching that can encompass a qualitative learning process. This can be achieved by several factors such as learning some characteristics of
The “banking” concept of education is a short essay written by Paulo Freire, which describes his views on inadequate education. The “banking” concept of education and the problem-posing education method are two teaching methods Freire uses to explain the differences between what is inadequate teaching and what is not. The “banking” concept of education is a method of teaching education to students as if they are depositories and the teacher is the depositor. Students only receive the information from the teacher to memorize and report. The problem-posing education method involves a combination of the teacher teaching the student and the student teaching the teacher through dialogue. This makes the classroom environment more interactive. Freire
Environment – If a student is surrounded by other people who value education then that can have a huge impact on driving them to learn .( Kenedy, 2010)
It is argued that there are 4 elements critical to the effectiveness of the instructional process: 1. the learner, 2. the teacher, 3. the home, and 4. the academic programs and the physical facilities at the school. These are interdependent and interactive and must function in unison for effective teaching to take place. The teacher's primary responsibility is to help
They can also help motivate student’s desire to learn by being engaged with both the content and students themselves.
When it comes to how students should learn, different people will have a different approach. Some might want to approach learning in a more hands-on way, while others may want to students to learn more independently. In addition, each student is an individual, and they each have their own ways of learning as well. One student may be more visual, while another student may approach learning in a more physical way. Each student and their unique abilities must be taken into account. While educators will have their own views on how the curriculum should be, there is bound to be some overlap as well. This is where the theories from educational theorists and authors John Dewey and Ralph Tyler become part of the conversation. John Dewey was known as one of the fathers of functional psychology, and was also an advocate for progressive education. Ralph Tyler, on the other hand was an educator who worked in assessment. Each of these men, contributed a large of themselves to the educational system, in their own ways that are noteworthy. While they may share some similarities in their approach to education, there are some notable differences as well. This paper will be used to briefly explore the similarities and also the differences that are found in the ideas from these two educational figures.
Amongst the many topics debated in education circles, it is easy to forget the choice of what we teach and why is of paramount importance. Critical reflection on the relevance of educational philosophers, both past and present, is essential to understanding curriculum choices. With regard to these statements, I wish to apply to this program as a result of a strong professional and personal interest in philosophers of education. More specifically, gaining a deeper understanding of behavioral and functional psychology in education can enhance my current work in many ways. The theories of philosopher’s such as William James have direct implications in my work. For example, by considering the role of acquisition and association of ideas in teaching and learning, I would be broadening my overall knowledge. Additionally, understanding the impact of interest, attention and memory on learning are key components that would enhance my teaching abilities and benefit my students.
The third theme is intuitive thinking, a neglected but important feature of productive thinking. Careful examinations of the nature of intuitive thinking is a great aid to those in teaching and effective thinking is supported by the development of self-confidence and courage. The fourth theme is motivation for learning; an interest in the learning material is the best stimulus for learning and must be kept broad and different in expression. It is important for students to feel motivated whilst learning, the motives for learning must be based upon as much as possible on interests. Bruner's work had a profound effect on education, researchers and the students he has worked with. Bruner (1964) clearly states that his theory is “the development of human intellectual functioning”.
In order to teach successfully teachers must learn about first learn about their students. Teachers must assess the student’s capabilities and interests. Some students are visual learners, while others learn from hands on activities, or verbal communication. Not all students can learn through memorization, rather they learn through interest and relation to the topic. “To realize what an experience, or empirical situation, means, we have to call to mind the sort of situation that presents itself outside of school" (Democracy and Education). The curriculum should encompass material that is most useful for a student to learn. It seems that in the majority of schools, students are not given the flexibility to guide their own learning, but rather follow rigid instructions that destroy the student’s imagination.