Here is a writing I read from " THE QUALITY TEACHING BLOG". Hope the people who read this will get some benefit.

Applying Multiple Learning Theories in a Single Lesson

 September 29, 2007 ⋅

Richard Parenti
QTL Instructor

There may seem to be as many theories to learning as there are stars in the universe. But learning theories are important because they guide our instruction and give us insight into the vast unknowns of the mind.

Though each theory has a different premise, this does not pre-suppose that only one is accurate; nor does it suggest that they can’t be used in conjunction with one another in an instructional setting. Educational Psychologist Robert Gagne (1985) stated, “different instruction is required for different learning outcomes.”

Acknowledging that there are different types of learning, Gagne put forth nine conditions that must be present for learning to occur. Behaviorism, Cognitive Theory and Constructivism are common learning thoeries applied in the classroom setting. Watch, as we journey through one of my tenth-grade Biology class periods showcasing Gagne’s strategies while illustrating how it serves in harmony with these three theories of learning.

The Behaviorist Learning Theory
Class begins as students enter the room. On the blackboard I have written their Bellringer assignment: “Identify 3 cycles you have encountered in your life and 1 cycle you have encountered in a science class.” I try to let Bellringers capture students’ attention. This is the first condition of learning, according to Gagne (1985). However, the bellringer serves many purposes. Besides setting the tone for learning, acting as a classroom management tool, and introducing the topic of the day, it is evidence for a theory of learning called Behaviorism.

Behaviorism has its roots in Psychology, and many are familiar with the famous classical conditioning experiments of Ivan Pavlov, in which dogs were trained to salivate at the sound of a bell, and the operant conditioning experiments of B.F. Skinner, in which small animals were trained to operate on their environment to obtain a reward (Skinner, 2004-2007). Skinner is largely known for expanding the work of John Watson, who is considered the father of Behaviorism (DeMar, n.d.).

The Bellringer activity applies the principles of Behaviorism to education by showing that when students are presented with a stimulus (e.g. the bellringer activity), they can be trained to exhibit a desired response. Behaviorism explains that behaviors are based on rewards and punishments and it concerns itself only with the stimulus and response. Thoughts, feelings or unobservable events are irrelevant in Behaviorist theory. To this end, Behaviorism exists in contrast to other theories that value these factors.

Setting the Stage
Next to the Bellringer I write the State Standard for today’s topic on Life Cycles to create expectancy for the learners (Gagne, 1985). According to Gagne, the second condition of learning is that students need to know what to expect. Beneath the Standards, I draw a rudimentary picture of a bicycle and use colored chalk to diagram the previously taught Citric Acid Cycle and Calvin Cycle. My hope is that these illustrations will provide stimulating recall of prior learning. This is Gagne’s third condition (1985).

Cognitive Learning Theory
After getting some responses from the class and a sense of the students’ current knowledge, the next activity is to read an elementary level story entitled, “The Tiny Seed.” Presenting the stimulus (also termed selective perception) is the fourth condition of learning (Gagne, 1985). I supplement the reading with a PowerPoint presentation to allow students to visualize the words as I read to them.

This teaching strategy is called modeling. I was modeling what I would be asking the students to do in a few moments, or also providing learning guidance, according to Gagne’s fifth condition of learning (Gagne, 1985). Modeling supports Cognitive Learning theory. Sometimes it’s referred to as “Cognitive coaching” (Funderstanding, 1998-2001) or simply, Cognitivism. Unlike Behaviorism, Cognitive theory posits that personal insights cause learning. Modeling reading, for example, can show students how they might perform when reading. It can allow them to evaluate and correct pronunciation of words, use of grammar, and to place themselves as the reader in their own minds. Thus modeling can create a change in thinking, the foundation of Cognitive theory.

Cognitive theory places special emphasis on the unseen processes of thinking (Wilhelmsen, 1998) stating that mental activities occurring after the stimulus will influence the response. For example, a student who suddenly recalls a book report due in his next class may chose to work on that instead of completing the bellringer assignment or listening to the story. A basic tenet of Cognitive theory is practice and rehearsal. To support this, I refer students to their list of vocabulary words given at the beginning of the unit ask them to take a brief moment and jot down (on a piece of paper with their name on it) the definitions to as many as they can recall at this time.

Prior to class I have placed a copy of a Dr. Seuss book about life cycles on each student’s desk. On the cover I have written two numbers and a note, “Do not open this book until you receive specific instructions from the teacher!” At the end of the story I inform students that the numbers represented the pages from where the student would start and stop reading. Then, while students are taking their turns voicing the words on their pages, I place a germinating seed on each of their desks. These activities further reinforce selective perception, prior recall, and expectancy.

Constructivist Learning Theory
After a short discussion about Life Cycles and a few minutes of delivering some facts, I charge students with writing a brief essay about life cycles based on what they have learned in class today. Eliciting performance is Gagne’s sixth condition of learning (Gagne, 1985). This writing task also follows the Constructivist model of learning.

Constructivism is a learning theory that asserts, “by reflecting on our own experiences, we construct our own understanding,” (Funderstanding 1998-2001) and in this activity students are called upon to think about cycles. They are required to reflect upon their own experiences with “The Tiny Seed” story, the Dr. Seuss book, the lecture information, and the germinating seeds. Since, creativity and innovation are encouraged, I ask students to think about some things that they may want to write about, share thier thoughts with at least two neighbors and then write about thier idea.

Constructivism is different from behaviorism in this regard, but similar to cognitive theory in that both theorists would postulate that students need to connect to prior experiences. For example, with the late assignment, if the student knew that book reports were rarely collected in the next class, he may decide to complete the bellringer or listen to the story after all.

Nearing the end of the class period and once students have completed their writing, I anonymously select a few essays to read aloud. The purpose here is to provide feedback, informally assess their performance, and enhance the retention of our topic. These are Gagne’s seventh, eighth and ninth conditions, respectively (Gagne, 1985); the balance of conditions required for learning to take place.

Comparing Learnng Theories
In reflecting upon these theories and their application in this class period, their differences are obvious. Behaviorism does not view the unobservable as significant. Cognitive theory and Constructivist theory state that the unobservable is very important, and Behaviorism and Constructivist theory both value previous events. In the case of Behaviorism the event is an antecedent stimulus. In Constructivist theory it’s prior learning.

But despite their differences, there are some similarities. It’s equally important to note that these similarities allowed opposing ideologies to come together in a single lesson. Behaviorism, Cognitive Theory and Constructivism are all valid researched-based theories. Each can work in harmony toward the same objective and each can make an important contribution to student understanding even with different outcomes.

In Conclusion
In terms of Gagne’s nine strategies, the desired outcome of the Behaviorism Learning Theory was used to gain attention and create expectancy. The cognitive model was the stimulus and provided guidance, while the Constructivist Theory was employed to reinforce the learning, allow retrieval, and enhance generalization.

Each approach to learning is different, but they have similar qualities that allow them to function harmoniously in the classroom. Each learning theory has a place in an instructional setting, and sometimes it’s right alongside another opposing theory. There will always be ideas about when and how learning theories should be applied and there will always be room for more learning theories because learning is a complex ability whose limits may only be as boundless as the universe itself.

REFERENCES

DeMar, G. (n.d.). Behaviorism. Retrieved September 25, 2007, from http://forerunner.com/forerunner/X0497_DeMar_-_Behaviorism.html

Funderstanding (1998-2001). About Learning. Retrieved September 26, 2007, from http://www.funderstanding.com/about_learning.cfm

Gagne, R. (1985). Conditions of Learning. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://tip.psychology.org/gagne.html

Skinner, B.F. (2004-2007). Operant Conditioning. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://genetics.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/behavior//learning/operant.html

Wilhelmsen, S., Stein, I., Oyvind, M. (1998). Psychological theories; A brief survey of the changing view of learning. Retrieved September 26, 2007, from http://www.uib.no/People/sinia/CSCL/web_struktur-834.htm