Chapter 2, page 27
CHAPTER 2
Theories of Learning
Chapter Outline
Reflecting on student thinking
Information Processing Theory
Sensory Register
Working Memory, or Short-term Memory
Perception and Rehearsal
Long-term Memory
Encoding
Retrieval
Forgetting
Constructivism
Learners
Learners actively construct their own
understandings of the world
Knowledge construction is driven forward by challenges
Learning Environments
Learning environments should center around
learners’ choices and learning goals
Learners engage in authentic tasks relevant to their lives
Learning centers around student inquiry and
higher-order thinking
Learners engage in authentic activities
Learning from others
Students learn from collaborating with other students
Teachers are facilitators and orchestrators, not
information providers
Summary
Applications
Applied goalsLearning from observation. Social cognitive
theory will help you think about how to set up
conditions in your classroom so that students
can learn by observing other students and
yourself. You will also learn how discourage
students from learning things from
observation that you would rather that they
not learn.Promoting memory and understanding.
You will apply ideas from information
processing theory throughout this text. In this
chapter, you will learn initial ideas about how
to promote effective methods of remembering
information.
x You will learn strategies that your students
can use to remember more of what they are
learning.
x You will learn about how the limitations of
short-term memory are a major bottleneck
to learning, and what you can do to try to
help your students.Promoting constructivist learning. You will
also apply ideas of constructivism throughout
this text. In this chapter, you will learn some
initial ideas about how learners construct
knowledge, how to set up learning
environments, and the role of teachers and
peers. Much of what you learn in later
chapters will elaborate on these ideas.
You will also learn about a theory of
learning (the transmissionist theory) that
many teachers and students hold, but that is
an ineffective way to promote learning. Here
you will learn some important ideas about
what not to do in the classroom.Reflecting on Student Thinking
You are about to read about four major theories of learning. This Reflection will help you start
thinking about one of these theories, information processing theory, which presents a detailed model of
human memory. You will recall from Chapter 1 that the purpose of these Reflections at the beginning of
each chapter is to prepare you for future learning by doing some initial thinking about real learning
phenomena. It is not necessary to come up with a particular answer; the goal is to reflect on the data