Essential Learning Theories: Applications to Authentic Teaching Situations

Research-based theories provide the basis for good decision-making in education. As well, teacher effectiveness and student learning are enhanced when research-based theories are used to design curriculum and daily lessons. This book examines human learning in the context of four types of research-based learning theories: neurological learning theories, behavioral learning theories, cognitive learning theories, and transformative learning theories. With each theory, the basic elements are described along with specific classroom applications. The writing style makes these concepts readily accessible to readers of all levels of experience and expertise.

This book is appropriate for preservice teachers who are seeking to comprehend the basic ideas behind these theories. It is appropriate for practicing teachers who want to understand and apply these theories at increasingly higher levels. It is also appropriate for decision-makers or anybody else who wants to understand human learning and educational processes.

This book ends with a description of lesson planning that is set in the various theoretical contexts and includes a guide for defining an educational philosophy.

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Video Mini-Lectures

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Part I: Background

• CHAPTER 1 THEORIES, LEARNING, AND LEARNING TO TEACH
  • 1. Overview: Educational Psychology
  • 2. Human Learning
  • 3. Master Teachers: Four Types of Knowledge

PART II. Neurological Learning Theory

• CHAPTER 2: NEUROLOGICAL LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Learning, Brain, and Mind
  • 2. Brain and Mind
  • 3. Eye Movement: We See with our Brain
  • 4. Neurocognitive Reality: perceiving
  • 5. Neurocognitive Learning
  • 6. Attention
  • 7. Perceptual Organization
• CHAPTER 3: APPLYING NEUROLOGICAL LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Jensen’s Brain-Based Teaching Tips
  • 2. Reading, Eye Movement and the Brain
  • 3. Reading Process and the Brain

PART III. BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES

• CHAPTER 4: BEHAVIORISM -CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
  • 1. Behaviorism–Classical Conditioning
  • 2. Behaviorism: Classical Conditioning –Poor Little Albert
  • 3. Classical Conditioning and Human Being
• CHAPTER 5: BEHAVIORISM -OPERANT CONDITIONING
  • 1. Behaviorism: Operant Conditioning, Thorndike and His Cats
  • 2. Behaviorism: Operant Conditioning, Skinner and His Mice
  • 3. Behaviorism: Punishing and Rewarding Behaviors
  • 4. Behaviorism: Shaping Behaviors
  • 5. Behaviorism: Schedules of Reinforcement
• CHAPTER 6: APPLYING BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN THE CLASSROOM
  • 1. Managing Classrooms
• CHAPTER 7: SOCIAL COGNITIVE LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Social Learning Theory
  • 2. Social Learning Theory –Social Cognition
  • 3. Social Learning Theory: Bandura –A Classic Study
  • 4. The Four Conditions Necessary for Social Learning
  • 5. Factors that Influence Social Learning
  • 6. Using Social Learning Theory to Enhance Learning

PART IV. COGNITIVE LEARNING THEORIES

• CHAPTER 8. PIAGET’S LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Schema Theory, Learning, and Comprehension
  • 2. Cognitive Development –Stage Theories
  • 3. Piaget’s Four Stages
  • 4. Piaget: Concepts and Applications
  • 5. Piaget: Classroom Applications
  • 6. Developmentally Appropriate Instruction –Part 1
  • 7. Developmentally Appropriate Instruction –Part 2 (early to late adolescence)
• CHAPTER 9.VYGOTSKY’S LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Vygotsky: Overview
  • 2. Vygotsky: Scaffolding
  • 3. Vygotsky: Examples of Scaffolding
  • 4. Basic Skills Lesson Plan
• CHAPTER 10: THE INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL
  • 1. Human Learning: The Information Processing Model
  • 2. Cognitive Psychology: Overview
  • 3. Cognitive Psychology: The Importance of Knowledge
  • 4. Cognitive Psychology: Perception
  • 5. Cognitive Psychology: Short Term and Working Memory
  • 6. Cognitive Psychology: Long Term Memory
  • 7. Cognitive Psychology: Enhancing the Retrieval of Knowledge from LTM
  • 8. Cognitive Psychology: Enhancing the Encoding of Information
• CHAPTER 11: MEMORY
  • 1. Learning and Memory
  • 2. Human Learning: Memory
  • 3. Learning and Remembering
  • 4. Constructing Memories
  • 5. Retrieval and Encoding Failures
  • 6. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy
• CHAPTER 12: LEARNING
  • 1. Transfer of Learning in Education
  • 2. Transfer of Learning
  • 3. Promoting Transfer
  • 4. Learning Strategies and Tactics
• CHAPTER 13: CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Constructivism: Overview
  • 2. Constructivism: Applications
  • 3. Cognitive Psychology and Constructivism
• CHAPTER 14: THE LEARNING THEORY OF JEROME BRUNER
  • 1. Discovery Learning: The Basics
  • 2. Discovery Learning: Overview
  • 3. Discovery Learning –Part 2: Open Discovery Learning
  • 4. Discovery Learning –Part 3: Guided Discovery Learning
  • 5. Discovery Learning Lesson Plan
  • 6. Bruner: Using Discover Learning to Teach Concepts
  • 7. Whole-to-Part Instruction
• CHAPTER 15: AUSUBEL’S THEORY OF MEANINGFUL VERBAL LEARNING
  • 1. Ausubel: Advanced Organizers
  • 2. Ausubel: Expository Teaching
  • 3. Ausubel: Using Expository Teaching to Teach Concepts
  • 4. Engagement

PART V. TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THEORIES

• CHAPTER 16: HUMANISTIC LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Basic Principles of Humanistic Learning Theory
  • 2. Humanistic Learning Theory: Person-Centered Teaching
  • 3. Education as Self-Actualization
  • 4. Growth Psychology: Teaching and Learning
• CHAPTER 17: APPLYING HUMANISTIC LEARNING THEORY IN THE CLASSROOM
  • 1. Maslow: Growth Psychology
  • 2. Humanistic Learning Theory: The Purpose of our Schools
  • 3. Growth Psychology: Carl Rogers
  • 4. Carl Rogers: Teaching and Learning
  • 5. Carl Rogers: A Person-Centered Approach to Teaching
• CHAPTER 18: HOLISTIC LEARNING THEORY
  • 1. Holistic Education: Overview
  • 2. Humanistic vs. Holistic Education
  • 3. Holistic Education: Whole-to-Part Instruction (see Chapter 14)
  • 4. Holistic Education: The New Paradigm
  • 5. Holistic Education: The Whole Person
• CHAPTER 19: APPLYING HOLISTIC LEARNING THEORY IN THE CLASSROOM
  • 1. Holistic Education in Practice
  • 2. Learning to Teach: A Reflective/Holistic Model
  • 3. Emotional Intelligence
  • 4. Teaching Social Skills
  • 5. Conflict Resolution: Interpersonal Problem Solving
  • 6. Five Conflict Behaviors
  • 7. Conflict Resolution Strategies
  • 8. Active Listening Skills
  • 9. Active Listening Skills for Teachers
  • 10. Active Listening Skills for Students
  • 11. Cooperative Learning
  • 12. Cooperative Learning Tips
  • 13. Cooperative Learning Activities)
  • 14. Problem-Based Learning
  • 15. Problem-Based Learning: Strategies
  • 16. Problem-Based Learning: A Simple Demonstration
  • 17. Values Clarification and Moral Dilemmas
  • 18. T-Talk

PART VI. ALGORITHMIC VIEWS OF TEACHING

• CHAPTER 20 PLANNING FOR LEARNING
  • 1. Problems with the Hunter/Danieleson Lesson Plan Format
  • 2. Basic Lesson Plan Format
  • 3. Basic Schema-Building Lesson Plan
  • 4. A Basic Skills Lesson Plan Format
  • 5. The Process of Planning a Lesson
  • 6. Advanced Schema-Building lesson –The process
• CHAPTER 21: THE DANIELSON FRAMEWORK
  • 1. Six Lesson Plan Formats
  • 2. Masterful Teaching = Knowing + Planning + Doing + Reflecting
  • 3. Reflective Teaching

PART VII. END MATERIAL

• CHAPTER 22: DEFINING TEACHING
  • 1. Three Views of Teaching
• CHAPTER 23: DEFINING YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
  • 1. Educational Psychology and Educational Philosophy