Session 8: Behaviorism, Conductivism, Constructivism and Instructional Theory

Behaviourism

The mind is compared to a Black Box. It’s expected responses. Instructions are repetition and reinforcement to help learning.

Cognitivism

The mind is compared to a computer, where every individual recalls stored information. It basically has to do with Memory (Sensory, Short-Term and Long Term).

Constructivism

It views the mind as a Rhizome where skills and knowledge are nodules that are interconnected and called when needed.

With these perspectives we have two theories:

Descriptive Theory

(What is Learning?)

From this we obtain Learning Theory, which is an attempt to describe learning.

Perscriptive Theory

(How to help Learning?)

From this we obtain Instructional Theory, which gives methods to foster learning.

Session 7: Teaching Models

Task 1- IN CLASS

Traditional Education

Traditional education or back-to-basics refers to long-established customs found in schools that society has traditionally deemed appropriate. Traditional teacher-centered methods focused on rote learning and memorization. Historically, the primary educational technique of traditional education was simple oral recitation.

Behaviorism

Behaviourism is a method applied through repetition of desired actions, rewarding good habits and the discouraging bad habits. In the classroom this view of learning led to a great deal of repetitive actions, praise for correct outcomes and immediate correction of mistakes.

Constructivism

Constructivism is a discipline based on the construction of reality. It is said that we cannot know what is real or can’t ever find the truth because when we have knowledge of something we base it upon basic perceptions of reality and there will always be an approximant to what we construct in our minds.

Precursors:

William Spady, Benjamin Bloom & Maria Montessori (Traditional Education)

Wilhelm Wundt, Ivan Pavlov & B.F. Skinner (Behaviorism)

Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky & John Dewey (Constructivism)

What do they have in common?

These methods have in common the actions related to memorizing and have strong influence in learning. Traditional Education focuses on memorizing as so does Behaviorism. Constructivism is based on knowledge already acquired also relating it to the other two.

What are their differences?

Traditional education focuses on concepts, memory as an absolute method where everything “is as it is” and isn’t “could be”, centering in the teacher as an unquestionable being. Behaviorism focuses on mind constructed action, either good or bad, making repetition of good habits rewarded and bad habits punished. In other words, positive elements are reinforced and negative elements are studied to transform into positive. Constructivism, however, has a principle focus on constructing knowledge and modifying old ideas to new concepts.

Task 2- IN CLASS

Personally what model do you prefer?

I personally prefer Constructivism because it permits students to think and analyze more ideas to modify their own perception of their surroundings. It’s a method to help students question their own ideas and construct new concepts, with the aid of the teacher.

Session 5: Presentations

What called my attention about…?

a)    San Agustín

What calls my attention about St. Augustine is the discovery of “the truth” applied through questions, demonstrating each person having the capability to find answers on the inside. This meaning that we already have the knowledge but do not know how to release it. Also, he uses a method that is inserted in our national curriculum today (MINEDUC) which is known as Constructivism.

b)    Froebel

What calls my attention about Froebel is that as a pedagogue he left the ideas for modern education based on the acknowledgment that children have unique needs and capabilities. Also that he created the concept of the “kindergarten” and the development of educational toys to demonstrate that children learn through play.

c)    Dewey

What calls my attention about Dewey is the dedication of the study in the field of education. How this man changed a structured pattern in the role of the teacher, and the philosophy of the teacher being a guide, and went deep as an educational reformer whose ideas have been significant in education today.

d)    Comenius

What calls my attention about Comenius is the Didactica Magna and the studies he did to make a contribution to education nowadays. Everything he studied was related in his works.

e)    Paulo Freire

What calls my attention about Paulo Freire is how he questioned important investigators, insisting on the fact that students are not empty vessels to be filled in by the teacher’s knowledge, inhibiting their creativity. Thus, he modifies their thoughts to the new era converting it to what is known today as critical pedagogy.

f)     Pestalozzi

What calls my attention about Pestalozzi is his child centered educational style through Romanticism where he highlighted that every aspect of the child's life is important to the formation of personality, character, and reason.

g)    Rousseau

What calls my attention about Rousseau is the development of character and moral sense, discovering through real actions the consequences of each individual’s actions.