This lecture was very theoretical. The distinction between a theory and a model was defined at the beginning of the lesson. The four learning theories: behaviorism, cognitivism, social learning and constructivism was pointed out and explained.
In a learning situation all these theories are important because people are not the same. If a lesson is design the instructor must take into account that people differ. In the information literacy class will be people with different learning abilities. There will be those people in the information literacy class who needs extrinsic motivation and that is where the behaviorist theory comes in. There are also the people who learn best in social context or from their peers. There are those people who are intrinsically motivated and that is where the cognitivist theory comes in. This is the motivation who comes from the inner person. This person does not need motivation form outside. It is here where the Bloom's taxonomy comes to play. The constructivist theory is the active participating of the learner in the learning activity. The person who get instruction is actively busy in the learning process.
Self-reflection
on the progress in the course
After the class the theories make sense. The understanding how to design an information literacy lesson which will include more than one theory. The activities that will be design must make provision for the different participants in the lesson to take part in the lesson.
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These courses will help the instruction designer with useful tips on how to design the courses. This the information literacy instructor will need.
So true Maria, I cannot wait to see how all these theories will be applied in the information literacy training programme.
ReplyDeleteThe way I understand learning theories is not the same as yours. I understand it in a psychological perspective. how the child as learner adapt from observing and experiment abusive reinforcement as stimuli. good Gerald cause now you describe it in different angle. The lecture explain it in that way.
ReplyDeleteThobeka, these are learning theories. If you are conducting an information literacy instruction session or giving a normal class two a group of students who comes to your public library after school you have to take these theories into account. Firstly the students or user you are set to deal with are not the same. They have different learning abilities(cognitivist). Therefore you will have to incorporate different theories in your lesson plan. As an instructor you have to motivate your participants extrinsically(behaviorist) and the participants must be motivated intrinsically. Therefore before the lesson you explain to the participants what the objectives of your lesson are. As an instructor it is good to incorporate learning activities where the participants are actively involve in the lesson(constructivist) and ask them to work in groups(social learning theory). As far as learning are concern the instructor can apply one or all but there is no way that the instructor cannot apply the learning theories in instruction.
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