Abstract

Theories of learning are typically only useful to adult learning practitioners when they are applied to the facilitation of learning—a function assigned usually in our society to a person designated as teacher or trainer. A distinction must be made between theories of learning and theories of teaching. Theories of learning deal with the ways in which people learn, whereas theories of teaching deal with the ways in which one person influences others to learn. Thorndike essentially saw teaching as the control of learning by the management of reward. The teacher and learner must know the characteristics of a good performance in order that practice may be appropriately arranged. Errors must be diagnosed so that they will not be repeated. The gestalt psychologists saw the teacher’s task as being essentially to help the individual see significant relationships and to manage instruction in order to organize his or her experiences into functional patterns.

Learning objectives

Learners will be able to:

1. Distinguish between theories of learning and theories of teaching.
2. Interpret concepts of teaching based on teaching theories.
3. Describe different theories of teaching pertaining to adult education.
4. Contrast the concepts of controlling and releasing the energy of others.

Theories of Teaching

TEACHING CONCEPTS BASED ON ANIMAL AND CHILD LEARNING THEORY

Thorndike, Guthrie, Skinner, Hull, Tolman, and Gagné

TEACHING CONCEPTS BASED ON ADULT LEARNING THEORIES

Rogers, Watson, Houle, Tough

CONCEPTS OF TEACHING BASED ON TEACHING THEORIES

Dewey, Teaching Through Inquiry, Teaching Through Modeling

NEW SYSTEMS OF THOUGHT

Perspective Transformation, Critical Reflectivity

Reflection Questions

5.1           What is the wisdom behind Hilgard’s 20 principles of teaching?

5.2           What ideas from Guthrie and Skinner (both behaviorists) make the most sense to you and why?

5.3           Using Robert Gagné’s types of learning (Table 5-2), classify your own learning when reading this chapter versus applying what your learned when instructing.

5.4           Summarize Carl Rogers’ view of the teacher/learner relationship.

5.5           Summarize John Dewey’s contribution to understanding the learning process.

5.6           Describe a transformational learning experience that you or someone you know has gone through.

5.7 What are the barriers to succeeding as a facilitator?

5.8           Given there are times you need to be a teacher and other times a facilitator, what would you need to do to mentally prepare yourself for each role?

5.9           Discuss and contrast the concepts of controlling and releasing the energy of others.