Big 3 Learning Theories: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism! Intro to ID Part 4 of 6

Summary

This instructional design video focuses on the 'big three' learning theories: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Behaviorism emphasizes observable behaviors and reinforcement, cognitivism centers on mental processes and building on existing knowledge, while constructivism encourages learners to create their own meaning through experience. The video discusses the application of these theories in designing effective learning experiences, tailored to different audiences and contexts.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses the 'big three' learning theories in instructional design: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.
• 🐶 Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors and treats the mind as a 'black box', using reinforcement to achieve desired outcomes.
• 💻 Cognitivism views the mind as a computer, emphasizing the organization and structuring of new information to fit with existing knowledge.
• 🏗 Cognitivism is about creating structured learning experiences, often using learning objectives and backward design to build upon foundational knowledge.
• 🌟 Constructivism is centered on the idea that learners construct their own understanding from their experiences, making learning subjective and context-dependent.
• 👥 Constructivism values social negotiation and encourages learners to validate their understandings through interaction with others.
• 🎓 The choice of learning theory depends on the context, audience, and the desired learning outcomes.
• 📈 Bloom's Taxonomy is mentioned as a tool to structure learning experiences, starting with basic knowledge and building up to higher-order thinking skills.
• 👨‍🏫 Different theories are suitable for different educational contexts; for example, behaviorism might be used for basic skills like vocabulary, while constructivism is better for complex understanding.
• 🔍 Instructional designers should consider multiple theories and adapt them to the needs of the learners and the subject matter being taught.
• 📅 The next video in the series will cover memory, motivation, and learning, continuing the exploration of instructional design concepts.

Q & A

What are the three major learning theories discussed in the script?

The three major learning theories discussed are Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism.

How does Behaviorism view the learning process?

Behaviorism treats the mind as a black box, focusing only on input and output without considering what happens in the mind. It's an old school approach that can be used for drill and practice or simple vocabulary tests.

What is the role of the learner in Cognitivism?

In Cognitivism, the learner is active and engaged in the learning process. The mind is likened to a computer where new information is coded and structured to fit with existing information.

What is Bloom's Taxonomy and how does it relate to Cognitivism?

Bloom's Taxonomy is a structure for learning with six levels, starting from remembering facts and basic concepts to evaluating and creating. It is a useful tool in Cognitivism for constructing a learning experience that builds from basic knowledge to higher-level skills.

How does Constructivism differ from the other two theories?

Constructivism emphasizes that learners create their own meaning from their experiences. It treats learning as subjective and context-dependent, focusing on the individual's unique construction of understanding.

What is the significance of context in Constructivist learning?

In Constructivism, learning must occur in context, meaning learners should be engaged with the subject matter in a real-world setting, which allows them to construct a deeper understanding.

Why might Behaviorism be less effective for adult learners?

Behaviorism might be less effective for adults because it can come across as dehumanizing and does not consider the complexities of adult learning, which often requires more abstract and critical thinking.

How can Cognitivism be applied in designing a curriculum?

Cognitivism can be applied by identifying the basic information and skills a learner needs, then systematically building upon that foundation to create a structured and scaffolded learning experience.

What is the role of social negotiation in Constructivist learning?

Social negotiation plays a critical role in Constructivist learning as it allows learners to validate their understandings, correct misunderstandings, and deepen their learning through interaction with peers or mentors.

How does the script suggest choosing between these learning theories?

The choice of learning theory depends on the context, the learner, and the educational goals. The script suggests getting familiar with these theories and using them as a guide to create effective learning experiences.

What is the purpose of the knowledge check questions at the end of the script?

The knowledge check questions are designed to engage the viewer and test their understanding of the learning theories discussed. They provide practical examples to help differentiate between Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Learning Theories

The script introduces the concept of learning theories in instructional design, specifically focusing on three prominent theories: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. These are foundational for understanding how people learn and are essential for creating effective learning experiences. The narrator emphasizes the importance of these theories as they are derived from scientific studies on learning. The video is part of a series on instructional design, and viewers are encouraged to explore previous parts for more context.

05:00

🐶 Behaviorism: Learning as a Response to Stimuli

Behaviorism is discussed as the first learning theory, exemplified by Pavlov's dogs experiment, where the dogs learned to associate a bell with food, leading to a conditioned response. In behaviorism, the mind is considered a 'black box' where internal processes are not as important as observable behaviors. The theory is useful for basic learning tasks like drills and vocabulary tests, which serve as foundational skills for more complex learning. It's noted that behaviorism is more applicable to children and less so for adults, but it remains a valuable tool for reinforcing key information.

10:00

💡 Cognitivism: The Mind as an Information Processor

Cognitivism is the second theory presented, where the mind is likened to a computer that processes and structures new information based on existing knowledge. This theory emphasizes the active role of the learner in constructing meaning from new information. The script discusses the importance of aligning instructional design with learning objectives and using systematic approaches like backward design. Cognitivism is particularly useful for creating structured and scaffolded learning experiences, and it is linked to Bloom's Taxonomy, a tool for structuring educational goals from basic knowledge to higher-order thinking skills.

15:03

🌟 Constructivism: Learning Through Personal Experience

Constructivism is the final theory highlighted, which views learning as a subjective and individual process where learners construct their own understanding based on their experiences. This theory requires learning to occur in context, emphasizing the importance of real-world application. Constructivism treats learners as whole individuals and encourages social negotiation of ideas. It is noted as the most challenging theory to implement but is highly person-centered. The script suggests that constructivism is best suited for experiential learning and apprenticeships, where learners are actively engaged in the learning process.

🔍 Applying Theories in Instructional Design

The script concludes with a discussion on how to apply these learning theories in instructional design. It suggests that the choice of theory depends on the learner, the context, and the educational goals. Each theory has its strengths and is suitable for different scenarios. Behaviorism is recommended for basic skills and safety training, cognitivism for structured learning experiences, and constructivism for personalized and context-based learning. The narrator also introduces a knowledge check with three questions to engage viewers and test their understanding of the theories.

📅 Upcoming: Memory, Motivation, and Learning

The final paragraph serves as a预告 for the next video in the series, which will focus on memory and motivation in learning. It sets expectations for viewers to return for part five of the instructional design series.

Keywords

💡Learning Theories

Learning theories are frameworks that attempt to explain the process of how individuals learn. In the video, the presenter focuses on three major theories: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. These theories are foundational to instructional design, guiding how educators structure learning experiences to facilitate understanding and skill development.

💡Behaviorism

Behaviorism is a learning theory that focuses on observable behaviors and how they are shaped by external stimuli. It is often associated with the work of Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner. In the video, behaviorism is described as treating the mind as a 'black box', focusing on input and output without concern for internal mental processes. It is suggested for use in drill and practice scenarios, such as vocabulary tests.

💡Cognitivism

Cognitivism emphasizes the role of mental processes in learning, such as perception, memory, and thinking. It views the mind as an active processor of information. The video explains cognitivism as a theory where the learner is engaged in structuring new information to fit with existing knowledge, which is particularly useful for systematic curriculum design and aligns with concepts like learning objectives and backward design.

💡Constructivism

Constructivism is a learning theory that posits knowledge is built and reconstructed through experience. It values the individual's active role in constructing meaning from their experiences. The video highlights constructivism as the most person-centered approach, where learning is subjective and contextual, and it is the hardest to implement but treats learners as co-facilitators of their own learning.

💡Instructional Design

Instructional design refers to the systematic process of creating instructional experiences, such as courses or training programs. The video discusses how learning theories are applied within instructional design to create effective learning experiences tailored to specific audiences and contexts.

💡Learning Objectives

Learning objectives are clear statements that define what a learner should be able to do after completing a learning experience. In the video, they are described as a crucial part of cognitivist approaches, where the design of learning experiences is carefully aligned with these objectives to ensure systematic and effective learning.

💡Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy is a classification of the different levels of cognitive learning, from basic knowledge to evaluation and creation. The video uses Bloom's Taxonomy to illustrate how cognitivist learning experiences can be structured to build from basic knowledge to higher-order thinking skills.

💡Drill and Practice

Drill and practice is a method of learning where learners repeatedly perform tasks to master specific skills or knowledge. The video mentions that behaviorism is well-suited for drill and practice activities, such as vocabulary tests, to reinforce basic but critical information.

💡Systematic Curriculum

A systematic curriculum is one that is carefully planned and organized to ensure that learning progresses logically and effectively. The video discusses how cognitivism is particularly useful for designing such curricula, where learning objectives and the structure of information are key considerations.

💡Contextual Learning

Contextual learning is an approach where learning is embedded within real-world contexts, which enhances understanding and application of knowledge. The video describes constructivism as a theory that emphasizes learning in context, where learners construct their understanding through experiences related to real-world situations.

💡Social Negotiation

Social negotiation in learning refers to the process where learners discuss and negotiate meanings with others, leading to deeper understanding. The video mentions this concept in the context of constructivism, where learners validate and refine their understandings through social interaction.

Highlights

Introduction to the 'big three' learning theories in instructional design: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

Learning theories are scientific explanations based on studying how people learn.

Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors, treating the mind as a 'black box'.

Behaviorism is useful for drill and practice, vocabulary tests, and basic exercises.

Cognitivism views the mind as a computer, organizing and structuring new information.

Cognitivism is ideal for systematic curriculum design and building upon existing knowledge.

Learning objectives and backward design are key components of cognitivism.

Bloom's Taxonomy is a tool for structuring learning experiences from basic to advanced.

Constructivism emphasizes individual learning through personal experience and context.

Constructivism treats learning as subjective and encourages social negotiation of ideas.

Constructivism is challenging to implement but focuses on learner-centered experiences.

The choice of learning theory depends on the context, audience, and learning goals.

Behaviorism is suitable for safety training and basic skills for children.

Cognitivism is effective for building scaffolded learning experiences.

Constructivism is valuable for treating learners as whole persons in their learning journey.

Instructional design should consider multiple theories and adapt to different contexts.

The importance of aligning learning experiences with learning objectives for systematic design.

Constructivism encourages learners to construct their own understandings and validate them socially.

Examples of applying behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism in educational settings.

Upcoming video on memory, motivation, and learning as part of the instructional design series.

Transcripts

hey designers today we are going to talk

about

learning theories what i like to call

the big three

learning theories this is part four of

my intro to instructional design series

be sure to check out parts one through

three to get more on instructional

design let's go ahead and dive into

theories

so these are the big three theories i'm

going to cover in this video behaviorism

cognitivism constructivism if you are

new to instructional design these are

the three you'll see most often and they

are a great place to get started with

thinking about learning theories as i

mentioned in the last video

learning theories are science

they are a result of scientists studying

how people learn and coming up with

explanations that help us understand how

people learn so they're a great place to

draw upon

good explanations of how people learn

and can use these theories in

instructional design to create better

more effective learning experiences for

our particular audiences now

each of these three three theories

is very different i'll talk about the

similarities and differences and which

one you will choose will depend on your

given time context your given audience

and you might you'll likely use several

for any given learning experience so

let's dive in

behaviorism

you might be familiar with

pavlov's dogs they were trained to drool

when a bell was wrong that is classic

behaviorism behaviorists treat the mind

as a black box we don't care in

behaviorism what's going on in the mind

only the input and output matter okay

it's a very old school approach to

learning and you'll notice it's a little

it's a little dehumanizing in some ways

right we don't care what goes on in

someone's mind that's not so great but

there is a place for behaviorism for

maybe doing drill and practice for doing

simple vocabulary tests things that can

be built upon for higher level learning

so

in any case behaviorists believe that

you know put in the right input and

reinforcement to get the output desired

this is a good theory to use if you're

trying to do some sort of building block

exercise right if um maybe your learners

need to know some vocabulary so that

they can actually move on in a given

topic things that are really basic but

are really critical to a larger learning

experience so

behaviorism

can work well for kids less well for

adults but it can be a great way to

drill in really important information

for a particular context there are

places where it's really appropriate and

it's a good um

strategy and theory to use

next step cognitivism in cognitivism we

very much care what's going on with the

mind okay the mind in fact is like a

computer okay

it's organized

new information is coded and structured

to fit in with existing information and

the learner is really active engaged in

the process we're not just doing things

to them to try to get the right output

like behaviorism

we are really thinking about who our

learner is what their existing

experience and knowledge is so that we

can construct a learning experience

that's going to work really well for who

they are and where they are okay

so in cognitivism any activity should be

chunked and designed in a way to

facilitate processing again yeah a

little bit of dehumanizing stuff going

on here so talking about computers and

processing but it is a useful way to

kind of approach a really systematic

curriculum so if you are

designing some sort of larger course or

multi

series of courses or a larger curriculum

you want to think about what the basic

information is someone needs the basic

skills and tasks someone needs to do so

you can build upon it to get more

creative in the future to get to a

higher um

level of knowledge or skills of analysis

on the learner's part so

cognitivism we're breaking it down we

are treating our learners like they have

some existing knowledge and we're going

to figure out how we can fit in new

knowledge

in cognitivism think learning objectives

and backward design

if you're not familiar with learning

objectives a learning objective is a

simple statement of where you want your

learner to be following a learning

experience it would be something like

learners will be able to

label the parts of a cell for example if

you're thinking like seventh grade

science students um backward design is

where you know just being really

systematic about uh

constructing a learning experience that

aligns perfectly to that learning

objective okay instructional design is

all about being systematic i just can't

say that enough and if you write a

learning objective

and carefully align your design to your

learning objective you're going to have

a really systematic well constructed

learning experience all right i digress

in any case cognitivism is all about

being structured being specific

targeting your learner where they are

building upon their existing knowledge

and you may or may not be familiar with

bloom's taxonomy

bloom's taxonomy structures learning

okay

uh bloom

decided that there are six

levels of learning again this is a

really useful tool for kind of

understanding ways that you might be

able to construct a learning experience

to start with the kind of basic building

blocks and work up to higher level

skills for your learners so bloom's

pyramid here

says that the bottom level of any

learning is going to be

remembering

facts and basic concepts so again this

comes back to my example of

maybe your learner needs to know some

basic definitions before they can do

anything more advanced before they can

even understand the topic at hand they

need to know the vocabulary involved you

know there's gonna be some back and

forth between these two levels but these

are the bottom of the pyramid here

you're not going to ever get to evaluate

or create unless you've mastered the

basics down here so again cognitivism is

all about structuring a learning

experience making sure you are um

facilitating processing by your learner

figuring out how you can help your

learner encode new information to fit in

with existing information again you

might start some building blocks down

here and then you would figure out how

to encode information in the middle of

pyramid to fit in with what they've

already remembered and understood okay

all right so last but not least that

leaves us with the theory constructivism

constructivism

i mean i'm a constructivist at heart i

think it's just this theory is the best

it is the hardest theory to use in

instructional design though i mean i'm

sure there's more out there that are

hard to use this one's pretty hard to

use all right constructivism is all

about learners are going to create their

own meaning from their own experience

okay each learner is a unique individual

we are very much treating learners as

people with this theory

and each person has to construct their

own understanding of the topic at hand

but this theory learning has to occur in

context okay it's not just you're

sitting in a class and learning about

something out in the world you should be

out in the world learning it if you're

learning something out in the world okay

uh and in this one each mind is

constructing its own reality learning is

not objective i just want to

reflect on that for a moment this theory

treats learning as being very subjective

it really depends on who your learner is

where they're coming from their own

lived experience how they interpret

things they might take things very

differently than how you intend them

like maybe you think something's really

straightforward they're like no actually

based on my experience is a little bit

you know different than what you

intended so again this is a hard theory

to put into place but i think it's a

really wonderful one because it does

really treat people as people

and

it treats the learners kind of like a

a co-facilitator of their own experience

as well okay learning here is not just

something we're doing to them trying to

get them to a final location a final you

know behavior they need to perform for

us to show that they've learned

something they're they're part of the

journey as well

it's really nice uh quote here from um

foundations of learning and social

design technology book that's a book i

mentioned in my last video learners are

encouraged to construct their own

understandings okay and then to validate

these new perspectives and it's also

critical here that talks about social

negotiation so humans are social

i am very much a believer that um any

sort of social experience in learning is

going to lead to more and deeper

learning so constructivism is about

constructing your own understanding and

then kind of bouncing it off you know

your co-learners or your mentors to

really kind of cement that understanding

correct any misunderstandings

so this theory think like again learning

in context apprentices apprentice ships

so like you're an electrician

electrician you're not just sitting in

the classroom learning about how to wire

things you're in someone's house

learning how to wire things think

montessori uh for children

i think experiential learning okay

constructivism treats the person as a

person it is the hardest to put into

practice but it is a really nice

philosophy

of instructional design if you can even

approach constructivism in a learning

experience

that's a good person-centered way to

approach it all right again

there's no one perfect theory there's

many more theories besides there's sub

theories related to each of these

there's whole other ones that i haven't

even began to touch upon and i've been

teaching this for a long time and i'm

continually learning about new theories

educational psychology is a a deep and

varied field there's a ton of theories

out there it's really fascinating the

science of learning is fascinating and

each of these theories

really

is going to depend

on your learner and what your learner

should be able to do and also you know

what you are teaching as well okay

behaviorism might work really well for

anything related to safety maybe things

that you're teaching children

cognitivism is great if you are trying

to build kind of a a scaffolded learning

experience constructivism is wonderful

because it treats the learner like a

whole person and you are working with

them to construct their understanding of

a topic but it is going to be kind of

the most time consuming theory to

implement and it's really difficult to

implement in online learning as well so

again

just like when you're choosing an

instructional design system or model

like addie or sam to put into practice

as you are planning out a learning

experience the learning theories you

choose are going to vary from

context to context learn to learner

maybe even where you work has particular

ones they want to put into place so

don't stress out too much about it get

familiar with them and you'll get more

of a feel for them as you move on in

your instructional design journey

and you know do keep focus along the way

on what you want your learner to be able

to do after the learning experience and

again you might use more than one

anytime you are designing something so

that said let's do a knowledge check

i've got three questions for you

i like to build in a little bit of

interactivity into my videos if they are

just videos so i'm going to ask you

three questions i'll pause for a moment

let you think and then i'll let you know

what the correct answer is so number one

say you have students that are asked to

write biographies for five historical

figures

then they're asked to analyze these

figures impact on events

is this an example of behaviorism

cognitivism or constructivism

this one is an example of cognitivism

and the key here is

that first off students are asked to do

something basic related to these figures

right they're writing brief biographies

so they're remembering and understanding

remember bloom's taxonomy then they're

asked to move on to analysis so they're

actually building they're doing a second

step where they're building on the first

step the first step is writing the brief

bios remembering understanding

second step is that they're doing some

analysis so this is a cognitivist

approach to this learning experience

because it is building a scaffolded

learning experience and trying to figure

out how to encode information to fit

what students already know once they

know these figures they're going to be

able to analyze these figures impact so

that's cognitivism

next step

students are tested

on how 15 words are spelled

tests with failing scores must be taken

home and signed by their parents

i think you know school children for

this one what is this an example of

this one is

behaviorism the clue here is that tests

with failing scores must be taken home

and signed by their parents oof you get

a bad score on your test i know you're

not going to take that home so the idea

is that these kids are going to be

more motivated to do better on their

spelling test because otherwise they're

going to have to show

show their shame to their parents you

know

this is not a way you would treat adults

i don't know this is the best way to

treat kids either because you know

there's probably better ways to motivate

them but this is an example of

behaviorism you're trying to

motivate your students and you're just

trying to put in the right right input

here to get the right output that you

are desiring as the educator all right

last one

sixth grade students are asked asked to

conduct independent research and then

create an original diagram that

illustrates the impact of pollution on

marine life what is this an example of

this one's constructivism so as you can

see this is kind of a um

very independent learning activity

they're conducting independent research

and then they're creating their own

original diagram that illustrates

something

uh in this learning experience these

learners are taking control of their own

learning experience they're constructing

their own understanding by doing their

own research and expressing it in a

certain way so in this the the

instructor or educator here would have

to be very careful to be kind of

co-learning along with them to be

guiding and facilitating their learning

to make sure they end up at the right

place but it's a wonderful example of

constructivism all right so that is it

for this video

next up we are going to dive into memory

motivation and learning that's going to

be part five of this six part

introduction to instructional design

series so be sure to come back for that