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Constructivism
This is the understanding that every individual "constructs" his/her own reality according to the experiences that they have. Since everyone has different experiences in their lives each individual constructs a different reality or view of the world araound them. The way that we form this view is through our reflection on these experiences that we have through out our lives(Like Dewey said).
Inquiry Based Instruction
Inquiry based instruction is student-centered and teacher-guided. Under the basic direction of the teacher, students engage in investigating real world questions in order to formulate solutions and answers.
* teaches problem-solving, critical thinking skills, and disciplinary content
* promotes the transfer of concepts to new problem questions
* teaches students how to learn and builds self-directed learning skills
* develops student ownership of their inquiry and enhances student interest in the subject matter
Behaviorism
Behaviorism is theory of learning based on the study of behavior based on external forces such as the environment and other people. It does not deal with a person’s mental state or internal feelings. It is easy to observe behavior, so this form of study is easy to acquire data. Behaviorism is a way to change behavior through two types of conditioning: Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning. Classical conditioning deals with stimuli and responses to gradually change behavior, whereas operant conditioning deals with rewards and punishments.
This was a very helpful site to see things in simple terms: http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/f/behaviorism.htm
Direct Instruction
Direct Instruction is the teaching of a subect matter using demonstrations or lectures, instead of allowing students to find out for themselves. This method of teaching is effective when teaching basic skill sets. While using this method, teachers can show students explcitly what they are supposed to be learning and also the steps to accomplish certain tasks.
When computers are used to teach students material, most often they are using direct instruction.
http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/Vockell/CAI/Cai3/cai3direct.htm listed 5 steps to direct instruction:
1. Setting clear goals for students and making sure they understand these goals.
2. Presenting a sequence of well-organized assignments.
3. Giving students clear, concise explanations and illustrations of the subject matter.
4. Asking frequent questions to see if the students understand the work.
5. Giving students frequent opportunities to practice what they have learned.
Democratic Classroom
Democratic Classroom is the theory of creating a classroom environment where students are allowed to create their own rules, take responsibilty for their own behavior, and manage their own work. In creating this type of environment, students are more motivated to do well in academics, pay attention to curriculum, stay disciplined, and recieve reprocussion for behavioral mistakes.
The opposite of this theory would include a class manager, or teacher, who makes all the rules, disciplinary roles, teaches with direct instruction, and does not necessarily promote a creative atmosphere.
http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/democratic/front_democratic.htm
Cognitivism
Cognitivism was created to document and analyze how humans process information. The idea is that the learner is a complex information-processing system and to understand how learning occurs, one must understand how information processing occurs within the human brain. The idea is that learning is more than the result of externally observed behaviors...much more occurs than simply observable behavior.
In the cognivitist’s view learning occurs internally and through the social interactions with others. It is the social interactions that really trigger and assist the learning process as the learner makes internal connections between and among what has been observed and his or her experiences.
Currently research in the area of Cognitivism is in the areas of metacognition (thinking about thinking), novice vs. expert knowledge and problem-solving.
2. As children grow, they become capable of increasingly more sophisticated thought.
3. People organize the things they learn.
4. New information is most easily acquired when people can associate it with things they have already learned.
5. People control their own learning.
http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2006/12/in-1980s-several-theories-of-learning.html
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