Theories & Models of Learning and Instruction

1.        Epistemology (the study of what and how we come to know) is discussed in multiple chapters in this section.  Distinguish epistemology from instructional methods or theories.  What are the differences between theories, methods, or models of learning and epistemologies or underlying beliefs about ways of knowing?

2.        While designers and educators with a positivist stance generally apply behaviorist principles to the design and development of instruction, those with either a contextualist or relativist epistemological framework employ constructivist theories and methods.  Reflect on whether your stance is primarily positivist, relativist, or contextualist.  Then, identify an instance when your perspective or stance as a learner conflicted with that of your instructor.  Describe the conflict that you experienced and analyze whether opposing epistemic stances may have been at the heart of the conflict.

3.       Differing epistemic stances lead to differing approaches to learning and instruction, and ultimately to problem-solving.  Explain differences in problem-solving when approached from behaviorist and constructivist perspectives.  How do the approaches differ in both the nature of the problem to be solved and in facilitating the problem solving process?  Finally, what effect might these differences have on learner motivation?

Epistemology deals with learning sciences or the study of how people learn or the research of how students learn—in essence the study of how the brain works to process new information; psychological concepts.  Instructional theories or models deal with the practices applied to helping students do this learning—how schools and teachers can enhance student learning.  The instructional theories are produced as a result of the epistemologies. 

I guess my stance would float somewhere between Relativist and Contextualist, leaning more toward contextualist; I try to use the constructivist approach to learning—student centered, cooperative discussing and solving of problems.  I do believe in objective truth in that it is a base platform to build experience and knowledge off of.  There are some things we just need to be told is true, even as students, before just jumping in and trying out.  Consider if a science instructor never explained to students never how to properly mix acid and water—acid would pop into their faces.  However, I absolutely don’t believe you can teach students objective truths and leave it at that believing that they now understand the information and can use it in life.  They need to work with this knowledge, twisting it, observing it, testing it to be able to remember the concepts and utilize them later in life.  Students, just like all individuals, also bring their beliefs and experiences to the table to make discussions and learning much richer and deeper.  They compare and contrast and add to the beliefs and experiences of their peers to come to new understandings and thus new learning.  These discussions and blending of opinions and experiences and ideas enables students to build stronger decision making skills to be utilized in future job/life experiences in both spontaneous and long term problem solving situations. This conversing and questioning is a normal life function and is how we make sense of concepts from the beginning.   I also agree that knowledge is relative to context…that we learn and retain more information that relates to what our needs and interests are…for instance science, math, writing, singing, sports…but I also can see how some knowledge could start as individual, subjective understanding…as a platform to base this new discovery and learning  upon. 

     Allen High School's Culinary Arts Classes run Blu Cafe for the public.(Constructivist Learning)

A couple of my college classes have caused conflict, or dislike, of learning and the classes in particular.  Sad to say, these were 2 of my library science classes. I disliked the classes.  Disliked the exercises.  Don’t ever want to revisit them again.  And at the time, they made me question whether or not I was making the right decision in leaving teaching to become a librarian.  After all, I loved teaching. But I wanted to do more and wanted to help students and teachers alike.  And, I was a determined student, so I persevered through these classes with no peer and very little instructor-student interaction.  Both classes had me reading a textbook and completing cataloging assignments or writing essays with little guidance and little feedback other than an assigned grade.  In one class, even the grade assignments were posted weeks after the due date.  Was this a case of differences in epistemic stances?  Most likely, yes.  These were more experienced teachers…had been in the game for a while, and were pretty much teaching by the industrial-age/behaviorist rulebook.  Each week, we would get written lecture notes (online learning) and then several assignments to complete.  If we had questions, we could post them in the virtual office or email the professor.  There were no class discussions.  We were simply flipping through the books regurgitating information in the assignments.  Even with the cataloging, we would get a book title and verso page and then be asked to complete a catalog for that page.  Did I learn how to catalog?  Somewhat.  I remembered where to find the information needed for completing the request…on the title and verso page, but most of my working knowledge of cataloging came from actually having to catalog new books in my school library…the actual practice and searching for examples and information online.  I loved hands-on.  I remembered better by actually diving in and working with the information…searching online for the exact information I needed, asking others for input.  I learned better because the information became relevant to me.  I like discussing with others the different library set up theories, copyright laws and cases, and books needed in my school’s library.  Reading about it in a book and writing an essay (behaviorist) only made me aware that this information and these debates existed and gave me enough basic information to take part in discussions with other librarians in my district to base my decisions for my library upon. (constructivist)

Behaviorist	Constructivist
Teacher centered	Student Centered
Teacher tells	Teacher guides
One solution	Solutions vary based on circumstances
Individualized	Team-based
Rote memorization	Cognitive thinking
Learn and forget	Life-long problem solving skills
Summative assessment	Formative and Summative Assessment
Extrinsic motivation	Intrinsic motivation