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Learning Theory as a Curricular Foundation |
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Learning Theory |
The way curriculum developers describe the process of learning has a
profound effect on both the content of the curriculum and the methods used to teach it. Some curriculum models are based on learning principals derived from behavioural psychology. According to this theory, learning is an external event which is guided by the environment. In this case, the student acts as a recipient of, rather than a participant or creator of learning. The direct instruction curriculum model encourages students to view their teachers as distributors of information, and strict adherence to the curriculum is highly valued. Although direct instruction is still widely practiced, recent research findings have led educators to challange old assumptions about learning. The constructivist viewpoint is that learning occurs most effectively when children participate fully in the development of their own knowledge. Constructivists describe the learning process as a self-regulated transformation of old knowledge into new knowledge, and so the student's previous knowledge and experiences are the starting points for new learning. These ideas are having a positive influence on classroom learning today. Instead of the teacher, the student's point of view is now the focus. It is recognized that each student will have a different sequence for developing an understanding of a topic. Allowances are made for different levels of understanding, both between students as well as within the individual. An emphasis is placed on collaborative learning, problem solving, and interactions between the teacher, the learner and the environment. Find interesting links on Learning Theory Here |
 Dr. Crawford, Cathy
and Maya |