Share a story about how you overcame a learning challenge. Why was it a challenge? What strategies did you use? Use the language you learned in this unit.
As an individual who struggles with ADHD I had to overcome a lot of hurdles when it comes to learning. I never had someone who helped me work on these things and instead relied on using my own methods. Given that cognitivists work with setting habits to excel their learning, I believe this is the learning theory I adapted too. When I found that a pomodoro timer worked, I developed it into a habit where I always set a pomodoro timer before studying.
How would the learning be designed differently by a behaviorist, a cognitivist, and a constructivist? Scenario: A high school social study teacher is planning a class on climate change.
- Behaviorist: The teacher would break down the lesson into smaller sections, the first section for example would focus on the carbon footprint and have students answer simple questions; Based on the students answers they are either given praise for getting the right answer or getting corrected. These habits can be solidified by a quiz at the end of each section.
- Cognitivist: The social studies teacher would connect new knowledge about the class with previous knowledge that the students would have. The teacher would break down complex issues into smaller bite sized parts that the students can easily understand. One learning strategy that the teacher can implement are analogies.
- Constructivist: The students are encouraged to learn through their own personal experience (ie: is it better to take a car or the school bus everyday). They could be asked to reflect on their own sustainability initiatives within smaller groups. In this case the teacher would act as a facilitator, asking the students to share their understanding through hands-on application.
Based on your reading, would you consider your current instruction style more behavioralist, cognitivist, or constructivist? Elaborate with your specific mindset and examples.
I would consider my current instruction style to be more constructivist. I feel like when I have ideas tied to real life examples I can better understand them. For example, when i was prompted “what the most important thing an author can focus on in their book” i recalled the things that had captivated me the most when reading books (world building).
September 24, 2024 at 8:13 am
I really admire how you’ve connected your ADHD experience to cognitivist learning with the pomodoro method. It’s a great example of building habits to boost focus, just as a cognitivist would encourage.
Your breakdown of behaviorist, cognitivist, and constructivist approaches to teaching climate change is spot on! You’ve clearly shown how each theory shapes the learning experience differently. Nice work!
December 1, 2024 at 1:11 am
I really appreciate how this post reflects on overcoming learning challenges through personal strategies and a focus on different learning theories. As someone with ADHD, your experience highlights how the cognitive approach can be particularly helpful when overcoming learning hurdles. The use of the Pomodoro technique as a way to set habits for studying is a practical example of how cognitive theories, particularly those focused on habit formation and mental strategies, can aid in learning and focus. It shows how understanding your own cognitive process and using it to your advantage can lead to better learning outcomes. The explanations of how different learning theories would approach teaching a topic like climate change are well thought out. The behaviorist approach with breaking down information and using rewards or corrections is a solid way to reinforce basic knowledge, while the cognitivist method of connecting new knowledge to existing knowledge through analogies makes the material more accessible. The constructivist approach, focusing on hands-on experiences and group discussions, really emphasizes the importance of personal connections to the material, which is crucial for deeper understanding.