Learning Theory Several Theories Are Term Paper

Learning tends to be associated with specific ways of considering events and establishes a student's "explanatory style," or the components of permanence, pervasiveness, and personalization.

Permanence refers to someone believing that negative events and/or their causes are permanent, despite the fact that evidence, logic, and past experience indicate that they are instead temporary: "I'll never be good in English." Pervasiveness is generalizing, so a negative aspect of a situation is thought to extend to others as well: "I failed math, so I'll fail all my courses." Personalization deals with whether individuals attribute negative events to personal flaws or to outside circumstances or people. They tend to blame themselves for everything: "It's always my fault."

To overcome such helplessness, teachers have to incorporate means of gaining self-worth and learned optimism with activities identifying negative interpretations of events, assessing their accuracy and generating more accurate interpretations. The encouragement of gaining mastery over acquiring new learning is essential to alter this personal perception. The teacher needs to incorporate ways of offering praise and positive reinforcement, goal attainment, activities geared toward a student's level, choices in activities, and multiple opportunities. The students who feel helpless can elect to do activities that lead to success.

Obviously, teachers cannot use all of these theories in a classroom setting, but they can recognize that students do not learn the same way and implement a variety of learning styles so all students the opportunity to learn in one or more ways that matches their learning style. Then, they can acquire knowledge about themselves, others and the world at large and, just as important, gain self-confidence and a belief they can succeed.

References

Bransford, J.D. (Ed) (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning, Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Caine, R.N., & Caine, G. (1997). Education on the edge of possibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic,1983

Goleman, D. (2006) Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantom Books

Piaget, J. (1950). The Psychology of Intelligence. New York: Routledge.

Seligman, M.E.P. (1975). Helplessness: On Depression, Development, and…