Educational psychology - Investigate theories of teaching and learning Assignment

Educational psychology - Investigate theories of teaching and learning and how those impact on the classroom environment - Assignment Example If the teacher could implement his/her lessons using the appropriate theory as underpinning, successful teaching and learning process will take place. Let us investigate the two major theories in education and the implications of these theories in the classroom environment – and the teaching and learning process as a whole. The two main theories in the teaching and learning process are: Behaviorism, also known as a subject-centered theory and Constructivism which is known to be a student-centered theory. Behaviorism Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior. In defining behavior, behaviorist learning theories emphasize changes in behavior that result from stimulus-response associations made by the learner. Behavior is directed by stimuli. An individual selects one response instead of another because of prior conditioning and psychological drives existing at the moment of the action (Parkay & Hass, 2000). There are two main theo ries under behaviourism: Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning. Classical conditioning hearkens back to the experiment done by Ivan Pavlov. There are three things involved in this experiment, the dog, the bell, and the food. At first Pavlov rang the bell then gave some food to the dog. He repeated the procedure for a couple of times. Then he observed that each time that he rang the bell, the dog will salivate then he will give the food. After he did these things again and again, whenever he rang the bell, the dog will salivate even without the presence of the food. Pavlov uses the bell to serve as a stimulus to get the response from the dog which is ‘salivating’. Thus, relating this theory to the classroom situation, if teachers would positively reciprocate the good behavior, students will automatically think that if ever they want to be rewarded, or they want to get something, they must first practice a good behavior. B.F. Skinner developed a more comprehensi ve view of conditioning – the Operant conditioning. on the other hand involves the use of reinforcement to encourage behaviors. This theory was based on the belief that satisfying responses are conditioned while unsatisfying ones are not. . Operant conditioning is the rewarding of part of a desired behavior or a random act that approaches it. Skinner remarked that "the things we call pleasant have an energizing or strengthening effect on our behavior" (Skinner, 1972, p. 74). There is what we call the positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement comes in the form of prize, praises, a simple tap at the back, and rewards. Negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior. Negative implies removing a consequence that a student finds unpleasant. Skinner believed the habits that each of us develops result from our unique operant learning experiences (Shaffer, 2000). With these practices in mind, the behaviorist point of view assumes that hum an behavior can be learned and unlearned. A key element to this theory of learning is the rewarded response. The desired response must be rewarded in order for learning to take place (Parkay & Hass, 2000). Relating this theory in the classroom setting and academic conventions, a teacher who adopts behaviorism uses the system of reward and punishment inside the classroom. S/he rewards desirable behaviors that s/he wishes to strengthen and punishes undesirable