Essay Instructions: How people learn and adapting our instructional materials to reflect this knowledge. Introduction show familiarity with learning/principles. Discuss constructivism and active learning techniques.
Example
Librarianship and teaching go hand in hand. For as long as libraries have existed, librarians have been in a position to teach people how to use libraries and information resources to effectively retrieve information. This process has come to be known by the term information literacy instruction (ILI).Grassian and Kaplowitz (2009) report that the term “information literacy” was coined by Zurkowski in 1974; he described an information literate individual as “anyone who has learned to use a wide range of information sources in order to solve problems at work and in his or her daily life” (quoted in Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, p. 3). Some classic components of ILI include library orientation, library instruction, and bibliographic instruction. In recent decades, with the explosive growth of computing and changes in the ways we use and access information throughout society, the need for ILI in libraries has grown; ILI now encompasses instruction in basic computer skills, online searching, social networking, blogging, and even in the use of digital media hardware (such as e-readers, tablets, smart phones, and MP3 players) and software (such as OverDrive Media Console, iTunes, and Adobe Digital Editions).
Familiarity with learning principles and theories is an important component of providing effective ILI. By knowing the theories behind the practice of teaching, we can improve not only our instructional materials but also our techniques. Many teaching techniques find their basis in the various learning theories, and familiarity with a wide array of theories and techniques allows us, as teachers, to respond to our students’ unique needs and to each situation appropriately and effectively. Theories of learning have been discussed throughout the centuries, and several theories have emerged from this ongoing debate. These theories are commonly discussed within the frameworks of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and humanism (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2012, March). Grassian and Kaplowitz (2009) separate the various learning theories into three major categories or schools of thought: doing (the behaviorist model), thinking (the cognitive model??"including the constructivist approach), and feeling (the humanist model) (pp. 27-39), asserting that “if we look at the theories this way, we not only have a way to organize them, but we can see what each category of theories has to contribute to the instructional endeavor” (p. 27).
Behaviorism, the oldest of the theories, falls into the doing school of thought. As a theory of learning, Grassian and Kaplowitz explain, behaviorism “[relies] on the links or associations between stimulus and response” (p. 28). The individual who is known for linking behaviorist theory and practical classroom applications is B. F. Skinner, whose “emphases on teaching to individual differences and allowing learners to progress at their own pace…have had great implications for the study of learning styles” (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, pp. 28-29). Some educational applications of behaviorism include active participation, programmed instruction, modeling, and behavior modification (pp. 29-30).
Cognitivism developed at least in part as a reaction to behaviorism and its theories, which were viewed by early cognitive psychologists as “the mechanistic or simplistic view of learning” (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, p. 30). This set of theories falls into the thinking school of thought. Early cognitivists focused on the ways in which people “perceive, organize, interact with, and respond to elements in their environment by determining how elements, ideas, concepts, and topics relate to one another” (p. 30). One approach which Grassian and Kaplowitz discuss within the cognitive framework is the constructivist approach: “To the constructivist … change occurs solely as a result of interactions with the environment and can happen at any age or level of development. Knowledge is not viewed as simply passing from teacher to learner; knowledge is actually constructed in the learner’s mind” (2009, p. 32). Some educational applications of cognitivism include Bruner’s discovery method, expository teaching, and advance organizers (pp. 34-36).
Finally, the humanist model of learning falls within the feeling school of thought. Humanism emphasizes the affective side of learning: “The humanist emphasized that we must teach to the whole person and stressed the importance of recognizing that our learners’ emotional, affective, or feeling states influence their educational successes” (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, p. 36). What motivates people to learn is a key concern of humanist theories. Important contributors to the humanist school of thought include Maslow, Bandura, and Rogers. Some educational applications of humanism include self-directed or self-regulated learning and learner-centered teaching (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, pp. 37-39).
As librarians charged with providing instruction, familiarity with these various theories and the teaching techniques they are associated with can make us more effective in facilitating learning for each and every student. Students approach learning from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, and their preferred learning styles, mental models, and critical thinking skills can vary widely as well. In addition, many students experience anxiety and feelings of uncertainty as they approach learning about new subject areas. Therefore, the more flexible we are as instructors in drawing from the various learning theories and teaching techniques at our disposal, the more successful we and our students will be.
