Kristin

L. ODell
EPSY 5463 Midterm

1) Describe a persons learning (e.g., learning beliefs, learning behavior/styles, etc.) and analyze
his or her approach to learning by applying the theories of learning (behaviorism, cognitivism,
constructivism) covered so far in this course. You can use yourself or someone you know (e.g.,
friends, children, parents, or siblings). Write one or more paragraphs with no fewer than 300
words.
2) Respond to peers case analysis--post responses regarding how they appropriately applied
learning theories to a real example/or story on learning.

To better understand the concepts introduced in the field of psychology of

learning and to better understand my own learning I will be doing a case study

of myself. I am a graduate student and a math teacher. My full time job is a

classroom teacher of 4th and 5th grade students, but I teach and tutor math to

students as young as first grade and as advanced as college algebra. Examining

my own learning beliefs and behaviors in light of what I have learned about the

psychology of learning will help me to internalize the content and extend the

information to the learners that I teach. This case analysis should help me to be

a better learner and a better teacher.

In Social Cognitive Theory self-efficacy is defined as ones personal

beliefs about ones capabilities to learn or perform actions at designated levels.

(Schunk, p. 142) Learners may have different levels of self-efficacy for different

tasks. Self-efficacy can affect a learners eagerness, willingness to participate in

learning activities, effort, and persistence when faced with difficulties. (Schunk,

p.143) What is my level self-efficacy, and how does it affect my learning?

Throughout my career as a student I have made good grades and

received praise from teachers and family. From a young I age I started to believe

that I am smart and good at academics. It was not until college that I really had

to push myself to get the best grades. College reigned-in my arrogance, but

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
today I still hold a high level of self-efficacy about learning in an academic

setting. Because I believe that I can do well in my graduate studies, I put effort

into planning and scheduling my semesters, I am enthusiastic about participating

in my classes, and I work hard to turn-in quality work and overcome challenges.

I do not have high levels of self-efficacy in all areas of learning. It took

many years for me to overcome my low self-efficacy in my physical abilities so

that I could learn how to exercise for better health. My friends have invited me

to join them in a beginners yoga class several times, but I have put no effort

into making it happen. I do not believe that I will do well so I have avoided it.

According to Social Cognitive Theory, my behavior toward learning a new

physical activity (yoga) is expected due to my low self-efficacy in physical

performance (specifically flexibility).

As I reflect on my behaviors and preferences as a learner I am finding a

few things that are consistent in my learning. The first is a preference for visual

lessons instead of or in addition to auditory lessons. Hearing a lecture becomes

much easier for me to attend to when there are also words written on the board

or screen. Ted Talks are more engaging to me than podcasts. I like to take notes

by paraphrasing and drawing diagrams rather than writing verbatim what was

said or written. The second consistency is that I prefer discussion (in person or

online) to independently completing assignments. My preferences and behaviors

are indicative of Constructivist learning theories. I think in words more than

pictures. I like to have discussion. I like to see the words written out. I like to

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
use my own words when note-taking or reflecting. The fact that I structure my

learning around language has made me understand how important Vygotskys

theory of learning is to my learning. Vygotskys theory stresses the importance of

social interactions and human development occurs through cultural tools, i.e.

language.

1) Discuss similarities and differences among the theories of learning (behaviorism, cognitivism,
constructivism) we have covered so far. Add references if needed.
2) There is no single theory that can completely explain all aspects of learning behavior. Different
theories of learning complement each other. While you are working on the case analysis of thread
1 discussion, you may experience some challenges to appropriately describe and analyze a
particular case of learning. Discuss some limitations you have observed from different
theories/perspectives of learning. Add references if needed.
3) Respond to peers theory evaluation.
Start a New Thread

Behaviorism- response follows a stimulus. The likelihood of the response

being repeated for a given stimulus is affected by its reinforcement. The more a

behavior is reinforced for given situation, the more likely it is to be used again in

that situation. Transfer occurs when responds in a familiar way to a new but

similar stimulus. Self-regulation comes from choosing a behavior out of a range

of choices for a given stimulus. One is likely to choose the behavior that elicits

the best reinforcement. Practice strengthens responses.

Cognitivism- Learning comes from doing, but also through observing,

reading, and listening. Includes observational learning and social learning.

Involves attention, retention, production, and motivation. Memory may be stored

as images or symbols. Motivation is linked to goals, values, and expectations

(self-efficacy). Transfer depends on people believing that actions in new or

different situations are socially acceptable and will be met with favorable

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
outcomes. Self-efficacy can facilitate transfer. Self-regulation means self-

observation, self-judgment, and self-reaction. Includes activities before and after

task engagement.

Constructivism- Learners form or construct their own understandings of

knowledge and skills. Key features: interact with environment and interact

socially. Personally meaningful things will be more readily memorized. Learners

construct their beliefs about learning, which may affect their learning. Personally

meaningful information is more easily transferred. Language is used to build

meaning. Self-regulatory are patterned after those of others, but become

internalized with use.

Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism are three of the biggest

learning theories. Though they focus on different aspects of learning, they have

many similarities. Each theory has explanations and practical advice concerning

the creation of knowledge or automatic behavior. Each theory touches on the

concept of transference. Less so for Behaviorism, the theories relate motivation

and self-regulation to learning.

Behaviorism rests on the relationship between stimulus, response, and

reinforcement. The likelihood of a response being repeated for a given stimulus

is affected by its reinforcement. The more a behavior is reinforced for a given

situation, the more likely it is to be used again in that situation. Cognitivism is

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
learner based and regulated by the learner. Learning comes from doing, but also

through observing, reading, and listening. Learning can include observational

learning and social learning. For learning to occur, a learner must be motivated

and attentive. Constructivism is learner based, but not as regulated by the

learner. Constructing knowledge in the mind of the learner is a result of a learner

interacting in their environment.

Memorization of information is not so much a concept in Behaviorism, but

it is part of Cognitivism and Constructivism. Memory may be stored as images or

symbols, and personally meaningful things will be more readily memorized. In

Behaviorism, transfer occurs when a learner responds in a familiar way to a new

but similar stimulus. Cognitivism does not refute the explanation of transference

by Behaviorism, but does explore another dimension of it. In Cognitivism transfer

depends on people believing that actions in new or different situations are

socially acceptable and will be met with favorable outcomes. Self-efficacy can

facilitate transfer. And again, Constructivism does not discredit what other

theories state about transference, but adds more to our understanding of it.

Personally meaningful information is more easily transferred.

Behaviorism does not seek to explain motivation, other than

reinforcement strengthens responses. However, Behaviorism does touch on self-

regulation of learning. Self-regulation comes from choosing a behavior out of a

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
range of choices for a given stimulus. A learner is likely to choose a behavior that

elicits more reinforcement. Motivation plays a much bigger role in Cognitivism.

Motivation is linked to goals, values, and expectations. In Cognitivism goals,

values, and expectations largely affect learning. Self-regulation is another big

factor in Cognitivism. Learners use self-observation, self-judgment, and self-

reaction to regulate their learning. Constructivism similarly posits that learners

construct their beliefs about learning based on their experiences with learning. A

learners beliefs about learning will have an effect on their willingness to

participate in learning. According to Constructivism, self-regulatory strategies are

patterned after those of others, but become internalized with use.

It is true that not one of these theories covers everything that one might

need to know to be a great learner and/or a great teacher. Every theory holds

truths and is useful. The most limiting theory, in my opinion is the Behaviorist

theory. From Behaviorism I have learned to give students practice and plenty of

positive feedback, but it is too simplistic to cover the full range of education.

Cognitivism and Constructivism are two theories that complement each other

well. Constructivism helps us use the way information and skills are naturally

picked-up through our interactions with the environment and others. Cognitivism

helps us to make learning more personal and focused.

1) Find a peer-reviewed research article that is relevant to a topic that has been
discussed and provide a summary of the key points and a critique of the

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
article. Explain how the article is related to the topic of discussion. Make sure to provide
references (APA style) or links to the articles you read if they are available online.
2) Responses to Peers Article Summary. You are expected to reply to at least TWO article
summaries posted by your peers. Describe what you find interesting/insightful and
problematic about the article.

Greenhow, C., & Lewin, C. (2015). Social media and education: reconceptualizing

the boundaries of formal and informal learning. Learning, Media and

Technology, 41:1, 6-30.

The authors of Social Media and Education: Reconceptualizing the

Boundaries of Formal and Informal Learning sought to understand the ways

that social media could be utilized to benefit learning. Greenhow and Lewin

(2015) used two programs to compare and contrast the effects of social media

on learning in formal and informal contexts. One of the programs was offered

through a Facebook application to participants that wanted to share information

about global warming and climate change and participate in civic actions related

to those concepts. Because it was voluntary and not tied to an educational

institution or class, this program was considered informal learning. The other

program was offered to teachers at primary and secondary schools in twenty

European countries. The program contained technological resources for teacher

to use with their students. Resources included social media tools, wikis, blogs,

etc. Because teachers would direct these opportunities, this program was

considered formal learning.

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
In both the formal and informal programs, students were offered

opportunities to interact with technology, collaborate, debate, research, and form

networks with peers. In both cases, social media tools benefited learning by

allowing learners more motivation and self-direction. We can look at the article

from a constructivist viewpoint. Constructivism is about constructing knowledge

through interaction with the environment, especially the social environment.

Social media is already widely used for the purpose of interacting socially (hence

the term social media). Using social media, learners can interact in social

networks to co-construct knowledge. In a classroom, that knowledge is limited to

the experiences of those in the class, but online, that social network can include

people from all over the world. A few of the reasons social media could be the

ultimate constructivist classroom are that it is built with language, it requires a

learner to discuss with peers, it requires learners to pause to gather their

thoughts before they are able to type a response, it allows the learner the ability

proofread and reflect on what they are trying to communicate before clicking

'send', and even the comments of the most shy and most soft-spoken

participants will be posted. Social media does not discriminate based on race,

gender, or anything else. Everyone's comment gets posted.

To summarize my feelings about the use of social media in the classroom

I leave you with this quote from the authors, ...educators and educational

researchers might do well to suspend a rush to judgment that young peoples

leisure time, social media practices are necessarily a waste of time or downright

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EPSY 5463 Midterm
harmful to their becoming informed, literate, and engaged citizens. On the

contrary, they argue for greater understanding of how young peoples

participatory media practices in third spaces between formal schooling and home

might be designed to facilitate the kinds of socialacademic resources that

support students towards becoming educated and fully contributing societal

members. (Greenhow and Lewin, 2015)