Learner

Characteristics

Learner
Characteristics

Theories and models of instruction

consider characteristics of learners
and teachers that affect
instruction and student learning.
Some of these qualities include:
Learner aptitudes
Cognitive styles
Information processing
capabilities

Learner Aptitudes

Aptitude-Treatment Interactions
(ATIs) reflect the principle of
tailoring instruction to important
student characteristics
aptitudes=student characteristics
(e.g., abilities, attitudes,
personality variables,
demographics)
*Instructional
conditions affect student
treatments=forms
of instruction
outcomes
differently depending
on
students attributes.

The Take Away:

*Good teachers know that
students need to be treated
differently depending on their
needs and that any type of
instruction will not be equally
effective with all students.

Cognitive Styles

Cognitive styles are stable

individual variations in perceiving,
organizing, processing, and
remembering information.
Styles are peoples preferred
ways to process information and
handle tasks.
They are not synonymous with
abilities.

Three Major Cognitive

Styles
1. Field Dependence-Independence
2. Categorization Style
*There
are many
3. Cognitive
Tempother styles
including:
Leveling or sharpening (blurring or
accentuating differences among
stimuli)
Risk taking or cautiousness (high
or low willingness to take chances)
Sensory modality preference

Three Major Cognitive Styles

1. Field Dependence-Independence
refers to the extent that one
depends on or is distracted by the
context or perceptual field in which
a stimulus or event occurs.
Young children are primarily field
dependent, but field independence
begins during preschool and
extends into adolescence.
Field-dependent and independent
learners do not differ in learning
ability but my respond differently to

FieldDependent

FieldIndependent

may be better at learning

can easily learn content when it
material with a social content
is brought to their attention
because they are more sensitive
to and attend carefully to
aspects of the social
environment
consider material as it is; may
be at a disadvantage with
poorly structured or organized
material

more likely to impose structure

when material lacks
organization

use noticeable features of

situations in learning

consider less-noticeable cues;

may be at an advantage with
concept learning when relevant
and irrelevant attributes are
contrasted

Three Major Cognitive Styles

2. Categorization Style
refers to criteria used to perceive
objects as similar to one another
reveals information about how the
individual prefers to organize
information
three types:
1. Relational (links items on a
theme)
2. Descriptive (grouping by
physical attribute)
3. Categorical (classifies objects on

Three Major Cognitive Styles

3. Cognitive Tempo
refers to the willingness to pause
and reflect
children become more reflective
with development; there are
different rates of development for
boys and girls (girls show greater
reflectivity at an earlier age)
differences in tempo are not related
to intelligence scores but correlate
with school achievement
impulsive children vs. reflective

Information Processing
Capabilities

Learners differ in their limits on

information processing capabilities,
which has direct implications for
instruction.
People are limited in how much
information they can attend to,
rehearse, store in WM, transfer to
LTM, etc.
Resource allocation model addresses
this issue. It states that attention is

The Take Away

Learners may need to adapt their
learning styles and teachers can tailor
their instructional conditions to
students individual differences.
Expert teachers (which we all are)
know ways to adapt instruction to
match learners preferred styles.

Technology and
Instruction

Technology
Technology: designs and environments that engage
learners pg. 311
Great potential for enhancing instruction that couldn't
be done several years ago

Functions of Technology
Traditional learning vs. Computer learning
Comparisons are misleading because of a variety of factors (teacherstudent interactions

3 educational roles for computers: tutor, tool, and tutee

1. Tutor- present material to be learned or reviewed, along with
evaluative feedback, and decides what material to present next
2. Tool- applications (TV, word processing, data analysis, computer
conferencing, videotapes, etc.)
3. Tutee- when students instruct the computer on what to do
(programming, creating a website, etc.)

Functions of Technology
Table 7.6 (pg. 312)
Tool to support knowledge construction
Information vehicle for exploring knowledge to support
learning by constructing.
Context to support learning by doing.
Social medium to support learning by conversing.
Intellectual partner to support learning by reflecting.

Technological Applications
7 forms of application: computer-based instruction,
simulations and games, programming,
multimedia/hypermedia, networking and distance
learning, E-learning, and virtual reality

Computer-Based Instruction
(CBI)
Often used for drills and tutorials.
Give students feedback and demand their attention.
Beneficial effects: student achievement and attitudes
Content can be individualized and personalized which
can produce higher achievement. It makes the content
more meaningful to the student.
Meaningfulness is an important factor in forming networks in
the LTM.
Example: No Red Ink

Simulations and Games

"Simulations represent real or imaginary situations that cannot
be brought into the learning setting" (i.e. flight simulators) pg.
313
Benefits: develop problem solving skills, instill deep cognitive processing
Phet

"Games are designed to create an enjoyable learning context by

linking material with sport, adventure, or fantasy." pg. 313
Benefits: problem solving, thinking skills, motivation, meaningfulness,
etc. (all enhance LTM coding and storage)
To make games successful: use it for a specific purpose (not a time-filler),
make sure the game matches the objective, have children create their
own game

Programming
Benefits: aid in thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills
General problem-solving skills are acquired from having to
formalize a conceptual model, break a larger problem into
subproblems, using a flowchart, and isolating/correcting
conceptual and computational errors.
Other gains: allows product oriented children to generate
effects, involves social interactions (encourage positive social
behaviors and constructive attempts to resolve conflicts),
enhanced creativity (verbally and figural)
Turtle geometry

Multimedia/Hypermedia
Multimedia- technology that combines
the capabilities of various media
(computers, video, sound, music, and
text)
Benefits:
Allows students to interact with information
presented in more than one form which
increases learning. This allows for dual-code.
Enhances problem-solving and transfer
The learning style of individuals does has an
affect on the benefit outcomes.
Connections between information can be
enhanced.

Networking and Distance Learning

Microcomputer networking"Networks connect
microcomputers to one
another and to central
peripherals (e.g., printers,
storage devices)." pg. 316
Allows for connections
between schools.
Distance learninginstruction that originates in
one location is transmitted
to students at one or more
remote sites (online schools:
K-12, many colleges

E-Learning
"E-learning refers to learning through electronically
delivered means." (web-based instruction) pg. 317
Advantages: access to more resources in a short amount
of time and incorporation of Web information into
classroom activities
More resources does not mean better learning. Better
learning only occurs if students acquire new skills.
Students must first be taught Internet strategies, such as
how to search. A scaffolding approach can be used.
Useful when paired with multimedia projects.
Flipped class: Ted-Ed, Khan Academy, Edmodo, and so
much more!

Virtual Reality
Virtual reality- computer-based, provides a simulation of
actual settings (3D environment)
Currently, not a common use in grade school education
www.immersivevreducation.com (Apollo 11 Experience,
World War 1)

21st Century Classroom

Future Directions
More infusion of technology with the use of laptops.
A move away from traditional instruction to more
electronic communications.
Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI)
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30814302

Resources
1. Schunk, Dale H. Learning Theories: An Educational
Perspective. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.:
Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.
2. www.nrich.maths.org/2489
3. www.Phet.colorado.edu
4. www.ed.ted.com
5. www.noredink.com
6. http://elearninginfographics.com/21st-century-educationa
l-technology-classroom-infographic
/