Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective

Dale H. Schunk is Dean of the School of Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Stanford University, a M.Ed. from Boston University, and a B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana. He has held faculty positions at Purdue University (where he served as Head of the Department of Educational Studies), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where he also was Chair of the Academic Affairs Institutional Review Board), and the University of Houston.Dale has edited six books, is co-author of Motivation in Education: Theory, Research, and Applications (Prentice Hall, 2008) and has authored over 80 articles and book chapters. He has served as President of Division 15-Educational Psychology for the American Psychological Association and as Secretary of Division C-Learning and Instruction for the American Educational Research Association. He is presently a member of the editorial boards of three professional journals.Dale's teaching and research interests include learning, motivation, and self-regulation. He has received the Early Career Contributions Award in Educational Psychology from the American Psychological Association, the Albert J. Harris Research Award from the International Reading Association, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Purdue University School of Education

• Table of ContentsChapter 1 — Introduction to the Study of LearningLearning DefinedPrecursors of Modern Learning TheoriesLearning theory and philosophyBeginnings of the psychological study of learningStructuralism and functionalismLearning Theory and ResearchFunctions of theoryConducting researchAssessment of LearningDirect observationsWritten responsesOral responsesRatings by othersSelf-reportsRelation of Learning and InstructionHistorical perspectiveInstructional commonalitiesIntegration of theory and practiceCritical Issues for Learning TheoriesHow does learning occur?What is the role of memory?What is the role of motivation?How does transfer occur?Which processes are involved in self-regulation?What are the implications for instruction?Three Learning ScenariosKathy Stone’s third-grade classJim Marshall’s U. S. History classGina Brown’s educational psychology classSummaryFurther Reading  Chapter 2 — BehaviorismConnectionismTrial-and-error learningLaws of exercise and effectOther principlesRevisions to Thorndike’s theoryInstructional applicationsClassical ConditioningBasic processesInformational variablesBiological influencesConditioned emotional reactionsContiguous ConditioningActs and movementsAssociative strengthRewards and punishmentsHabit formation and changeOperant ConditioningConceptual frameworkBasic processesBehavioral changeBehavior modificationSelf-regulationInstructional ApplicationsBehavioral objectivesLearning timeMastery learning Programmed instructionContingency contractsSummaryFurther Reading  Chapter 3 — Neuroscience of LearningOrganization and StructuresNeural organizationBrain structuresLocalization and interconnectionsBrain research methodsNeurophysiology of LearningInformation processing systemMemory networksLanguage learningBrain DevelopmentInfluential factorsPhases of developmentCritical periodsLanguage developmentMotivation and EmotionsMotivationEmotionsInstructional ApplicationsRelevance of brain researchEducational issuesBrain-based educational practicesSummaryFurther Reading    Chapter 4 — Information Processing TheoryInformation Processing SystemAssumptionsTwo-store (dual-memory) modelAlternatives to the two-store modelAttentionTheories of attentionAttention and learningAttention and readingPerceptionGestalt theorySensory registersLTM compar