1. Epistemology is the philosophy and study of knowledge. It seeks to find out what knowledge is, and how it is acquired. Theories of learning seek to explain the act of learning.  A couple of examples of theories of learning are Behavioral Learning Theory and Cognitive Information Processing Theory. Behaviorism is based on the conception that the behavior can be conditioned by external stimuli. Cognitivism likens the learner to a computer, wherein information is input, and behavior is output. Whereas behaviorism sees no need to consider internal processing systems, cognitive information processing theory assumes that learning is explained by internal processing systems.

2. I would probably say that I most identify with contextualism, because I do believe that knowledge is relative to a situation or context. I feel that designing lessons that relate to real-world situations will be more engaging and will help students make connections.

I can think of a couple of instances in which my learning styles conflicted with a professor or type of teaching. In college, I took a history course. Unfortunately, I chose to take the course that was two days a week rather than three, meaning it was two hour and a half long classes rather than three (more manageable) 45 minute classes a week. This was my first mistake. (The second mistake was choosing the early morning class.)Instead of trying to make the content interesting and engaging with discussions or activities like another history professor I had, this professor literally stood in the front of the class the entire time (minus a 5 minute break) and lectured. In a monotone voice. I struggled not only to stay awake, but to actually retain any information that I had read or heard.

I also struggle with the direction modern education has taken my school district. In my opinion, part of a teacher’s job is to find what unique learning styles and interests her students possess and then design lessons that will engage those learners. Lately (at least in my current district), instruction has turned into a very “one size fits all” stance. The way we should design our lessons is laid out for us, and we can be docked for deviation. It is frowned upon to have an administrator observe the teacher teaching something different than what “Learning Objective” is posted on the board, even if that teacher realized her lesson was not reaching her students and needed to go in a different direction. Also, the lessons must all contain “rigor”, but I don’t think many people know what to look for when they look for rigor. Many administrators frown when they see activities such as kindergarteners building numbers instead of adding numbers. Well, rigor is a higher step in the learning process. For those kindergarteners who are learning about numbers, building numbers is rigorous. In younger grades, children need to be able to grasp concrete objectives before they can start delving into more difficult skills.

3. Behaviorist problem-solving consists of breaking problems into smaller chunks and providing immediate feedback. Students in a Behaviorist classroom might attempt to solve a problem, and then the teacher will provide feedback on whether the answer is correct or incorrect. Motivation is tied to a reward system. If a student receives positive feedback, the student will be motivated to learn further. Constructivist problem-solving consists of problem-based learning, in which students work together to solve a problem. Students bounce ideas off of peers and ideally take ownership of their own learning. Educators encourage learning and students are self-motivated. Both approaches can help build confidence. Providing positive feedback will help a learner become motivated to attempt to achieve more goals. However, providing negative feedback can also result in “learned helplessness” (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012, p. 88). With the Constructivist approach, educators can act as facilitators, and design a lesson and learning environment based on the students’ intrinsic motivational needs.

References

Reiser, R. A. & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology, 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson.