Compare And Contrast Behaviorism, Constructivism And Cognitivism

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Learning theories provide instructional designs with instructional strategies and techniques which facilitate learning. Each learning perspective discussed in this essay is in terms of specific interpretation of the learning process. The specific learning theories in this essay are behaviorism, constructivism and cognitivism. The essay will compare and contrast how learning occurs in each theory, the roles of the teacher and the student, the curriculum and learning goals, and lastly, assessments. Behaviorism focuses on behaviors and not cognitive or abstract activities. It involves thinking, remembering and problem solving. Additionally, behaviorism relies on expressed, measureable behaviors and the repeat stimuli that cause behaviors. …show more content…

Constructivism is the theory of learning that is based on students constructing their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. Therefore, knowledge is with the students. She/he poses problems of emerging relevance to the students and emphasizes hands-on, real-world experiences. In class, the points of view of the students is valued and sought out. The teacher respects the individualism of the student and provides multiple modes of representations and perspectives of what is being studied. In contrast, behaviorism focused on learning what the teacher teaches or lectures on, and cognitivism which concentrates on the student learning the relationship of things. The teachers use assessments that is integrated with the task the students are working on. She/he uses the mistakes to let the students know their progress. The teacher helps the student develop their own goals and assessments. The student is responsible for learning and is a member of community of learners. The goal is to collaborate with fellow students and learn in a social experience. They take ownership and voice in the learning process. In comparison, behaviorism assessments is teacher planned and implemented and cognitivism uses assessments such as essays that are individualized for the student. Constructivism is also an instructional strategy. It

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