Learning, definitions, types and theories

Meaning and Nature:

Learning is a key process in human behavior. All living is learning. If we compare the simple, crude ways in which a
child feels and behaves, with the complex modes of adult behaviour, his skills, habits, thought, sentiments and the
like- we will know what difference learning has made to the individual.

Important definitions of learning by different philosophers:

1. “A change in human disposition or capability that persists over a period of time and is not simply
ascribable to processes of growth.”
— From The Conditions of Learning by Robert Gagne
2. “Learning is the relatively permanent change in a person’s knowledge or behavior due to experience. This
definition has three components: 1) the duration of the change is long-term rather than short-term; 2) the
locus of the change is the content and structure of knowledge in memory or the behavior of the learner;
3) the cause of the change is the learner’s experience in the environment rather than fatigue, motivation,
drugs, physical condition or physiologic intervention.”
–From Learning in Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Richard E. Mayer 
3. “We define learning as the transformative process of taking in information that—when internalized and
mixed with what we have experienced—changes what we know and builds on what we do. It’s based
on input, process, and reflection. It is what changes us.”
–From The New Social Learning by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner
4. “It has been suggested that the term learning defies precise definition because it is put to multiple uses.
Learning is used to refer to (1) the acquisition and mastery of what is already known about something, (2)
the extension and clarification of meaning of one’s experience, or (3) an organized, intentional process of
testing ideas relevant to problems. In other words, it is used to describe a product, a process, or a
function.”
–From Learning How to Learn: Applied Theory for Adults by R.M. Smith
5. “Acquiring knowledge and skills and having them readily available from memory so you can make sense of
future problems and opportunities.” (Listen to an interview with one of the authors.)
From Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel
6. “A process that leads to change, which occurs as a result of experience and increases the potential of
improved performance and future learning.”
From How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching by Susan Ambrose, et al.
7. “The process of gaining knowledge and expertise.”
From The Adult Learner by Malcolm Knowles
8. “Learning involves strengthening correct responses and weakening incorrect responses. Learning involves
adding new information to your memory. Learning involves making sense of the presented material by
attending to relevant information, mentally reorganizing it, and connecting it with what you already
know.”
From eLearning and the Science of Instruction by Ruth C. Clark and Richard E. Mayer
9. “A persisting change in human performance or performance potential [which] must come about as a
result of the learner’s experience and interaction with the world.”
From Psychology of Learning for Instruction by M. Driscoll
10. “Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely
under the control of the individual. Learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside of
ourselves (within an organization or a database), is focused on connecting specialized information sets,
and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing.”
From Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age by George Seimens.
 11. “Learning is the modification of behavior through experience” Gates (1968)

12. “Learning involves the acquisition of habits, knowledge and attitudes” Crow and Crow

13. “learning is any change in behavior from behavior” Guilford (1967)

14. “Learning includes both acquisition and retention.” Skinner(1969)

Elements of learning:
Following are the essential elements of learning:

Goal:

All of us have certain goals to be achieved through the struggle of life. Not all the goals are
equally important but we fix the priority ourselves for the long and short ranged goals. After fixing the
priority we continue till the task is done and satisfaction is achieved. If the goals have not been fixed
then there would be no struggle hence no learning.

Readiness :

The accomplishment of the task begins when we are inclined to do it. Readiness plays the
primary role for making for making us learn. Good teachers always try to develop readiness in the
students prior to teaching. This increases zeal for learning and increases classroom participation. Use of
A.V Aids, educational trips, use of body language, examples etc. are all the techniques used by the
teachers to develop readiness in the students.

Stimulus/challenging situation:

Necessity is the mother of invention. When one is confronted with such a situation, which is
alarming or challenging then alternate ways or the solutions to solve the problems are thought of. To
gain a position in the society, one would both work hard and compete or find the other ways to reach
the position.

Response:

It would be the path of action followed by the individual. The individual would never select the
path to be followed directly. He would explore the possible alternatives and would select the most
soothing and satisfying path.
Consequence:

Result of the effort may be two fold either it would be a success or failure. In case of success the
nature of connection between stimulus and response would be strengthened and the learning would be
soothing, satisfying and enduring. In case of failure, the connection between the two may become weak
and a new line of action may be followed.