Subsumption Theory

By David Ausubel

Who is David Ausubel?

- David Paul Ausubel was born on October 25, 1918 and died on July 9, 2008
- He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was nephew of the Jewish historian Nathan
Ausubel. Ausubel and his wife Pearl had two children.
- He studied at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated with honors in 1939,
receiving a bachelor's degree majoring in psychology. Ausubel later graduated from
medical school in 1943 at Middlesex University where he went on to complete a rotating
internship at Gouverneur Hospital, located in the lower east side of Manhattan, New
York.
- Ausubel earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Columbia
University in 1950.[2][note 1] He continued to hold a series of professorships at several
schools of education.
- In 1973, Ausubel retired from academic life and devoted himself to his psychiatric
practice. During his psychiatric practice, Ausubel published many books as well as
articles in psychiatric and psychological journals. In 1976, he received the Thorndike
Award from the American Psychological Association for "Distinguished Psychological
Contributions to Education".

What is Subsumption Learning Theory

- A learning theory that focuses on how individuals acquire large chunks of information
through visual means or text materials.
- In contrast with other design models and theories which are based on the learners’
psychology, the subsumption learning theory focuses on instructional design alone.
- It prescribes a way of creating instructional material that helps learners organize their
content in order to make it meaningful for transfer.
- It centers on the idea that learners can more effectively acquire new knowledge if it is
tied to their existing knowledge base, and that only unique information that stands out
within the lesson is committed to memory. When an idea is forgotten, it is simply
because the specific details and associated thoughts get lost in the crowd and can no
longer be differentiated from other pieces of information.
- This theory has elements of Gestalt’s theory and Bruner’s spiral learning model.
- Ausubel also introduced the concept of advanced oragnizers.
- This theory can be applied only to reception learning.
- This theory uses deductive reasoning meaning general concepts or ideas to specific
concepts or ideas.
The 4 types of Subsumption

 Correlative Subsumption - is when you add new details to what you already know,
usually a higher-order concept.
- Example: Suppose you know the concept of a tree and you saw an intriguing tree that has
red leaves instead of green. To accommodate this new information, you have to alter or
extend your concept of a tree to include the possibility of red leaves for a tree.
 Derivative Subsumption – is when you add new things to existing cognitive structures,
linking them to concepts already known.
- Example: Suppose you know the concept of a tree. A tree has a trunk, leaves and
sometimes it bears fruit. Now you learn about a new tree, a tree that you have never seen
before, let’s say a mango tree. The concept of mango trees are now included in your
concept of a tree without altering your prior concept of a tree.
 Superordinate Subsumption – introduces a new higher-level concept into which already
existing categories can be integrated.
- Example: You know a lot of trees like maples, oaks and hickory trees, but you did not
know that they are types of deciduous trees. You already know a lot of concepts for this
type of trees but you did not know until it was taught to you that they are in fact
deciduous trees.
 Combinatorial subsumption - is when ideas are linked (combined) between higher-level
concepts. It describes a process by which the new idea is derived from another idea that is
neither higher nor lower in the hierarchy, but at the same level.
- Example: This is usually used in analogies. For example, Information Process theory
compares the human brain into a computer.

The 4 Key Principles of Subsumption Theory

The key principles of the Subsumption Learning Theory are the following:

 Learners should be presented with the most general concepts first, and then their analysis.
 The instructional materials should include new, as well as previously acquired
information. Comparisons between new and old concepts are crucial.
 Existing cognitive structures should not be developed, but merely reorganized within the
learners’ memory.
 The role of the instructor is to bridge the gap between what’s already known and what is
about to be learned.

The 4 Types of Advanced Organizers

What are Advanced Organizers?

- Is information presented by an instructor that helps the student organize new incoming
information.
 - This is achieved by directing attention to what is important in the coming material,
highlighting relationships, and providing a reminder about relevant prior knowledge.

Advance organizers make it easier to learn new material of a complex or otherwise difficult
nature, provided the following two conditions are met:
1. The student must process and understand the information presented in the organizer this
increases the effectiveness of the organizer itself.
2. The organizer must indicate the relations among the basic concepts and terms that will be
used.
- Advance organizers should always be given prior instruction. It can be divided into the
following 4 types:
 Expository Organizers – It provide descriptions of new knowledge that learners will need
to understand what follows and is often used when the new learning material is relatively
unknown to the learner by relating the new information to what is already known.
 Narrative Organizers - present new information in a story format to the learners to
activate background knowledge so that learners can make connections to what they
know, often creating a personal connection to inspire learning.
 Skimming Organizers - gives a helicopter overview of the new learning material,
focusing on and noting what stands out in the new material such as headings,
subheadings, and highlighted information.
 Graphic Organizers - include different types of visuals such as concept maps,
pictographs, Venn diagrams, and so forth.

Rote Learning VS Meaningful Learning

- Ausubel contrasted Meaningful Learning and Rote Learning. According to Ausubel,

meaningful learning can be achieved when students relate new knowledge (concepts and
propositions) to what they already know and retain knowledge.

Meaningful Learning Contrasted with Rote Learning

 Type of Learning  Characteristics

Meaningful Learning Non-arbitrary, non-verbatim, substantive incorporation of new knowledge into cognitive structure.

Deliberate effort to link new knowledge with higher order concepts in cognitive structure

Learning related to experiences with events or objects.

Affective commitment to relate new knowledge to prior learning.

Rote Learning Arbitrary, verbatim, non-substantive incorporation of new knowledge into cognitive structure.

No effort to integrate new knowledge with existing concepts in cognitive structure.

Learning not related to experience with events or objects.

 No affective commitment to relate new knowledge to prior learning.

Ausubel’s Model of Learning

- Ausubel believed that learning proceeds in a top-down, or deductive manner. Ausubel's

theory consists of three phases, presentation of an advance organizer, presentation of
learning task or material, and strengthening the cognitive organization.

Ausubel's Model of Learning

Phase One: Advance Phase Two: Presentation of Learning Phase three: Strengthening
Organizer Task or Material Cognitive Organization

     

Clarify aim of the lesson
Present the organizer
Relate organizer to
students' knowledge
Make the organization of the new Relate new information to
material explicit. advance organizer
Make logical order of learning material Promote active reception
explicit. learning.
Present material and engage students
in meaningful learning activities.