Republic of the Philippines

Palompon Institute of Technology

College of Graduate Studies
Palompon, Leyte

EM 501
THEORIES AND PRINCIPLES OF
DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION

Cognitive
Learning
Theory
FARAH MAE A. MOSQUITE
MAEd-Mathematics
 INTRODUCTION
The cognitive theory has an interesting and unique history. Plato and Descartes
are two of the first philosophers to dive deeply into the theory of cognitive
behavior and knowledge. Their ideas about knowledge and behavior spurred
further thoughts on cognition. Researchers and psychologists like Wilhelm
Wundt, William James, John Dewey, John Watson, and many others all
researched and explored how the mind and thought works.

Jean Piaget developed the first cognitive psychology theories in the 1930s from
his work with infants and young children. He is highly looked to in the field of
cognitive psychology for his research and insight on internal structures,
knowledge, and the environment. Piaget is also known for his development
levels that break down ages and comprehension abilities. Behaviorism, which
was the prevailing psychological theory at the time, focused solely on behaviors
that could be observed externally. Behaviorists argued that these behaviors were
a result of a subject’s interaction with external events and actions. Piaget argued
for something different. His research and writing focused instead on mental
processes that occurred internally. He viewed human subjects as beings that not
only react to the things around them but also process and store information
related to those things.

More psychologists have come over time, and things like the invention of the
computer have dramatically impacted how we understand the brain. As we’re
able to actively look at the brain, we have a much better comprehension of it.
Cognitive learning theory has adjusted and adapted as we learn over time, and
every step in learning about this process is impactful in helping people every
single day.

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Pre-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Lessons

1.1 Basics of Cognitive Learning Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.2 Components of Cognitive Learning Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.3 Schemata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

1.4 Impact of Cognitivism in the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

1.5 Applications of Cognitivism in the Classroom . . . . . . . . 8-11

1.6 Impact of Cognitivism in the Philippine Education

System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Post-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

ii

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

 PRE-TEST
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. The term used by Piaget to imply changing the cognitive structure to fit a person's new
experience is:
A. accommodation
B. assimilation
C. disequilibrium
D. equilibrium

2. According to this developmental psychologist, children’s thinking skills move from

simplicity to complexity.
A. Bandura
B. Piaget
C. Thorndike
D. Watson

3. What learning theory focuses on the internal processes surrounding information and
memory?
A. Humanism Learning Theory
B. Behaviorism Learning Theory
C. Cognitive Learning Theory
D. Connectivism Learning Theory

4. What is assimilation according to Piaget?

A. A state of mental balance
B. Modifying new information to what we already know
C. Adjusting information to fit your needs
D. The inability to fit new information into our schema

5. In this state, a child is now able to use existing schemas to explain what they understand.
A. accommodation
B. assimilation
C. disequilibrium
D. equilibrium

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

6. This occurs when a child is unable to use existing schema to understand new information
to make sense of objects and concepts.
A. accommodation
B. assimilation
C. disequilibrium
D. equilibrium

7. It is a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component actions that are tightly
interconnected and governed by a core meaning
A. knowledge
B. cognition
C. schema
D. metacognition

8. The following are applications of cognitive learning theory inside the classroom, EXCEPT;
A. Encourage students to make connections in their minds
B. Facilitate higher-order thinking among your students.
C. Encourage your students to ask questions.
D. Let your students take authority on their own learning.

9. It refers to the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through
thought, experience, and the senses.
A. knowledge
B. cognition
C. schema
D. metacognition

10. These are the fundamental aspects of cognitive learning, EXCEPT;

A. evaluation
B. application
C. memory
D. comprehension

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Define cognitive learning theory;

2. Identify the three components of cognitive learning theory;
3. Describe how schemata are formed; and
4. Explain the impact of cognitive learning theory in the classroom and in
the Philippine education system.

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

 BASIC CONCEPTS OF
COGNITIVE LEARNING
THEORY
1.1

Cognitive Learning Theory, which focuses on the internal processes surrounding

information and memory, is one of the most adaptable of the five major learning theories. It
explains how internal and external factors influence an individual’s mental processes to
supplement learning.

At the center of the cognitive learning theory sits the concept of cognition, which is defined
as “all conscious and unconscious processes by which knowledge is accumulated, such as
perceiving, recognizing, conceiving and reasoning.”

Cognitive Learning Theory is developed by Jean Piaget, an Educational Psychologist in year

1936. It was formed to describe that learners actively construct knowledge on the basis of
their pre-learned knowledge. It evaluates the relationship in between the mental process and
various internal and external factors influencing it. The founder focuses on cognitively
processing of input by person that results in behaviour. Piaget theory works on human
intelligence development and describe the nature of knowledge which enables individuals to
utilize it.

Cognitive learning theory has applications for teaching students as young as infants, all the
way up to adult learners picking up new skills on the job. For educators, understanding
cognitive learning can help them develop effective lesson plans. For everyone else, the
theory’s principles are helpful for understanding how the mind works and how to learn more
effectively.

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 Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

COMPONENTS OF
COGNITIVE LEARNING
1.2 THEORY

The following are fundamental aspects of cognitive learning:

1. Comprehension
Purpose of learning must be clear to learner for making the cognitive learning beneficial and
effective. He should be certain about why he wants to learn things that would lead to enhance
his comprehension.

2. Memory
Cognitive learning discourages cramming of information, which is very ineffective in
education. Having a deep understanding of a subject improves your ability to relate new
knowledge with previous experiences or information.

3. Application

1.3
SCHEMATA
Cognitive learning teaches the individuals the applicability of new skills and things they learn
to their real-life situations. It helps in enhancing the problem-solving skills of individuals.

To make a consistent psychological theory, Piaget sought to break knowledge (no matter
how simple or complex) into a single, basic unit. Piaget called this basic unit  schema.

What are schemata?

Piaget defines a schema as “a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component
actions that are tightly interconnected and governed by a core meaning.”
 Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

Let’s break this down with a simple example: A child recognizes a cow on a farm.
The “cohesive, repeatable action” is the child’s recognition of the cow. It is repeatable in
that that the child will continue to recognize it (and animals identical to it) as a cow.
5
This action of recognition can be broken down into its components: The child doesn’t just
see a cow. They see a thing that is alive, has four legs, is eating grass and makes a mooing
sound. These acts of recognition, of course, can be broken down further. The child must
have some concept of what a live thing is, how to count to four and so on.

For the child, all these various components form the “core meaning” of a cow. Even when
the child leaves the farm, they will still have an understanding and concept of what a cow is
and isn’t.

Over the course of human development, people form new and ever more complex
schemata, which build off of other schemata. This is how we get from ideas as simple as
recognizing a cow all the way to concepts as complex as, “Do cows recognize me?”
According to cognitivists, schemata form the basis of those and all other concepts.

How are schemata formed?

Piaget outlines a four-step process in the formation of schemata:
1. Assimilation
2. Disequilibrium
3. Accommodation
4. Equilibrium

Step 1: Assimilation
Assimilation is the cognitive process of associating new information to what is already
known. This prior knowledge can be innate, like knowing how to breathe, or something
learned previously.

To return to our earlier example, let’s say the child has only seen a cow in picture books.
Seeing a cow in person gives them an additional sense of what a cow looks like and how it
behaves. This will be “assimilated” into the schema that is the child’s recognition of the
cow.

Step 2: Disequilibrium
Let’s say the child goes to the farm and recognizes a cow. They point out that it has four
legs, eats grass and lives on a farm, all characteristics that this cow shares with the cow in
the picture book.
Unexpectedly, however, instead of making the mooing sound that the child associates with
a cow, the animal makes a “baa” sound. Upon6 further inspection, this cow has a big puffy
white coat of fleece, very much unlike the cow in the picture book. The child’s cow-
recognition schema did not include this sound or this coat, causing a disruption or
disequilibrium.
Of course, we know that the “cow” is a sheep. How will the child come to this conclusion,
however, and form their own sheep recognition schema?

Step 3: Accommodation
The child will attempt to resolve this disequilibrium through a process called
accommodation. They will compare and contrast their concept of a cow with the mystery
animal currently in front of them.

They will notice that though both a cow and this animal share many aspects (four legs,
eating grass) they contrast in notable ways (different sounds, different coats.) Though they
may not have a name for it, they will conclude that, despite some similarities, this animal is
not a cow.

This might prompt the child to turn to a parent or caregiver, who will tell them that it’s a
sheep. Subconsciously, the child will do two things at this point, both of which are
components of accommodation. First, they will adjust their existing cow-recognizing
schema to be able to recognize cows as not sheep. Then they will produce a new schema to
recognize sheep by their specific attributes, and not by the attributes of a cow.

Step 4: Equilibrium
By the end of this accommodation process, the child is equipped with a stable
understanding of what a cow is and is not, as well as what a sheep is and is not. Upon
seeing either of these animals, they will not need to readjust their schema.

That is, unless they encounter new information that causes disequilibrium and the whole
process to begin again. In this way, schema-building is a constant, cyclical and lifelong
process. This same process will allow the child to build and categorize their schemata to
include more-complex concepts, such as how a farm works or the ethics of eating meat,
which will (in part) rely upon the recognition schema they developed when they were
young.

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

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 IMPACT OF COGNITIVISM
IN THE CLASSROOM
1.4

Cognitive learning theory provides a useful framework for understanding how students learn
in the classroom. By considering the various cognitive processes involved in learning,
teachers can design more effective instructional strategies and assessment. In addition,
cognitive learning theory can help identify individual differences in learning and provide
guidance on how to best support each student.

APPLICATIONS OF
COGNITIVISM IN THE
CLASSROOM
1.5

As a learning theory, cognitivism has many applications in the classroom. In each

application, the main principle is incorporating student experiences, perspectives and
knowledge. This approach can not only help students learn, but it can also help them feel
respected and listened to. That can make class exciting and encourage a passion for learning
that continues throughout students’ lives. The following are some ways on how you can
implement cognitivism in the classroom.

1. Encourage your students to ask questions.

When students are encouraged to ask questions, they can become more knowledgeable and
engaged in the material they are studying. This also helps them to develop critical thinking
skills.
 Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

2. Help your students to understand how their prior knowledge can be used to help
them learn new information.
When a student knows the basics of a topic, they can use that knowledge to help them
understand and remember the details of the new information.

3. Encourage them to make connections between new and old information.

When students are able to make these connections,
8 they are also more likely to be able to
understand and apply the new information they are learning.
Hence, you must always implement activities that will encourage your students to connect
their old and new knowledge.

4. Help your students to see how the world around them affects their learning.
Cognitive learning theory (CLT) has been shown to be effective in the classroom by helping
students to better understand how they learn, how they process information, and how they
make decisions. In addition, CLT has been shown to help students focus on the task at hand
and increase their mastery of the material.

5. Encourage them to use their cognitive skills to think critically about what they are
learning.
When students are able to use their cognitive skills, it helps them to better understand the
material that they are studying and to remember it better. It also allows them to apply what
they have learned in new situations.

6. Help them to understand that learning is an active process and that they need to be
engaged in order for it to be effective.
When you get your students engaged in their learning, they are more likely to remember the
information and use it later in life. It is therefore great for you to help your students
understand this.

7. Encourage your students to reflect on their learning and how they can apply it in
different situations.
This can be done in a variety of ways, such as writing reflections after class or taking a quiz
on a topic to assess how well they have learned it.
By reflecting on their learning, students can become more aware of how they are using
cognitive processing when they are learning new things and be better able to apply that
knowledge in future situations.

8. Help your students to understand that mistakes are part of the learning process and
should be seen as opportunities for growth.
When you teach your students to understand that mistakes are part of the learning process,
they will be more likely to be comfortable and open with you about weaknesses and
uncertainties in their knowledge. This increased transparency can lead to increased
understanding and improved performance on future assignments.

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 Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory
9. Encourage your students to persevere when they encounter difficulties and to seek
help when needed.
Students learn best when they are engaged in tasks that are challenging but also achievable.
When students encounter difficulties, they need to persevere and seek help from those around
them.

10. Help students to understand the importance of lifelong learning and how they can
continue to grow and learn throughout their lives.
Cognitive learning theory can be used to help students understand why they may have
difficulty learning new information or retaining information that has been learned.

11. Encourage your students to share what they have learned with others and to become
active participants in the global community of learners.
In order to facilitate these goals, teachers must promote a climate of inquiry and encourage
students to challenge their own beliefs and assumptions. In addition, teachers must create
opportunities for students to use their skills and knowledge in meaningful ways.

12. Encourage students to make connections in their minds.

By encouraging students to make connections in their minds, cognitive learning theory helps
them build an understanding of complex concepts.

13. Teach students how to use their prior knowledge.

One example of this is when a teacher is teaching a new topic. Instead of having the students
read about the topic and then try to remember it, the teacher can have them do something
called “mind mapping”.
Mind mapping is when a student draws out all of the important points from a topic on paper
so that they can remember it better. Then, when they are asked questions about the topic, later
on, they will have an easier time answering because they have already been familiar with
some of the information.

14. Encourage your students to apply old concepts to new situations.

Learners or students are best able to retain knowledge and understand new information when
they can relate it to their own experiences and knowledge.
When you use cognitive learning theory in the classroom, help your students to apply what
they’ve learned previously by putting it into new contexts. This helps students build upon
their understanding and retain information more effectively.

15. Facilitate higher-order thinking among your students.

By fostering critical thinking, cognitive learning
10 theory helps students develop problem-
solving skills, as well as an understanding of complex concepts.

16. Teach students to practice, practice, practice.

According to cognitive learning theory, it is essential for students to practice the skill
frequently and under different circumstances so that they can develop efficient neural

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

pathways for performing the task. This type of instruction promotes student engagement and
motivation because it emphasizes their ability to learn and achieve success.

IMPACT OF COGNITIVISM IN
THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATION
SYSTEM
1.6

Without developing cognitive skills, children fall behind because they aren’t able to integrate
new information as they are taught. The sad truth is that, in Philippine Education System,
most students move on to the next grade even before they have mastered the basic academic
skills like reading, writing and mathematics – because they haven’t developed cognitive
skills. Many regard cognitive thinking as the cause and solution of our problems in education.
Cognitive skills are what separate the good learners from the poor learners. The ability to
learn and make sense of new information is crucial to successful learning, and that is why
developing cognitive skills is so important. We need to do much more research on how and at
what rate different children from different cultural backgrounds develop. This is a rather
sensitive subject but critically important if we are to provide our children with the most
efficient and effective education. This is also why it is important that small children receive at
least their initial education in their mother language.

As educators, we have to look closely at what cognitive thinking/learning means and pay
careful attention in implementing it if we are to improve our educational system.
Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

11
 POST-TEST
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. The term used by Piaget to imply changing the cognitive structure to fit a person's new
experience is:
A. accommodation
B. assimilation
C. disequilibrium
D. equilibrium

2. According to this developmental psychologist, children’s thinking skills move from

simplicity to complexity.
A. Bandura
B. Piaget
C. Thorndike
D. Watson

3. What learning theory focuses on the internal processes surrounding information and
memory?
A. Humanism Learning Theory
B. Behaviorism Learning Theory
C. Cognitive Learning Theory
D. Connectivism Learning Theory

4. What is assimilation according to Piaget?

A. A state of mental balance
B. Modifying new information to what we already know
C. Adjusting information to fit your needs
D. The inability to fit new information into our schema

5. In this state, a child is now able to use existing schemas to explain what they understand.
A. accommodation
B. assimilation
C. disequilibrium
D. equilibrium

6. This occurs when a child is unable to use existing schema to understand new information
to make sense of objects and concepts.
A. accommodation 12
B. assimilation

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

C. disequilibrium
D. equilibrium

7. It is a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component actions that are tightly
interconnected and governed by a core meaning
A. knowledge
B. cognition
C. schema
D. metacognition

8. The following are applications of cognitive learning theory inside the classroom, EXCEPT;
A. Encourage students to make connections in their minds
B. Facilitate higher-order thinking among your students.
C. Encourage your students to ask questions.
D. Let your students take authority on their own learning.

9. It refers to the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through
thought, experience, and the senses.
A. knowledge
B. cognition
C. schema
D. metacognition

10. These are the fundamental aspects of cognitive learning, EXCEPT;

A. evaluation
B. application
C. memory
D. comprehension

Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

13
 ANSWER KEY
Pre-Test

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. C
7. C
8. D
9. B
10. A

Post-Test

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. C
7. C
8. D
9. B
10. A

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Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory

 REFERENCES
https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/what-is-cognitive-learning-theory.html

https://www.valamis.com/hub/cognitive-learning#components-of-
cognitive-learning

https://classroommanagementexpert.com/blog/cognitive-learning-
theory-in-the-classroom/

https://www.studocu.com/row/document/university-of-lagos/
microeconomics/cognitive-theory-lecture-notes-12/2014139

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Em 501:Cognitive Learning Theory