Lesson 2

CONTEMPORARY LEARNING
THEORIES/PSYCHOLOGISTS:
THEIR IMPACT TO EPP
TEACHING
Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the topic/lesson, the pre-service

teacher (PST) must have:
1. explained the significance of the learning
theories of Bruner and Gagne in the teaching-
learning process of the different skills in the
EPP subject. (BTI 1.1.1, 1.2.1) (CLO 1)
- contemporary
- theory
- learning theory
- discovery learning
- hierarchy of learning
What is Learning Theory?
Learning Theory
⮚ are abstract frameworks that describe
how knowledge is received and processed
during the learning experience.
⮚ became the basis in choosing appropriate
instructional design and technology which
answered the need for a well-designed and
effective instruction.
CONTEMPORARY LEARNING
THEORIES

DISCOVERY LEARNING
by Jerome Bruner

HIERARCHY OF LEARNING
by Robert Gagne
⮚ Jerome Bruner, in full Jerome Seymour Bruner.
⮚ American psychologist and educator who
developed theories on perception, learning,
memory, and other aspects of cognition in young
children that had a strong influence on the
American educational system and helped launch
the field of cognitive psychology .
⮚ Bruner believes that students must
be active—they must identify key
principles for themselves rather than
simply accepting teachers’
explanations.
⮚ This process has been called
DISCOVERY LEARNING
What is Discovery Learning?
Discovery Learning
⮚ a method of Inquiry-Based Instruction.
⮚ encourages learners to build on past experiences
and knowledge, use their intuition, imagination
and creativity, and search for new information to
discover facts, correlations and new truths.
 1 2 3 4 5
Principle
Principle
Principle
Principle
Principle 3:4:5:
2: 1Failure
Problem
Information
Learner
Integrating Solving
Analysis
Management
and
and and
Connecting
Feedback
✔
⮚ combine
Instructors
either
Discovery
THE FIVE
Interpretation
⮚ Instructors should
should
alone prior
teachparticipants
allow
should
or with
learning
learners how
knowledge
guide andand
is others,
to
to work
with
motivate
process-oriented new,
learn and
learners
at their
and not
⮚ Learning doesn’t only occur when real
we find the
⮚
to
own
right PRINCIPLES OF
encourage
seek
Familiar
newly
This
for
pace. them
content-oriented,
answers.
scenarios
acquired
flexibility
to
solutions
makes
connect
It also
by
and
become
information
isto the
combining
occurs
learning
assumption that learning is not a mere
through
theand
the
world.
basedexisting
on and
failure.
basis
exact ofset
the
new
simplifying
opposite
of
⮚
✔
⮚ what
This
DISCOVERY
Discovery
information,
knowledge.
they
way,
relieves
learning
know
learners
learners and
does
encouraging not
invent
are
from the
focus
learners
driving
unnecessary
Learners in fact learn to analyze and interpret
on
of a static sequencing of lessons and activities,
facts.
right end result, but the newsomething
finding
things force
we
to the
extend
discover
new.
stress,behind
and
⮚
in
makesLEARNING MODEL
the process.
learning,them
the acquired
And it’s the
broader
the correct
take
feel an
theyactive
information, role than
own learning.
rather and memorize
instructor’s responsibility to provide
applications
answer. for skills through activities
establish

feedback, since without

that encourage risks,it learning is incomplete
problem-solving and
probing.
 Figure 1: The Inquiry Cycle

Therefore, discovery learning educational sessions should

be well-designed, highly experiential and interactive.
Instructors should use stories, games, visual aids and other
attention-grabbing techniques that will build curiosity and
interest, and lead learners in new ways of thinking, acting
and reflecting
Who is Robert Gagne?
 What
Whois Learning
is Robert Hierarchy?
Gagne?
⮚ Robert Mills Gagné (born 1916) was an
American educator whose studies of learning
and instruction profoundly affected American
schooling .

⮚ In 1956, the American educational psychologist

Robert M. Gagne proposed a system of
classifying different types of learning in terms of
the degree of complexity of the mental processes
involved.
 What
Whois Learning
is Robert Hierarchy?
Gagne?
⮚ He identified eight basic types, and arranged
these in the hierarchy shown in Figure 2.
⮚ According
Robert Mills to Gagne, the higher
Gagné (born 1916) orders
was an of
learning
Americanineducator
this hierarchy
whosebuild upon
studies of the lower
learning
levels, requiring progressively
and instruction greater American
profoundly affected amounts
of previous. learning for their success.
schooling
⮚ The lowest four orders tend to focus on the more
behavioral aspects of learning, while the highest
⮚ four
In 1956,
focusthe
onAmerican
the more educational
cognitive aspects.
psychologist
Robert M. Gagne proposed a system of
classifying different types of learning in terms of
the degree of complexity of the mental processes
involved.
 1

8 Learning
1. Signal Learning (Stimulus)

Categories
⮚ This is done by first exposing the subject to the chosen
stimulus (known as the conditioned stimulus) along
with another stimulus (known as the unconditioned
stimulus) which produces the desired response
naturally; after a certain number of repetitions of the
double stimulus, it is found that the subject emits the
desired response when exposed to the conditioned
stimulus on its own.
Stimulus
8 Learning
Categories
⮚ stimulus is anything that can trigger
a physical or behavioral change.
The plural of stimulus is stimuli.
Stimuli can be external or internal.
 1 2
2. Stimulus-response learning (Response)
⮚ It involves developing desired stimulus-response

8 Learning
bonds in the subject through a carefully-
planned reinforcement schedule based on the
use of 'rewards' and 'punishments' .

Categories
Rahul is going to school. He is walking on a road, he comes
across a signal. It turns red so he stops walking. After sometime,
signal changes to green. He crosses the road and goes to school.
In the above the scenario, we saw that Rahul stopped at the signal
when it turned red, then walked when it turned Green. This
happened because our brain responds differently to different
stimuli.
 1 2 3

3. Chaining (Process or Procedure)

8 Learning
⮚ This is a more advanced form of learning in
which the subject develops the ability to connect
two or more previously-learned stimulus-

Categories
response bonds into a linked sequence.
⮚ It is the process whereby most complex
psychomotor skills are learned.

For example: Cooking a food.

The student should learn the first before proceeding to the second one
and so on. Now, he will begin to connect the first step, second step and
other steps to fully learn how to cook the menu.
 1 2 3 4
2. Chaining
3. Stimulus-response
(Processlearning
or (Response)
Procedure)
1.
4.
⮚ It Signal
Verbal
involves Learning
association
developing desired (Stimulus)
(Terminology)
stimulus-response
⮚ This is a more advanced form of learning in
⮚ This is done bysubject
first exposing the a subject to the chosen
⮚ This
8 Learning
bonds
which in
isthe the
a subject
form of develops through
chainingthe carefully-
in ability
whichtothe links
connect
stimulus (known as the conditioned stimulus) along
planned
between
two or reinforcement
with another themoreitems
stimulus being schedule
connected
previously-learned
(known
based
as the are
on the in
verbal
stimulus-
unconditioned
use of 'rewards'
nature.
response
stimulus) Verbal
bonds
which into and 'punishments'
association
a linkedthe
produces is one
sequence.. of the
desired key
response
⮚ processes in the development numberofoflanguage skills.

Categories
naturally;
It is the after a certain
process whereby repetitions
most complex of the
double
Forpsychomotorstimulus,
example: a itstudent
If skills is foundaccidentally
that the subject hits emits
the rightthe
are learned.
desiredto response
solution a problem, when he exposed
is encouraged to the to conditioned
continue
Forstimulus
example:on its dog’s
“The own. name is Rover.” (simple fact). “Sugar
solving
For
For similar
example:
example: Riding
Teaching problems;
a bicycle. otherwise, he tries to find other
Alphabet
consists of three elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.”
solutions
The child
(verbal until
should
Teacher
chain) heonfinds
learn
writes
(Kozloff, the the
first
the board
MA. stepcorrect
before
capital
2006, one.
proceeding
letter “A”
Designing to thestimulus.
– unconditioned
Instruction) secondWhile
one
and soshe
writing, on.makes
Now,thehesound
will “Capital
begin to connect
letter the firststimulus.
A” – conditioned step, second step and
other steps to fully
Response: learn
The childhow to ridecapital
associates a bicycle.
letter “A” and the sound capital letter
“A”. After several presentations of both the letter and the sound, the child can now
distinguish what is capital letter “A”.
 5
5. Discrimination learning (Differentiation)
⮚ This involves developing the ability to make

8 Learning
appropriate (different) responses to a series of
similar stimuli that differ in a systematic way.
⮚ The process is made more complex (and hence

Categories
more difficult) by the phenomenon of
interference, whereby one piece of learning
inhibits another.
⮚ Interference is thought to be one of the main
causes of forgetting
For example:
Sound horns of different vehicles like bus, car, ambulance, etc.
 5 6

6. Concept learning (Concepts)

8 Learning
⮚ This involves developing the ability to make a
consistent response to different stimuli that form
a common class or category of some sort. It

Categories
forms the basis of the ability to generalize,
classify etc.
For example:
We generalize the term “parallelogram” to those stimuli
that possess the defining attributes.
 7
7. Rule learning (Rules)
⮚ This is a very-high-level cognitive process that

8 Learning
involves being able to learn relationships
between concepts and apply these relationships
in different situations, including situations not

Categories
previously encountered.
⮚ It forms the basis of the learning of general
rules, procedures, etc.

For example:
In a math equation, the student tries to follow a step by step process in order to
provide a solution that will lead to a specific answer.
 5 6 7 8
8. Problem solving
⮚ This is the highest level of cognitive process according to
Gagne.
8 Learning
⮚ It involves developing the ability to invent a complex
rule, algorithm or procedure for the purpose of solving

Categories
one particular problem, and then using the method to
solve other problems of a similar nature
For example:
Upon the presentation of a certain math problem, the student will now try to
analyze the problem, apply the learned principles and concepts that will serve
as guide in the whole mathematical process before arriving at the specific
answer. After solving the problem successfully, the student may now try to solve
other problems with the same nature using the method used in the previous
one.
⮚ According to Gagne, learning hierarchies

Point of
define what intellectual skills are to be
learned and a sequence of instruction.
⮚ The primary idea of the hierarchy is to

View
identify prerequisites that should be
completed to facilitate learning at each
level.
⮚ Learning Hierarchies provide a basis for
the sequencing of instruction.
⮚ Therefore, teachers should assess the

Point of
learning level of each student carefully
before deciding what specific instruction
should be integrated to meet the set

⮚ View
learning goals.
Additionally, a student cannot proceed to
the next level unless he mastered the
skills being required in a certain learning
stage as reflected in Gagne’s belief.
⮚ According to Gagne, learning hierarchies define what
Note:
intellectual skills are to be learned and a sequence of
instruction.

Point of
⮚ The primary idea of the hierarchy is to identify
⮚ The two learning
prerequisites theories;
that should Discovery
be completed to facilitate
Learning of Jerome
learning at each level. Bruner and Learning
⮚ Hierarchy
Learning Hierarchies
of Robert provide a basis
Gagne for the
serve assequencing
basis
of instruction.
⮚ in choosing
Therefore,
methods
each student
View
the right
teachers should teaching
andcarefully
techniques
assess the approaches,
before in
learning level of
delivering
deciding what specific
instruction should
instruction thatbewill
integrated
fit in to
a meet the set learning
contextualized,
goals.
⮚ integrative,
Additionally, a experiential
student cannot and authentic
proceed to the nextEPP
level
learning environment.
unless he mastered the skills being required in a certain
learning stage as reflected in Gagne’s belief.
⮚ According to Gagne, learning hierarchies define what
intellectual skills are to be learned and a sequence of
instruction.

Point of
⮚ The primary idea of the hierarchy is to identify
prerequisites that should be completed to facilitate
Note:
learning at each level.
⮚ Since
⮚ Learning
theHierarchies provide aEPP
focus of teaching basisisfor
thethe sequencing
mastery of
of instruction.
content
bridge View
and skill, these two learning theories
⮚ Therefore, teachers should assess the learning level of
the gap of content towards the mastery of
each student carefully before deciding what specific
the skill. should be integrated to meet the set learning
instruction
goals.
⮚ Additionally, a student cannot proceed to the next level
unless he mastered the skills being required in a certain
learning stage as reflected in Gagne’s belief.
I have learned that
_______________
“You don't learn to walk
by following rules. You
learn by doing, and by
falling”-Richard Branson-
References:
1(https://www.instructionaldesigncentral.com/learning-theory)
2(Reid, AJ. PhD, Learning Theory.Coastal Carolina University)
3(https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jerome-Bruner)
4(Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional Design Models and Theories:
The Discovery Learning Model)
5(Alper, C. 2018. Embracing Inquiry-Based Instruction)
6(https://www.slideshare.net/hullpgce/jerome-bruner-
discovery-learning)
7(https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-
almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/robert-mills-gagne)
8(Module: How Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main
Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of learning)
9(Kozloff, MA. 2006, Designing Instruction)
10(Longakit AM. 2014, Gagne’s Conditions of Learning)