GRADUATE SCHOOL

Borongan City, Eastern Samar

Report in MAED 603

BIO-PSYCHO FOUNDATIONS

Module V – Nature and Significance of the Learning Process

INTRODUCTION

Learning occupies a very important place in our life. It is a process of change which
enables an organism itself to the environment, it is therefore a process of development and
growth and it is characterized by flexibility because the individual has to adapt itself
constantly to the circumstances of the environment. Learning produces changes is behavior
and is often defined as the modification of behavior.

Learning helps the individual to acquire the necessary skills through learning and
knowledge so that he can achieve his set goals.Furthermore it also helps understand and
discover relations between different contents in situation. It is also an automatic process. It
takes place when the child becomes active. Learning creates motivation to learn or gain
something. It develops our knowledge. It creates our curiosity to know something. It creates
the ability to the sense of discrimination ability to use symbols. An important fact about
learning is that it is a means to improve knowledge and gain skills that will help in reaching
specific goals and helps to solve any problem in ones life.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Define Learning;
2. Identify the characteristics and different types of learning; and
3. Elaborate understanding on the main theories of learning psychology and their

LEARNING PROCESS:

5.1 DEFINITION AND TYPES OF LEARNING

The Nature Of Learning:

A new born child is helpless at birth. He depends upon others. But in due
course, he learns a number of things. He learns to crawl, stand, walk, run, eat,
speak, dress etc. The process of learning continues till death. Even an adult
during the course of his daily routine goes on learning and adding to his
experience. Why does a person learn? He learns because he has to

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
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make adjustment in the changing environment. The stimulus from the
environment is there on the one hand.
On the other hand, there are innate dispositions – instincts and emotions.
Guided by these dispositions a person goes on learning i.e., constructing and
reconstructing his experience throughout his life, at all its stages.

DEFINITION OF LEARNING

“Learning is the process by which an activity originates or is changed through reacting to an

encountered situation provided that the characteristics of the change in activity cannot be
explained on the basis of native responses, tenderises, maturation or temporary, states of the
organism like fatigue or effect of drugs.”
Hilgard

Learning is the process by which an organism in satisfying its motivation adopts and adjusts
its behavior in order to overcome abstracts or barriers
- Kingsley and Garrey

Educational Point Of View

The process of modification of behaviour is termed as learning

Psychological Point Of View

Learning implies making the most appropriate response to stimulus.

Learning is the process by which an organism in satisfying its motivation adopts and adjusts
its behavior in order to overcome abstracts or barriers
- kingly & gray

“Learning is the name given to a small number of demonstrable relationship between

environmental factors and behavioural changes “
-E. C. Tolman

“Learning is a relative permanent change in behavior brought about through experience or

interactions with the environment.”
-Psychology

CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING

On the basis of analysis of various definitions of learning Yokam, Simpson

and Mursel have given the following characteristics of learning:

1. Learning is Growth.
Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
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2. Learning is Adjustment.

3. Learning is Intelligent.

4. Learning is Active.

5. Learning is the product of Environment.

6. Learning is both Individual and Social.

7. Learning is Purposeful.

8. Learning is organising Experience.

9. All living is Learning.

10. True Learning affects the conduct of the learner.

11. Learning is Universal.

12. Learning is Change.

13. Learning is a Process not a product.

14. Learning is transferable.

15. Learning is total reaction of the individual to total situation.

PROCESS OF LEARNING

1) Purposeful Process:
Most people have definite ideas what they wants to achieve they have goals or clear
objects.

2) Internal Experience:
The instructor cannot learn for the trainees. The trainees can learn only from his or
her experience.

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph
 3) Active Process:
Learning comes only thoughts, experience, the individual actively involved in
learning process.

4) Multidimensional:
Learning is multidimensional which is continue all around.

5) Individual Process:
All individual don't learn the same rate. Every individual has different intellectual
level so every individual is learn through his or her intellectual level.

6) Continuous Process:
Learning is a continuous process which started from the birth and continue
throughout the life.

7) Transferable:
Learning is a process which is transferable from one place to another from one
person to another.

TYPES OF LEARNING

1) LEARNING BY TRIAL AND ERROR

A person learns to perform a behavior more and more skillfully by repeating
behaviors that result in rewards and avoiding behaviors that result in punishment.

2) LEARNING BY IMITATION (OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING)

Observational learning is a process in which learning occurs through observing the
behavior and imitating others. It can either be positive or negative. Social model is
very important in observational learning such as family, parents, friends, teachers
and society.

REQUIREMENTS FOR OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING

a) Attentional Process:

Close attention is necessary to what is happening around. People cannot learn unless they
are able to observe model behavior.

b) Retentional process:

The learner organize and retain what has been observe, reliving experiences , mentally
rehearsing future experience.

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph
 c) Motor Reproduction Process:

It is related to the reproduction of behavior which is observed. Learning converts the

cognitive representation into action.

d) Motivation:

The actual or imagined reward of imitated determine whether the behavior will extinguish or
not.

e) Imitation:
Pure imitation is blind copying of other behavior. Usually students do this, while they copy
the mannerisms of their favorite teachers.

3. LEARNING BY INSIGHT (COGNITION)

A type of learning that uses reason, especially to form conclusions, inferences, or
judgments, to solve a problem. Unlike learning by trial-and-error, insight learning is
solving problems not based on actual experience (like trial and error steps) but on
trials occurring mentally.

4. LEARNING BY CONDITIONING (LEARNING BY ASSOCIATION)

Two Types Of Conditioning

a) Classical conditioning is a learning process in which an association is made

between a previously neutral stimulus and a stimulus that naturally evokes a
response.

For example, in Pavlov's classic experiment, the smell of food was the naturally occurring
stimulus that was paired with the previously neutral ringing of the bell. Once an association
had been made between the two, the sound of the bell alone could lead to a response.

b) Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning is a learning process in which the probability of a response
occurring is increased or decreased due to reinforcement or punishment.

Skinner described how reinforcement could lead to increases in behaviors where punishment
would result in decreases.

5.2 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE LEARNING

FACTORS AFFECTING LEARNING

1. Intellectual Factor
Intellectual Ability: Everyone has different intellectual strengths and weaknesses.

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph
Prior Knowledge: A student could have the highest IQ in the room, but if he hasn’t been
exposed to basic information that relates to the lesson, he will have difficulty learning.

2. Environmental Factor
Natural Surroundings : It covers the climatic and atmospheric conditions.
Social Surroundings: It includes insufficient ventilation, improper lighting, noisy
environment due to use of radio, TV, etc.

3. Physical Factor
Health: Is the student free from illness?
Physical development: Are there changes in their body?
Nutrition: Do they eat nutritious foods?
Visual and auditory defects: Do they suffer from physical defects?

4. Emotional Factor
Stress: A little bit of stress can be good as the body releases adrenaline to address it.
However, students who are in chronically stressful environment tend to have lower levels of
aptitude. Most students can only do things when stressed, act out or zone out.

Sleep: It helps the brain to learn and process new information. It also aids in cell renewal,
neural connections, immunity, logical reasoning, comprehension and fine motor skills.

5. Media Factor
Print Media: It refers to texts or printed materials. It is economical and has traditionally been
used for pedagogical purposes.

Non-Print Media: It is also known as modern electronic media. It has certain unique
qualities which in certain cases facilitates learning much far faster than the print media.

6. Relationship with Teachers, Parents, and Peers

Relationship with Teachers: Teachers’ Factor!

The teacher is an important constituent in the instructional process. The way we teach and
manage the students has an effect on their learning.

Relationship with Parents: Parent’s Factor

If the child-parent relationship is based on mutual respect and faith, it can facilitate his or her
learning. In contrary, a distorted and unhealthy environment, adversely affects the learning of
the student.

Relationship with Peer: Peer Factor

Student-student relationship in the classroom, school, society, etc. creates a particular type
of emotional climate.

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph
A sound environment provides a tension free environment to the student enabling him to
learn more and to complete in the class.

5.3 THEORIES OF LEARNING

Main Theories Of Learning Psychology

1. BEHAVIORISM
A theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through
conditioning, and conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment.
 It is confined to observable and measurable behavior.
 Learning is defined by the outward expression of new behaviors and context-
independent.
 Biological basis for learning.
 Focuses on observable behaviors.

BEHAVIORISM IN THE CLASSROOM

 Rewards and Punishments
 Responsibility for student learning rests squarely with the teacher.
 Lecture-Based and Highly Structured

2. COGNITIVISM
Cognitivism is a learning theory that focusses on how information is received,
organized, stored and retrieved by the mind. It uses the mind as an information
processer, like a computer. Therefore, cognitivism looks beyond observable
behaviour, viewing learning as internal mental processes.

 Knowledge is stored cognitively as symbols.

 Learning is the process of connecting symbols in a meaningful and
memorable way.
 Studies focused on the mental processes that facilitate symbol connection.

COGNITIVISM IN THE CLASSROOM

 Inquiry-Oriented Projects
 Provide opportunities for the testing of hypotheses.
 Curiosity is encouraged.
 Stage Scaffholding

3. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

Social learning theory, proposed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes the importance of
observing, modelling, and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions
of others. Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive
factors interact to influence human learning and behavior.

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph
  Grew out of Cognitivism.
 Learning takes place through observation and sensorial experiences.
 Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
 Social Learning Theory is the basis of the movement against violence in
media and video games.

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY IN THE CLASSROOM

 Collaborative Learning and Group Work
 Modeling Responses and Expectations
 There are opportunities to observe experts in action.

4. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
Social constructivism is a sociological theory of knowledge according to which
human development is socially situated and knowledge is constructed through
interaction with others. Social constructivism states that people work together to
construct artifacts

 Grew out of and in response to Cognitivism and was framed around Metacognition.
 Knowledge is actively constructed.
 Learning is a search for meaning by the learner

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM IN THE CLASSROOM

 Journaling
 Experiential Activities
 Personal Focus
 Collaborative and Cooperative Learning

5. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
The theory of multiple intelligences proposes the differentiation of human
intelligence into specific modalities of intelligence, rather than defining intelligence
as a single, general ability.

 Grew out of Constructivism and was framed around Metacognition.

 Enable students to leverage their strengths and purposefully target and develop their
weaknesses.
 All people are born with 8 intelligences:
a. Verbal-Linguistic
b. Visual-Spatial
c. Logical-Mathematical
d. Kinesthetic
e. Musical
f. Naturalist
g. Interpresonal
h. Intrapersonal

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN THE CLASSROOM

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph
  Delivery of instruction via multiple mediums.
 Student-Centered Classroom
 Authentic Assessment
 Self-Directed Learning

ASSESSMENT:
1. What is the simplest form and the complex form of learning?
2. What are the factors that might have affected the learning outcomes of students?
3. Why is it important for a teacher to understand the different learning theories?
4. What is the most pressing problem for educators when it comes to applying learning
theory to the classroom?

REFERENCES:
https://www.queensu.ca/teachingandlearning/modules/students/
04_what_is_learning.html#:~:text=Learning%20is%20%E2%80%9Ca%20process
%20that,of%20knowledge%2C%20attitude%20or%20behavior.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/learning
https://www.verywellmind.com/learning-study-guide-2795698
https://www.verywellmind.com/learning-study-guide-2795698

Prepared by: Approved:

Bmacquia
CLARVENE B. ANTIOQUA DR. ESTELITA A. MADRIAGA
MAED-EM Student Coordinator, Student Services

Graduate School
Borongan City 6800
Eastern Samar, Philippines
Graduate.school@essu.edu.ph
https://essu.edu.ph