Cognitivism as a Learning Theory

Comprehending the different "isms" in our society is overwhelming. One could study and analyze the effects and characteristics of behaviorism, cognitivisim, constructivism, and even connectivism for years and still learn something new. According to Bill Kerr, “isms do not stand still; they evolve, they listen to criticism, and move on” (2007). Therefore, we must ask ourselves can we live without learning theories? How would we monitor, or enhance our teaching abilities, if we did not have learning theories to help us analyze what we are doing, why we do it, and if we should do it again in the future (Driscoll, 2005, p. 2). Learning theories are not just nuisances that we study to get through college. Driscoll states, “the essential purpose of a theory is to explain the occurrence of some phenomenon and to predict its reoccurrence in the future” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 4). Learning theories are the foundation for every action or thought that we have in our daily lives.

Considering that all of our learners are different, it makes logical sense that we need to pick the best strategies from each learning theory to meet the needs of our students (Kapp, 2007). We do not live in a society where we think using only one strategy. Therefore, we should rely on several learning theories to create meaningful learning experiences. According to Tracey (2009), “in any organization, different employees will be at different stages of learning across multiple domains, so the instructional designer will need to balance all the pedagogical approaches to support everyone.” Even though people search for a simple one-step process for solving problems, the answer is multifaceted. Learning requires daily practice, reflection, and evaluation. Learning theories are not eliminated or superseded, instead each theory complements another one” (Tracey, 2009). Therefore, we need to learn how to use isms effectively to reproduce behaviors that will thrive in the 21st century.

Please look at the diagram provided by Ryan Tracey, which illustrates how learning theories build on each other (2009).

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and About: discussion on educational schools of thought. Retrieved from http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html.

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html

Tracey, R. (2009, March 17). Learning in the Corporate Sector: Instructivism, constructivism, or connectivism? Retrieved from http://ryan2point0.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/instructivism-constructivism-or-connectivism/.

Amy Cravey