LEARNING THEORIES BY. AMY SWEDELL, DONITA JOHNSON, NICOLE MCLAMB

Professor Melinda MedinaAET/500

Introduction

Learning theories primarily fall into two major families: behaviorist/connectionist theories and cognitive/gestalt theories, but not all theories clearly fit into these two families (Knowles, M.S. 2011 )

Behaviorist

• Learning occurs when one could see obvious change in behavior

Cognitive

• Learning is an internal process where information is internalized in one’s intellectual structure

Description of B.F. Skinner’s Behaviorist Learning Theory

Skinner's theory of operant conditioning tailored from the work of Edward Thorndike in1905 “Law of Effect”.

A key to effective education is determining the best consequence to shape the behavior; Consequences could either be good or bad-punishing or rewarding".

Skinner believed the most efficient method to understanding behavior was to take a look at the sources of the action and its consequences; and this approach is known as the “operant conditioning”.

Skinner devised the term operant conditioning; because it meant roughly changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is produced after the anticipated response.  Skinner identified the three types of responses that can follow behavior as Neutral operant, reinforces, or Punishers.

Description Edward Tolman’s Cognitive Learning Theory

He thought of learning as developing from bits of knowledge and cognitions about the environment and how the organism relates to it.

Tolman allowed rats to practice in a maze over a course of several days; then, the usual path taken was blocked.

Tolman determined that the rats formed a mental map of the maze which allowed them to select the path that lead to the reward.

Tolman’s theory suggest that latent learning occurs even when no reinforcement is offered.

Tolman – Cognitive

Individual behavior is goal directed so training should take into account the trainee's goal;

Learning is a meaningful process so training must evolve a process where the learner can understand what he learns; and

Each learner learns through his own cognitive map

Journal of Knowledge Management Practice, Vol. 7, No. 2, June 2006

Skinner – Behavioral

Activity is important, learning is more effective when the learner is active and not passive

Repetition, frequent practice are vital

Reinforcement is a motivator

Learning is helped when objectives are clear

How learning theories affect adult education

Cognitive Theory – Tolman Describe the setting of the training and examine the impact of the selected mode of delivery (traditional

classroom, online, hybrid, asynchronous self-directed, etc).

Traditional Classroom Setting- Adult learners will develop a medical office layout based on medical offices they have been to and what has been learned about medical office settings in the textbook. The goal behind the activity is the development through personal experiences and skills acquired in class a medical office that will meet all of a patients needs.

Impact Of Mode of Delivery- Adult learners are using their cognitive mapping in order to complete the assignment along with skills they have acquired in the course. The cognitive mapping they are using allows for mental representation of medical offices they are either patients at or have been to accompanying someone who has gone. (Lloyd, 2000). This allows the adult learner to be self-directed in their learning.

Cognitive Theory – TolmanEvaluate the applicability of each theory for the selected adult education topic, audience, and environment.

Adult learners are using their cognitive mapping skills which are allowing the adult learners to self-direct their learning in developing the medical office layout in the classroom as a team with other adult learners.

The cognitive theory in the mode of delivery allows the adult learners to learn by doing. The adult learners are applying their skills from learning and memory to develop the medical office layout.

The traditional classroom environment will allow the adult learners to work together using supplies in the classroom, computer programs and or print offs from websites and supplies brought from home to work to developing their medical office centered around the needs of patients.

Cognitive Theory - Tolman Analyze how the selected learning theories and mode of delivery affect the chosen adult education program

The cognitive theory applicability in the medical office layout encourages the adult learners to use their cognitive mapping from experiences they remember in entering a medical office.

The adult learner takes the initiative and responsibility in the outcome of the medical office design layout.

This project prepares the adult learner for entry into the medical setting and in the development of the office layout designed with the needs of the patient being included.

Cognitive theory in the medical office layout evaluates the cognitive mapping skills of the adult learners and drives their learning to be more self-directed in their capacity to learn the material at hand.

Behavioral Theory – SkinnerDescribe the setting of the training and examine the impact of the selected mode of delivery (traditional classroom,

online, hybrid, asynchronous self-directed, etc).

The setting is a simulation classroom, the adult learner/Phlebotomist student gets a pretend doctor’s order to draw blood from a patient in an isolation room from a patient with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

The topic is drawing blood from the infected patient in isolation with out any contamination to self or equipment.

As the educator the learner is taught: Give all patients respect/use bedside manners What to do before going into the room The proper protective equipment to put on & what to take in The procedure of Drawing the blood How to exit the room

Behavioral Theory – SkinnerAnalyze how the selected learning theories and mode of delivery affect the chosen adult education program.

Outside of the patient’s room, the learner will sanitize/wash his or her hands and dry them Put on 1st pair of gloves, 2nd protective gown, and 3rd 2nd pair gloves (LAST) The learner will take in the room with him or her extra supplies of only what is needed to collect

the specimen, ALL OTHER SUPPLIES STAY OUTSIDE OF PATIENT’S ROOM The learner will show him or herself confident and friendly while being respectful, which will keep

the patient calm and relaxed, identify self, patient, and orders The learner will place tourniquet around patient arm uncomfortable tight, palpate for a vein, clean

the desired area the specimen will be taken from, insert correct size needle with the bevel facing up, insert proper collection tube, before taking needle out of arm undo tourniquet, place gauze over needle entrance, pulling needle out quickly and carefully

Push protective sheath over needle and disposal of needle in sharps container, label and bag patient’s specimen

Take off top pair of gloves (2nd pair that was put on LAST) dispose of it, untie gown with clean glove (1st pair that was put on FIRST), take gown off and glove and dispose of them

In this training adult learners learn that their behavior which are a series of actions brings consequences that will present positive reinforcement, the reward of being safe, not causing harm to the patient, and being good at their skill that it will cause their skill as a Phlebotomist to be strengthen, them to be confident in their skills, and patients to request for them. Which will cause the learner to repeat the proper process repeatedly.

Behavioral Theory – SkinnerEvaluate the applicability of each theory for the selected adult education topic, audience, and environment.

The behavioral theory is appropriate in phlebotomy because there is a must for the learners to have and demonstrate the behaviors that will cause positive reinforcement for them and their patients. This positive reinforcement will cause them to repeat the process. This will strengthen their skills as a phlebotomist, build their confidence level up and cause more positive experiences. However, negative reinforcement could cause the learner to lose confidence, harm to the patient, and or to his/herself.

Adult learners thrive off of positive reinforcement because it brings self fulfillment of doing such a really good job, causing the patient no harm and little to no pain. Positive reinforcement causes motivation because of teaching them the reason why they need to know to be self-directed.

A simulation classroom is an excellent environment to incorporate the behavioral theory for adult learners because they are learning by doing without the fear of harming themselves nor their patients. The simulation room is the perfect place for them to experience positive (for doing things correct)and negative reinforcements (for doing things incorrectly) which will cause what they have learned to be retained which would prevent them from making the same mistakes in not only the simulation room as they are learning through practice, but in real patients’ rooms too.

Conclusion

As humans we all receive, perceive, and decide on information differently. Therefore as students and educators it is very important to learn and understand learning style. As an educator being aware and sensitive to the various learning styles of the student, the more it helps the instructors tailor curriculum and activities that would be delivered to the student in the most effective way.

Reference

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2011). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (7th ed.). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Lloyd, R. (2000). Self-Organized Cognitive Maps. Professional Geographer, 52(3), 517.

McLeod, Saul (2007-2014). Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

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