Complete the Following Chart for Each Theory

Theory
Traits

Behavioral Theory Facts/Ideas

Personal Evaluation

Theoretical
Basis

Behavioral

Provide your personal evaluation and experience for each category

applicable. Discuss Pros/Cons. Explain what works and what does not.
Include how this theory looks in school setting (etc.) .

Theorists and
relevant dates of
contributions

Skinner
Watson
Pavlov
2-3 Others

The behaviorist viewpoint has more to do with observable behavior.

People have no free will and are born with a black slate. There is little
difference between the behavior of humans and animals. All behavior
is the result of outside stimuli in the environment.
Skinner introduced the concept that would become known as operant
conditioning. Watson influenced the school of thought that would be
known as classical conditioning and conducted the famous Little
Albert experiment. Pavlov would also be known for influencing the
theory of classical conditioning and his dog experiments. Bandura
would combine and introduce behavioral and cognitive frameworks.
Chomsky would publish a book criticizing the Skinners view on
Behaviorism.

View of
Knowledge

New behaviors are learned,

How does this look in school setting?

Cognitive/Psychological
(Thinking/Self-Talk, Metacognition)

Fixed body of knowledge to acquire,

Stimulated from outside

Belief about
Learning

Acquisition of facts, skills, concepts

Occurs through drill and guided practice

The students would be told to follow instructions and read a passage

in a book. They would then answers questions based on what they in
read in the passage. The students would expected to absorb the
information they read and answer the question without knowing
exactly what the answers mean. Knowledge is to be directly absorbed
in the behaviorist viewpoint.
Learning is acquired though the repetition of facts or concepts. By
studying a concept over and over an answer will become available. A
math teacher will have students practice a math problem until they get
the correct answer. It is through this how the student will solve the
math problem.
1

Teaching: How
is teaching
done?

Transmission,

Role of Teacher

Manager, supervisor

Presentation (Telling), Demonstration

Correct wrong answers

Role of Peers

Not usually considered.

Role of student

Passive reception of information

Active listener, direction-follower

3-5 Big ideas in

theory
concerning
teaching and
learning that
you will apply in
your
professional
practice.

A math teacher will go over a math problem in front of the class. He

will show how to solve the math problem by using a math formula.
The students will then be expected to solve practice problems. Doing
this will allow the math teacher to transmit the math formula used to
solve the math problem to the students so that they can try own their
own.
A chemistry teacher would explain the periodic table as part of a class
lesson. The teacher would then ask a student to give the atomic
number for platinum. The students would guess and give the incorrect
number as most students usually would. The teacher would then
correct the student by giving the correct atomic number for platinum.
The teacher is supervising the educational learning of the student by
correcting wrong answers the student gives when the need arises.
Fellow students would not be of much impact or help to other
students during a class lesson in the behaviorist viewpoint. The peers
are to do nothing and thereby not affect or influence fellow students
during a class lesson.
During a history class the students are to take notes of what the
teacher is saying. These notes are proving that the student is listening
during the class session. The students are then to follow instruction to
complete a class question on the history lesson. The student will then
be able to show the information obtained during the class session
through completing the class activity.

List several Big Ideas that inform your instructional planning

you have developed based on this theory.

Explain Big Ideas and how you applied them.

1. Learners learn more effectively when they relate new

information to prior knowledge.
2. Hints about how to think or behave often facilitate
performance.
3. Learning is enhanced when learners engage in selfevaluation.

1. I would teach an addition problem to a 1st grader and ask the

student to solve it. The students would be able to due to me showing
the students previously how to solve the problem.
2. I would tell a student to answer a certain history question in class.
The student would be able to because I would guide the student to the
answer in order to save face in class.
3. I would ask the students to write what they had learned during a
class activity. This would enhance learning since it would lead the
learners to think deeply about what they had learned in the class
activity.

Lesson Plan you

developed/used
rooted in this
theoretical view
of learning.
List and briefly
describe 2-5
other lesson
models that fit
this theory.

Assessment
Type

Describe the focus/use/intent of this lesson model and how it

met the learning objective of your students

The intent of this model was to help the students with their
vocabulary acquisition. The students would know the
meaning behind the word and would be able to properly use
in it in social situation.
1. In the Direct Instruction model the students are taught face
to face by the teacher and are carefully explained by the
teacher.
2. In the Inquiry model the students are taught to inquire a lot
in order to increase their educational knowledge and
experience.
Explain the type of assessment that is most appropriate for
each theoretical view of learning

The type of assessment for this would be a formal

assessment.

Personal
Application
(Provide 3 or
more examples)

I would teach the students the meaning and origin behind the word
Orchestra. I would also explain the etymology of the word in order to
help the students understand better the lesson. The students would
also know how this word related to music. The students would then
be able to display their knowledge of music by the types of music
they discussed in topic.
In the direct instruction model the students would engage the teacher
during the class activity face to face. This would allow for better
interaction between the teacher and student during class lessons. It
would help further the educational learning of the student.
The students would be able to inquire a lot during the lesson. This
would allow the teacher to enhance the learning of the student.
This theory would include a formal assessment because of behavior
and actions would be measured. Therefore, the success and failure
rate of students in the classroom environment would also be
measured. The tests scores of the students would also be measured
and add to either the success or failure rate of the students in the
classroom. The students would also be assessed in their class grades,
which would determine the grade point average.

How do/could you apply this theory for teaching learning?

I would teach a 3st grader the formula for how to complete a long division problem. I would repeat this problem until the students
understood the formula for the math problem.
I would ask students to answer a question during pop-quiz exam in the classroom. I would guide the student towards the answer and
then let the student response with the answer they thought was correct. I would then correct the students in the answer they gave
turned out to be wrong.
I would tell the students read passage from their books and then have them answer a number of question based on the knowledge they
have obtained from reading. In this manner the students would be able to absorb knowledge by directly reading it.

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Personal Evaluation
Theory

Information Processing

Provide your personal evaluation and experience for each category.

Pros/Cons Explain what works and what does not. Include how this theory

looks in school setting.

Traits
Theoretical
Basis

Theorists

View of
Knowledge

Learning

Teaching

Information Processing

In the information processing theory the mind of a human operate

similarly to that of a machine. In this theory items that are not useful
Cognitive
are quickly forgotten and removed from sensory memory. Items that
(Metacognition, Process and Product Orientation)
are useful in the short haul are place in the short-term memory. If the
items are the no longer useful they will be removed from the shortterm memory and forgotten. However, of the items are deemed
extremely useful they will be stored in the long-term memory for use
at a later date.
Anderson, Bruner, Amusable, Gagne, Taba, Gordon, Craik &
Some of the theorists that I found interesting and useful are Bruner,
Lockhart
Taba, and Gordon. Bruner would develop the process of categorizing
in relation to the concept attainment model. Taba would help develop
the concept development model in relation to the concepts. Gordon
would then develop what would become known as synectics.
Fixed body of knowledge to acquire,
How does this look in school setting?
A student would be able to well on a school test because the student
Stimulated from outside,
studied the night before for the test. The student acquired all the
knowledge needed for the test because only a fixed amount was
Prior knowledge influences how information is processed
needed and it was obtained through the studying. The student would
then be stimulated during the test and remember everything they had
been memorized the night before. Using prior knowledge the student
would be able to influence the information used on the test in order to
pass it.
Acquisition of facts, skills, concepts, and strategies
A student would learn by being taught a concept through the effective
application of a teaching strategy. A pro would that an effective
Occurs through the effective application of strategies
teaching strategy would be used to teach the student. A con being that
only data driven information like facts would be of relevance to this
theory. Any information that is not data driven would be of no use even
if it provided helpful teaching strategies to assist the learner.
Transmission,
Teaching students using the information processing theory for subjects
like math and science would helpful. This is because these subjects are
Guide students toward more accurate and complete knowledge data driven and based on understanding facts and concepts. However,
for subjects like art and music the information processing theory
would not be a good fit. This is because art and music are not data
driven and has more to do with the creative and imaginative side of
thinking.
4

Role of
Teacher

Teach and model effective strategies

Correct misconceptions

Role of Peers

Not necessary but can influence information processing

Role of
student

Active processor of information,

Strategy user
Organizer and reorganizer of information
Rememberer

3-5 Big ideas

in theory
concerning
teaching and
learning that
you will
apply in your
professional
practice.

List several Big Ideas that inform your instructional planning

you have developed based on this theory.

1. Learners do not passively absorb information from the

environment; rather, they actively work to make sense of their
environment and construct their own, unique understandings of
the world.
2. Learning is more likely to occur when learners pay attention
to the information to be learned.
3. The close contiguity of events increases the likelihood that
learners will associate those events with one another.

Using this theory to teach English Language Learners would be of use

depending on how much of the theory is implemented. This is because
a teaching using this theory would teach and model effective teaching
strategies that would help improve the language learning of the
students. The teacher would also correct any misconceptions that a
language learner might have regarding understanding a word or phrase
in English. The teacher would always have continued to use the most
effective teaching strategies when teaching language learners under
this theory, which would be a pro.
The influence of peers could have on fellow students would be
minimal at best. So while students could ask each other for help only a
little would be given. But it would still be an improvement of the
behaviorist view on peers.
The role of a student under the information processing system is a
system was the students are more data driven in how they approach
their educational learning. The student is an active processor of
information and acquiring skills and concepts that would help the
student advance their educational learning. The students would use
different learning strategies in order raise their grades and improve
their learning at the same time. The students would also recognize
everything it had learned in order to be able to remember the
educational concepts better when it came time for tests.
Explain Big Ideas and how you applied them.

1. Students are able to quickly because they are taught from the
simplest to complex concepts. This is done in order for students to be
able to understand a concept from the beginning from the bottom up.
Like teaching student algebra and beginning with the simplest problem
and then move on the more complex problems.
2. Students retain items in their short and long term memory they
believe would be of use to them while discarding useless information
from their working memory. Likewise, in preparing for a math test a
student will retain useful math formulas in the short and long-term
memory while discarding excess formulas from their working memory.
3. Students learning English would associate certain teaching strategies
with improving their language skills. I would use teaching strategies
that a language learner would be able to associate with improving their
language skills while also making them feel safe in the classroom with
they would also associate with as a pace where they could improve
5

Assessment
Type

Explain the type of assessment that is most appropriate for each

theoretical view of learning

Personal
Application

How do/could you apply this theory for teaching learning?

(Provide 3 or
more
examples)

their English.
The type of assessment for this would be a formal assessment. This is
because this assessment formally tests the learning skills of the
student. The teachers are then able to better evaluate the student in
what areas the student would need improvement. This standardized
method of evaluating the student is better for students that are more
data driven since it uses a formal grading system that tells them where
they are academically.
I would be able to use this with students by applying it to subjects
where it would be the most useful like math and science. A student
studying for a chemistry test would be able to use this model to its
fullest potential.
I would also sometimes apply to teaching strategies that would
influence language learners. This is because using this method I would
always be required with continually find the most effective teaching
methods in order to teach English learners.
I would also use this method in teaching studying tips that would help
students study. I would tell the students to retain the useful information
in their short and long term memories and discard excess information
from their working memory.

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articles

Theory
Traits

Constructivist/
Individual

Constructivist/Social Situated

Personal Evaluation

Theoretical
Basis

Psychological Individual

Social Situated

Cognitive/Psychological
Constructivist
(Concerned with Individual
Cognitive Development)

Social/Constructivist
(Includes: Beliefs, Self
Perceptions,Expectations of Society)

In the constructivist theory people construct their

own understanding of themselves and of society. The
learner is also concentrated more on the thought of
learning. There is also the fact that society can also
attribute a meaning to an experience that has been
constructed in society. Therefore, the learner is
constructing their own knowledge of themselves and
society through what they experience personally and

Provide your personal evaluation and experience for each

category. Pros/Cons Explain what works and what does
not. Include how this theory looks in school setting.

Theorists

Piaget, Dewey
Suchman, Bruner, Sternberg,
Slavin
Johnson Cooperative Lerning

Vygotsky, Dewey
Suchman, Bruner, Sternberg, Slavin
Johnson Cooperative Lerning

Knowledge

Changing body of
knowledge,

Socially constructed knowledge

Individually
constructed in
social world,

Built on what participants contribute,

construct together

Built on what learner

brings

Learning

Active construction, Restructuring

prior knowledge
Occurs through multiple
opportunities and diverse
processes to connect to what is
already known

Teaching

Challenge,

Collaborative construction of socially

defined knowledge and values
Occurs through socially constructed
opportunities

Participant

what they experience in society.

Vygotsky developed the Zone of Proximal
Development, which is founded on Social Situated
Constructivist views. Dewey is considered by many
to be the founder of Constructivism and he wanted
education to based more on actual world experience.
Piaget is one of the main proponents of
Constructivist Individual views. Bruner accentuated
the role of the instructor in the constructivist view of
learning. Johnson emphasized that cooperative
classroom-based learning with real activities would
be the best method of learning for the students.
Students will construct their own understanding of
themselves and society. Students will learn at
different rates depending on whether they use
individual or socially constructed knowledge. For
example, a student who only uses individual notes
without class handouts may learn differently than
from a student who uses both individual notes and
class handouts. This is because a student who only
uses individual notes to study will not learn as much
as the students who use both notes and handouts.
Therefore, using both methods to learn in the
classroom is the best learning method students can
use of they follow the constructivist model of
learning.
Students who use learning strategies from both active
construction and collaborative construction learn the
most. It is like a student plying in a chess tournament
at school. If the student only uses individual learning
to play chess against better-experienced players that
the students will surely lose the tournament. But if
the student uses strategies from chess grandmasters
than the student may win against better experiences
players. It all just depends on whether the student
uses just individual or socially constructed learning.
Teaching in a classroom environment using either the
7

Guide thinking toward more

complete understanding

Co-construct knowledge with students

Facilitator, guide

Facilitator, Guide, Co-participant

Listen for students current

conceptions, ideas, thinking

Co-construct different interpretation of

knowledge;
Listen to socially constructed conceptions

Role of Peers

Not necessary but can stimulate

thinking, raise questions

Ordinary part of process of knowledge

construction

Role of student

Active construction (within mind)

Active co-construction with others and self,

Active thinker, explainer,

interpreter, questioner

Active thinker, explainer,

Role of
Teacher

Interpreter,
Questioner,
Active social participator

individual or social situated constructivist views can

be difficult. For example, using the individual
approach to teach a Spanish class can be arduous
because the teacher is constantly challenging the
students to do better and is guiding towards a batter
understanding of Spanish through. However seems
students may feel discouraged because of the
constant challenge and may not want to continue the
class later on. If the teacher were to use a social
situated approach the teacher will be a co-participant
and help the students construct their knowledge of
Spanish. This may encourage the students to
continue learning the language all because of the
approach the teacher chose to employ.
The role of the teacher is to be a facilitator and coparticipant of the students learning. A teacher is
teaching a history class has to guide the class in the
direction of the class lessons goal while also become
a co-participant in the students learning. This is done
by listening to the students questions and remarks
on the history lesson. The teacher will then be able to
co-construct a different learning goal for the class
lesson while teaching the lesson to the class.
Fellow students can influence a student as part of the
class activity. This can stimulate the student to
become more engage in the class lesson by sharing
ideas on the class lesson with fellow students. This
will encourage the students to become more engage
in future class lessons.
A student has become and active thinker and social
participator when engaging in class discussion. If the
student is in a favorite art class than the students has
to actively think on the topic while in class. After
thinking quickly on the topic the e students can
engage the teacher in a lively debate of the art topic
in the class lesson. This will allow the student to
actively co-construct knowledge with fellow students
8

3-5 Big ideas in

theory
concerning
teaching and
learning that
you will apply
in your
professional
practice.

List several Big Ideas that inform

your instructional planning you
have developed based on this
theory.

1. Learning is more likely to occur when

learners pay attention to the information to
be learned.
2. Learners future learning and
performance are influenced by the
consequences that follow their behaviors.
3. Learning and development are fostered
when learners are challenged to perform
increasingly more difficult tasks or to think
in increasingly more sophisticated ways.

Assessment
Type

Explain the type of assessment

that is most appropriate for each
theoretical view of learning

The type of assessment for this would be

an informal assessment.

Personal
Application

How do/could you apply this

theory for teaching learning?

(Provide 3 or
more
examples)

and the teacher on the art topic being discussed in

class.
Explain Big Ideas and how you applied them.
1. The students will be able to pay attention to the
class lesson better and thus learn better when they
feel is being co-participating theyre learning
experience and is committed to helping them reach
their educational goals. I could apply this in the
future by making students feel that I am committed
to their education by how I interact with them in
class.
2. Students suffer academically when they dont
participate enough in class activities but this can
cause them to change their learning performance and
to begin to participate more in class activities. In the
future would assist students that need help
academically and help them turn their learning
performance by encouraging them to do better in
their class discussions.
3. Students will be able to learn more when
challenging lesson are given to them in class. The
students will be able to advance to more complex
topics of discussions when they are challenged in the
correct manner to do so.

This is because of the class activities are structured

daily by the teacher that an informal assessment is
the best. The teacher is also evaluating the students
performance in the class activities. Therefore, no
formal tools are needed evaluate the students
performance in class activities.
I could apply this theory becoming a coI would also be able to use a class topic to get the
participant in the students learning if I were students involved in the class dialogue. I would then
to teach them English language skills. This be facilitating the educational learning of the
would help me advance the educational
students also.
learning of the students.
I would also help the students arrive at a conclusion
9

when deciding what to do for a class project. I would

then become a facilitator and co-participant because I
would be guiding the students in completing their
project while also listening to their conceptions on
the class project.
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articles.

Theory

Social Learning

Personal Evaluation
Provide your personal evaluation and experience for each category. Pros/Cons
Explain what works and what does not. Include how this theory looks in school
setting.

Theoretical Basis

Social Learning
Cognitive/intellectual development linked with skill in social process

Theorists

Bandura, Dewey
Johnson and Johnson, Slavin, Shlomo, Sharan , Thelen

Knowledge

Knowledge constructed and continuously reconstructed by individuals/

Several theorists who believed differently then the theories that were
currently being used created the Social Learning Theory. People
learn each other by observing and imitating the behaviors of others.
By imitating others, people are using each other as models for
learning. Children also learn from adults this way and behave the
way they see the adults behave. This type of learning from children
becomes known as observational learning.
Bandura believes that humans are active information processors and
consider the relationship between their behavior and the
consequences linked to that behavior. Dewey believed that the school
should be a social learning environment where students could
interact and learn from one another. Johnson and Johnson created the
Social Interdependence Theory. Slavin suggests that cooperative
learning is not only a great way of learning but it is also a very vast
field of research and analysis. Shlomobelievesthatcooperative
learningwillchangethesocialandmotivationalenvironmentinthe
classroomtopromotepositiveandsupportivepeerinteractionsanda
positiveorientationtowardachievementandlearning.Thelem
created the dynamic systems theory, which is the broadest and most
encompassing of all the developmental theories.
Students studying for a test know that they will be able to pass due to
10

groups
Students operate on experience to produce knowledge
Knowledge has a personal quality and is unique for each individual

Learning

Cooperative vs competitive,
Synergistic,
Cognition as well as social complexity key to increased learning
Learning from observation of others in a more advanced stage of
development or skill level,
Experienced based learning

Teaching

Modeling, Observation is important

Model democratic processes, Experience-based learning, Inquiry and
knowledge are central

Role of Teacher

Facilitator, Encouraging, flexible supervisor, Co-participant,

Requires high level of interpersonal and instructional skill
Responsive to student needs/Student centered

Role of Peers

Peers /role models are primary part of process of knowledge

construction.

the whole class having previously studied for it as a group. However,

if the teacher for some reason then decides to change the topic of the
test the students might not does as well on it as on the first one. This
is because all of the students had experience studying for the first
exam. They would have been able to pass it with the knowledge they
had acquiring studying for it. However, the students would now have
to studies all over again to get the personal quality of knowledge
studying gives to students in order to prepare for the new exam.
Observational learning is where a person is being modeled on
behaving their behavior imitated by other people. In addition to
external reinforcement and environmental reinforcement, Bandura
acknowledged intrinsic reinforcement - pride, sense of
accomplishment - as a form of reward. Learning does not necessarily
lead to a change in behavior. Contrasting behaviorism, which states
that learning necessarily leads to a permanent behavior change, is
different from observational learning that postulates that people are
able to learn new information without altering behavior.
Teachers can use scaffolding as part of a teaching strategy that will
have the students engage in dialogue as part of a class activity. The
teacher can also have the students think out loud and share with each
other ideas on the class topic. This will also help the use reciprocal
teaching as part of the class learning with each other. Teachers can
also use technology to further enhance the class learning experience
and create a dynamic learning environment.
The role of the teacher in social learning theory is that of a facilitator
and encourager. The teacher needs to be a flexible supervisor while
also being a co-participant in the students learning. This requires the
teacher to be highly interpersonal and be of great instructional skill
when teaching the students. The teacher needs to tailor his/her
teaching plans/styles in a way that is responsive to the needs of the
students. Thus, making all future teaching plans students-centered
that will meet the educational goals and needs of the student.
The role of peers in social learning is similar to that of teachers in
that it requires a student to observe and imitate a fellow student and
have that student be a peer role model. Having a peer as a role model
also allows the peer to function as a primary part of the process
knowledge instruction of the student to whom they are being role
11

Role of student

Participation is of primary importance,

Cooperation with peers in a democratic learning environment is
necessary

3-5 Big ideas in

theory
concerning
teaching and
learning that you
will apply in
your professional
practice.

List several Big Ideas that inform your instructional planning

you have developed based on this theory.

Assessment Type

Explain the type of assessment that is most appropriate for each

theoretical view of learning

1. Learners learn more effectively when they relate new

information to prior knowledge.
2. Learning is more likely to occur when learners pay attention
to the information to be learned.
3. Learning is enhanced when learners engage in selfevaluation.

models. The student will also be able to ask for more help from
fellow students than the teacher. Having a peer role model to learn
from helps that peer role model bolster his or her own learning by
teaching fellow students. Since students are learning from their
peers, they also have more time for learning that suits their
individual educational needs through fellow peers.
The roles of the student in social learning is observing both the
teacher and fellow students and learn from them in which ever
academic area they need to improve in. Participation is also of
primary importance since it requires the students interact with fellow
peers and allowing them to enhance their educational learning.
Students are also trying to gain the commendation of others in their
classroom and will naturally strive to do their best. This will allow
the students to begin to practice self-efficacy by meeting the
educational goals they have set for themselves and in the process
gain the commendation they have been waiting for. Hence, this
serves as positive reinforcement for the student to always do their
best in class and also participate to the fullest with both fellow
students and the teacher.
Explain Big Ideas and how you applied them.

1. Students reinforcing what they have learned in class because they

are teaching this knowledge to fellow classmates. I would have the
students continue doing this because it helps them to reinforce
everything they learned in class the previous day.
2. The students are learning because of types of dialogue the teacher
is engaging them with in class, which catches their attention and thus
their learning. I would do choose a dialogue that makes the students
interested in the class discussion and have them participate in class.
3. The students will be able to write in reflection everything they
learned and discussed with each other during dialogue. This would
help me in future classrooms with having the students retain their
knowledge by writing it on reflections.
The type of assessment for this would be an informal assessment.
This is because of the class activities are structured daily by the
teacher that an informal assessment is the best. The teacher is also
evaluating the students performance in the class activities.
12

Personal
Application
(Provide 3 or
more examples)

How do/could you apply this theory for teaching learning?

Therefore, no formal tools are needed evaluate the students

performance in class activities.
I could have the students participate in a class environment where
they all have a chance to participate and are able to fully further their
educartional learning. This would lead to the students meeting their
educational goals and going on to college to pursue their educational
dreams.
I could also use my intercultural skills to assist a language student in
perfecting the intercultural skills they would need to work overseas.
The skills would then assist them in they helping a person in a
situation similar to theirs if need be.
I would also use this to further research teaching strategies tat would
be of great assistance to me in Asia. I would then be able to plan
lesson plans that would be linked with this theory when using them
with my adult language learners.

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13