Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning

Behaviorist Theory

What is it? Behaviorist Theory utilizes key ideas from the work of B.F. Skinner, who theorized that learning occurs through a series of rewards or punishments. While Skinner believed that all learning could occur this way, Behaviorist Theory is most commonly utilized in classrooms today as a tool for behavior management. However, educators still utilize rote practice and repetition: two practices that are linked to Behaviorist Theory. According to Skinner, rewards increase the likelihood that behaviors will be repeated, while punishments decrease the likelihood of repetition. He also theorized that rewards and punishments could be either positive or negative in nature. This can confuse a lot of people!  What he meant was that when we give or add something to the environment, the interaction is positive; when we take something away, the interaction is negative. So, for example, removing an undesirable activity from the agenda might be a negative reward, and adding an undesirable activity to it might be a positive punishment. 

Scenes from a Classroom –

• In Professor  X’s  classroom, she is working with one of her students, Sam, to help him with some challenging attention-span issues. She gives him a reward whenever she sees him on task. (Positive reward)
• In Mr. X’s classroom, Mr. X quietly reminds a student to keep all four legs of his chair on the floor by saying . (Positive punishment – yes, verbal praise & reminders qualify as adding something to the environment!)
• To increase the number of students who turn in their homework each day, Mr. X announces that if the class has 100% completion on today’s assignment, they won’t have a quiz that day. (Negative reward)
• Students in Mrs. X’s art class are having trouble sharing the supplies. Mrs. X writes the word ART on the board, and each time students have a disagreement over supplies, she erases a letter. If the word is erased completely, students will have to use pencil to complete their project for the day. (Negative punishment) 

Cognitive Theory

What is it? Cognitive Theory is largely based on the work of Jean Piaget, who rejected the idea that learners are passive and simply react to stimuli in the environment. Instead of focusing solely on observable behavior, Cognitive Theory seeks to explain how the mind works during the learning process. Like a computer, the mind takes in information, processes that information, then uses that information to produce learning outcomes. Piaget’s 4 Stages of Development indicate the learner’s ability to understand abstract, complex concepts.

Scenes from a Classroom – 

• Professor  Mr. X begins his unit on fractions, he incorporates manipulatives in order to provide a concrete learning experience.
• To help students memorize the Periodic Table, Mrs. X co-creates various mnemonic devices with her class.
• Ms. X uses a graphic organizer in order to help students write paragraphs with appropriate structure. 
• At the start of every lesson, Mr. X asks questions to activate the prior knowledge of his students. He knows this will help to link the new learning concepts to previously retained ideas, increasing the likelihood that the new learning will be remembered.

Constructivist Theory

What is it? Constructivists see the learner as a constructor of knowledge. New learning is shaped by schemas, which the learner brings to the learning process. Lev Vygotsky is an important founder of Constructivist Theory. Vygotsky believed that learning is a collaborative process, and that social interaction is fundamental for cognitive development. According to Vygotsky, students learn best when working collaboratively with those whose proficiency level is higher than their own, allowing them to complete tasks they are not yet able to do independently. Vygotsky identified these concepts as the More Knowledgeable Other and the Zone of Proximal Development. Constructivist classrooms are student-centered, with the teacher acting as the facilitator.

Scenes from a Classroom –

• Mr. X intentionally pairs high performing students with students that are not performing as well, inviting them to turn and talk about their learning throughout a lesson. 
• Professor X uses collaborative learning to facilitate engagement with specific learning targets, ensuring heterogeneous student groupings.
• Ms. X uses Problem-Based Learning to engage her students in solving real world problems, meeting several learning targets while giving students autonomy to make decisions. She encourages students to work with peers who have different strengths than their own. 

Humanist Theory

What is it? Humanist theory approaches learning as a way to fulfill an individual’s potential rather than meeting specific learning targets. Maslow’s research on the Hierarchy of Needs is a major concept within this theory, as it focuses on the whole person, specifically the cognitive and affective needs of the learner. The theory holds that self-actualization is the ultimate goal of each individual. Learners are trusted to determine their own goals, set standards, and evaluate their own work. Thus, students are at the center of the Humanist classroom. Teachers are facilitators and coaches, recognizing the unique needs of each student and supporting their academic and social development.  

Scenes from a Classroom –

• Professor X begins each class with a meeting to check in on her students’ emotional well-being and proactively teach them specific coping skills & strategies. 
• Mr. X, in a science class, provides his students a menu of assessment options to illustrate their mastery of learning targets for the unit. 
• Mrs. X sets aside an hour of time each week for students to learn about and create anything they want, utilizing the framework she provides.

Modified from: https://www.leaderinme.org/blog/learning-theories/