#cognitive-constructivist

Check your learning styles at the door

Diverse learning theories provide a sign-post for understanding metacognition and cognitive learning styles.   Teachers, and prospective educators, should plan to make their instruction effective and productive.  A teacher who recognises students’ varied learning styles thru their own awareness of learning theories will, undoubtedly, make positive impacts in the classroom.  

A few pioneers in metacognitive development were Howard Gardner and Robert Gagne’.   Gardner, a professor at Harvard, directs Project Zero, a project for the study of creativity and cognition. 1 Gardner provided a new outlook on intelligence.  His work highlighted there’s more to intelligence than what’s measured on IQ tests.  He proposed that each individual has multiple types of intelligences, and described them in differing aspects such as:

·         Linguistic intelligence

·         Logical-mathematical intelligence

·         Musical intelligence

·         Spatial intelligence

·         Interpersonal intelligence

·         Intrapersonal intelligence

·         Naturalistic intelligence

·         Existential intelligence 2

On the other hand, Robert Gagne’ championed the cognitive-constructivist view of learning. Gagne’ published The Conditions of Learning which drew the relation of learning objectives (LO’s) to instructional designs. 3 

What’s changed since 1965 regarding technology and learning theories? Allot, actually. The internet and technology has progressed by leaps and bounds, and so too, has the pace of learning. Has ICT kept pace?  ICT is seen as having both great potential, and for revolutionising education.  PBL is one such example that has benefited from technology – as it’s primarily web-based.  Great investment (at both state and governmental levels) in computers has been made to enhance the science of learning. 4    With the support of ICT and its related components, many educational initiatives have been bolstered by technology and realise its sharp-edged successes.

[1] J. Duffy, J. McDonald, A. Mizell (2005). Teaching and learning with technology.  Pg. 22

[2] Ibid. Pg. 21

[3] Instructional development timeline, (n.d.) viewed 17 April 2011, http://my-ecoach.com/project.php?id=12152&project_step=28465