Department Education Studies

Level Undergraduate Level 1

Module leader Sarah Dahl

Credit value 15

Module duration 10 weeks

Assessment 100% coursework

Study location University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introduction

This module introduces students to various theories outlining how human beings learn. The module covers leading child development theorists perspectives on learning in the early years (such as Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky) as well as exploring the work of theorists who explore learning from the perspective of older children, young people and adults. By the end of the module you will have acquired the tools for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of contrasting learning theories. This module also aims to give you an insight in to the relationship between social values, culture and theories of learning.

Principle Module Aims and Outcomes

• To introduce students to a range of theorists and theories relating to education and learning for three complementary reasons:
  • to give a basic knowledge of the range of theories and theorists relating to education, development and learning.
  • to afford opportunities to critically consider how such theories relate to educational practice.
  • to interrogate own learning in light of these.
• To discuss and debate concepts relating to lifelong learning and how it relates to the student's own continued learning.

Syllabus

• What is a learning theory?
  How are theories made and how do they become legitimised and validated? What is a learning theory? What distinct categories of learning theory exist?
• Behaviourism
  This session examines behaviourism from an historical and applied perspective. By the end of the session students will be familiar with the ideas of key behaviourist theorists such as Thorndike, Watson, Pavlov and Skinner. Students will explore contemporary teaching and learning practices that utilise behaviourist theory.
• Learning in a social matrix
  This session examines how the interplay of culture and society affects learning. By the end of the session students will be familiar with the ideas of key social learning theorists such as Vygotsky and Bandura. Students will explore contemporary teaching and learning practices that utilise social learning theory
• Cognitivism
  This session examines the principle that learning involves processing information in the mind which translates into changes in the individual's behaviour and beliefs and how they categorise experience. By the end of the session students will be familiar with the ideas of key cognitivist theorists such as Piaget, Bandura and Bruner. However, particular emphasis will be placed on students comprehending the complexity of Piaget's theories on 'stages of Development' and 'Schema Formation'.
• Constructivism
  This session examines how learners construct an internal understanding of the world. The session will explore the relationship constructivist theorist see as existing between language and learning. Particular emphasis will be placed on exploring Bruner's theory of 'Discovery Learning'. Students will be encouraged to evaluate Bruner's theory with reference to other related theorists' work such as Piaget, Vygotsky and Bandura.
• Psychoanalysis
  This session will explore the principle that humans go through psycho-social stages of development. By the end of the session students will be familiar with the work of key theorists such as Freud, Jung and Erikson. Particular emphasis will be placed on exploring Erikson's theory of psycho-social development. Students will explore contemporary teaching and learning practices that utilise psycho-social theory.
• Humanism
  This session explores the Humanist value that the goal of human development is self-actualisation. By the end of the session students will be familiar with the work of key theorists such as Maslow, Mezirow, Montessori and Rogers. Students will explore how these different theorists interpreted concepts such as 'learner-centred', 'an holistic approach to learning' and 'transformative learning'. Contemporary case studies of how this theory is put in to practice will be shared and evaluated.
• Ecological Theory
  This session explores how all learners learn in contexts that will have dynamic and evolving cultural features. By the end of the session students will be familiar with Bronfenbrenner's theory of 'The Ecology of Human Development' and his ecological model of human development. Students will be encouraged to evaluate Bronfenbrenner's theory whilst also considering related theories such as Bandura's theory on Social Learning.
• Contemporary Theories
  This session will explore the latest trends in learning theory and evaluate what these theories imply about how learner identity and autonomy is being defined, challenged and redefined at this stage of the 21 st century.
• 21st Century Learning
  This session will explore the idea that the 21st century requires learners to learn in new and adaptive ways that are different to those required in the 20th century. Students will be asked to reflect upon the varied theories they have studied over the course and present their own evaluations of which learning theories are the most relevant and valuable within today's learning contexts.

Study time

Type	Required
Lectures	10 sessions of 1 hour (6%)
Seminars	10 sessions of 2 hours (11%)
Private study	120 hours (69%)
Assessment	25 hours (14%)
Total	175 hours

Assessment

	Weighting	Study time
Applying theory to educational practice	100%	25 hours
You will identify one theorist's theory (or part of the theory). You will describe and critique this theory and consider how the ideas might be applied to one aspect of educational practice that you have outlined. Further guidance and discussion regarding this essay will be provided in sessions.