Running head: LEARNING THEORY 1
Customized Learning Theory
Stephanie Brownlee
Liberty University
4977 Union Road Lot 5 Tifton, GA
sgbrownlee@liberty.edu (229)402-5075
July 8, 2016
LEARNING THEORY 2
Learning Theory
The theory of learning is gradually evolving with the development of children. Many
ideas suggest that student learn from repetitiveness, motivational, and other significant ways
(Baumfield 2016). Learning is divided into various stages. First, children learn diversely as they
evolve in life. For instance, kindergartners are not able to process information the same as fifth
graders. For this reason alone, there are different grade levels. However, although the stages of
learning are set as an outline, some children have additional influences that affect their
advancement. For example, some things can solidify a child’s learning process, as well as
decrease and affect the child’s learning process through the influence of parents and culture. The
movie The Waterboy is a great illustration of how a child is taught through cultural influences,
then attend school and discover alternative views. In this film, the character Bobby Boutcher is
seen being educated by his mother was “The Devil”. Bobby soon found out that it was okay to
become informed on things and that the mother only wanted to impose her personal beliefs on
him. When in class a professor asked him a specific question about alligators. Bobby answered
the question based on his prior knowledge given to him by his mother. Bobby became angry
when the professor gave him the correct answer.
The theory of learning is comprised of key elements presented by Jean Piaget and Lev
Semionovich Vygotsky. Children have the ability to learn in different stages with the impact of
prior knowledge and outside influential authorities. Jean Piaget, an incredibly prominent
psychologist, has one of the most popular theories of cognitive development. Piaget stressed that
a child will learn different aspects of development at different stages of their lives. Piaget
proposed that children learn according to the events that they experience and how they make
sense of it. Piaget also presented the idea of schema, or repetitions of behavior or thinking. As a
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child matures, he or she uses prior experience to manage an encounter. For instance, a young
child may see a quarter and call it a “big nickel”. This is an example of schema by way of
assimilation. Assimilation is the concept that children apply old information to new information
(Slavin 2015). In this case, the child applied prior knowledge of a coin, known as a nickel, and
referred it to the new item, a quarter.
According to Piaget, there are some occurrences in which notions may not make logic to
the child. This concept is called accommodation; in which a child may have to alter their schema
to process the new information (Slavin 2015). The four stages of development include:
sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. The beginning stage,
or the sensorimotor stage starts at birth and ranges to age two. This stage is when children
discover their bodies such as, lips, ear, and fingers. Infants are born with reflexes, or responses to
stimuli. When a mother is changing a baby’s diaper and put a cold wipe to clean the child, the
baby may jump in a reaction or reflex to the cold wipe touch their bottom. Another key element
during this stage is object permanence. Object permanence is the understanding that an object is
still existing even though it is not still in their physical possession. The second stage of
development is the preoperational stage. During this phase children age ranges from two to
seven, and are able to think about things and use symbols to make sense of things (Slavin, 2015).
However, students lack conservation during this stage. Therefore, children do not process the fact
that certain properties of an object remain the same regardless of change. For example, a child in
the preoperational stage is said to believe a sandwich cut into four pieces will think there is more
sandwich to eat (Slavin, 2015).
The preoperational stage is also the stage where children are more perceptive to
substances, otherwise known as centration (Baumfield 2016). This is important for elementary
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teachers because students learn through the use of objects, so teacher should take advantage of
the use of manipulatives like learning blocks, bingo chips, and even Skittles. In addition, youth
in this stage feel as if everyone has the same perceptions of the world as themselves. They are
egocentric in their thinking. Moreover, the third stage is known as concrete operational. This
stage includes children ranging from seven to eleven years of age. Within this stage, children
began to think more logically and gain responsibility (Heo, Hahn, Koch, Aydin 2011). They
develop an inferred reality. Inferred reality refers to the idea of children understanding things in
context (Slavin 2015). Furthermore, a child masters the awareness of transitivity, or mentally
comparing and arranging objects. By the end of the stage, children are able to add, subtract,
divide, and multiply mentally.
The final stage is formal operational. The ages in this phase are eleven to adulthood.
Preadolescents began to think abstractly. During this stage, students more often reach puberty, in
which most girls began menstruation (Zhou, Brown 2014). Piaget believed, young adults are
more reasonable and handle situations they have not yet encountered before.
Lev Semionovich Vygotsky is another influential psychologist that contributed to the
theory of learning by stating intellectual development can be understood only in terms of the
historical and cultural contexts children experience (Slavin, 2105). Vygotsky proposed that
development varies based on the signs system and familiarity. He believed that based on a
person’s culture, one will solve problems differently from the other. Development occurs as a
child’s internalizes theses signs in order to think about and solve issues with the assistance of
others. This is called self-regulations and the initial step is learning the consequences of actions
and sounds. Vygotsky proposed the idea of private speech. This means a child merges the speech
of others and helps themselves solve a problem. Studies have proved that children who use
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private speech are able to learn complex task more effectively (Slavin 2015). Vygotsky also
believed that a child will learn more effectively when in their own zone of proximal
development. In this zone, a child is not able to grasp concepts with some help. This means the
child has not yet learned the concepts and can be taught. The zone of proximal development is
also known as the “teachable moment”. Students learn more complex ideas in the mediation
period. Mediation can expose a child to higher level ways of thinking and problem solving.
Teaching is something that is a feeling. During the course of an educators’ educational
pursuance, one will always be probed about his or her aspirations to be a teacher. Professors may
ask, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” The response should be simple, “Ye without a
doubt”. In this profession, it is imperative for one to realize that children are the future and will
only prosper with efficient education. Therefore, one should strive to change the life of a child
through sincerity and dedication. “Let all that you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14).”
When one discusses their passion, one should feel so avid about it that it brings tears to their
e yes.
As a proficient educator, one should strive to reach every student in the classroom. Each
child has the ability to be taught. Teaching demands alternative strategies to teach each child. Not
every child learns the same way. Therefore, a teacher has to present and maintain different
strategies to meet the needs of each student. Learning style surveys are put into action to reveal
the way a child learn. An effective teacher could also acquire about their classroom’s likes and
dislikes in order to ensure the attentiveness of their pupils. In order for one to be an effective
teacher there are some things that must be implemented: Motivating students, classroom
management, assessing prior knowledge, communicating ideas, knowing your students learning
styles, assessing learning outcomes, and reviewing information. A successful teacher is able to
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master each of these techniques and have effective instruction in his or her classroom.
Motivation is what thrives a child. Some are self-motivated, while others may need
accommodations.
Classroom management is essential. Students depend on their teacher to control the
classroom so that their educational needs are met. In order for the teacher to control the
environment there are some essential tools that play a major part. The teacher must take the time
to incorporate effective lesson plans. The lesson can be subject to change, but should be
implemented as a guide allowing the teacher to keep everything on track. Discipline is also vital
in a classroom. Discipline can be defined as a preventative action. Discipline in a classroom
prevents misbehavior in a class. The most affluent way to have great classroom management is
to be proactive. Once rules are established and students know what is expected of them, they
tend to reach expectations. Teachers should set expectations high so their students realize that the
sky is the limit. Students have different learning styles and also learn at different levels. Some
children can grasp concepts quicker and some need the extra help. In some classrooms,
particularly in reading class, teacher separate children in groups based on their skill level. This
allows those students that fast-paced to stay on a higher level and not get bored with what they
are reading. This is affective because students who are on a lower level do not have to feel less
secure with their own reading levels.
Learning is a never ending theory that is constantly changing with the use of technology and
other educational strategies. Students grasp concepts in different ways in different times of their
lives. A child will not be able to form a conclusion at the age of two, as they will at age fifteen.
The theory of learning is based on children evolving and emerging into more abstract thinkers in
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order to process for concrete date. The excellence of child and adolescent depends on the support
and proficiency of the educator. However, the belief is still present that every child CAN learn.
LEARNING THEORY 8
References
Joubish, M. F., & Khurram, M. A. (2011). Cognitive Development in Jean Piaget’s Work and its
Implications for Teachers. World Applied Sciences Journal 12, 12(8), 1260–1265
Heo, J., Han, S., Koch, C., & Aydin, H. (2011).
Piaget‟s Egocentrism and language learning: Language Egocentrism (LE) and language
differentiation (LD). Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(4).
doi:10.4304/jltr.2.4.733-739 In-line Citation: (Heo, Han, Koch, & Aydin, 2011)
Slavin, Robert E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (11th ed.). Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Van Brummelen, H. (2009) Walking with God in the Classroom Christian Approaches to
Teaching and Learning. Colorado Springs, CO. Purposeful Design Publications.
Zhou, Molly. Brown, David. (2014) Educational Learning Theories. Decatur. Creative
Commons Attribute.
