Rank five learning theories based on their strengths and limitations and how they fit with your ideas and preferences.

INTRODUCION:

All concepts in psychology are based in the structure of theories. In turn, these theories and the concepts from them are tested through research. Following results from research, theories and their concepts are often modified and refined then tested again. This is the cycle of theory and research. Through research findings, we are able to discover which ideas are solid and which are speculation. Solid ideas are applied to all areas of human functioning. Through this application, we are able to contribute positively to human development and help solve problems and improve lives.

For this assessment, you will focus on and evaluate theories and concepts that are related to learning—our own and others'. Every theory has its strengths and value in its applications as well as its limitations. It is good to be familiar with multiple theories so that they can be applied according to their strengths. Where they have limitations, you can apply other theories and their concepts. The theories you will explore through this assessment are behaviorism, humanism, cognitivism, social cognitive, and constructivism. These theories are foundational to the study of human learning and cognition. They each offer something unique to consider about your own and others' learning processes.

OVERVIEW:

This is a two-part assessment. Use the Learning Theories Comparison [DOCX] worksheet to complete the assessment.

1. First, complete the theory comparison in the worksheet.
2. Once you complete the theory comparison, complete the self-evaluation chart within the same worksheet. Reflect on your performance on the rubric criteria for the assessment to complete the self-evaluation.

Submit your worksheet for grading once you have completed both Part 1 and Part 2. The instructions for both parts are below.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Part 1: Learning Theories Comparison

Use the Learning Theories Comparison [DOCX] worksheet to complete your assessment. In this assessment you will consider five broad learning theories and their value in education. Read about these theories in Chapter Two of your Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice textbook and other professional sources of your choosing, and cite your sources in the chart. Provide full references at the end of the chart under References.

You may recognize some of these learning theories as overlapping with human developmental theories. In the context of this course, we will consider how they apply in education and other forms of learning. Many subtheories have emerged from these broad theories, and we delve into some of those later in the course.

Each theory has its strengths and limitations in understanding learning processes. Often, education is delivered through a combination or integration of the theories. It is first important to learn their distinctions before we can intentionally integrate them.

You will rank the following learning theories in the order that you prefer them. Challenge yourself to think beyond what you know and really consider how the theories work when they are applied.

• Behaviorism.
• Humanism.
• Cognitivism.
• Social cognitive.
• Constructivist.

Use your textbook and other resources to inform yourself about the theories as well as their strengths and limitations and to identify examples of them. Make sure to cite your sources with in-text citations as you go, and provide the full references for them following the chart.

1. First, rank the theories according to how they resonate with you, or how you see their value in learning. Do this by placing the name of theory in rank order of your preference in the 1) Rank column.
2. Summarize each of the ranked theories. Make sure you paraphrase, not copy and paste information from your sources. Cite your source; but avoid quoting, so you can demonstrate your understanding of theory. Summarize each theory in at least two well-developed paragraphs.
3. Explain the strengths of each of the five theories.
4. Explain the limitations of each of the five theories.
5. Provide examples of each of the five theories in action in learning. You can use personal or professional examples of your own, pull examples from resources, or use a combination of examples of your own and those from sources. If you use examples from sources, make sure to cite them in the box and provide the full references at the end of the document.
6. Describe thoughts that you have about the theory. What is your reaction to the theory? What did you learn about the theory or how the theory applies?

Part 2: Self-Evaluation

Conduct a self-evaluation using the eight established scoring criteria and identifying the proficiency level for each criterion. The distinguished levels of the criteria are listed in the chart.

Identify the level of your performance as either:

• Nonperformance.
• Basic.
• Proficient.
• Distinguished.

Provide a description of your reason for each score that you gave yourself. In this description, you can use first person since you are reflecting on your own performance.

REQUIREMENTS:

Your assessment should also meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• Resources: Support your work with at least three professional sources, such as a textbook or other course resources, or with peer-reviewed scholarly resources, which are articles from professional journals.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting guidelines. Refer to Evidence and APA page on Campus for guidance.
• Template: Use the Learning Theories Comparison [DOCX] worksheet to complete the assessment.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

SOURCES:

Familiarize yourself with the five learning theories that you address in this assessment.

• Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice:
  • Chapter 2, "Traditional Learning Theories."
    • This chapter overviews classic foundational theories in learning. Look at these broad theories to get an understanding of the history and foundation of learning, which forms the basis of where we are today in terms of applied theory and research in educational delivery.
• Read the additional resources in this section of the reading list:
  • Assessment 1: Learning Theories.

Application

Use these interactive activities to practice applying what you have learned to test your knowledge.

• Classical Conditioning.
• Instrumental Conditioning Case Studies.
• Major Learning Theories.

Theories of pedagogy and andragogy are rooted in cognitive theory. Use the following resources to gain an understanding of these concepts.

• Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice:
  • Chapter 3, "Andragogy: The Art and Science of Helping Adults Learn.”
    • This chapter will help you understand the theories of pedagogy and andragogy, both of which are based in cognitive theory.
• Read and view additional resources in this section of the reading list:
  • Assessment 1: Pedagogy and Andragogy.

GRADING COMPETENCIES:

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply learning and cognitive psychology theories to educational practice.
  • Summarize five learning theories
  • Explain the strengths of five learning theories.
  • Explain the limitations of five learning theories.
• Competency 2: Analyze a personal learning process through theory and research.
  • Apply five learning theories to examples of learning.
  • Explain personal thoughts about five learning theories.
• Competency 4: Apply metacognitive strategies to assess personal performance quality.
  • Assess personal performance on assessment tasks, including the proficiency for each criterion and an explanation of the scores.
• Competency 5: Communicate with clear purpose, organization, evidence, tone, and sentence structure.
  • Address the assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
  • Use APA style formatting for citations and reference list with only minor errors.