FACILITATING

LEARNERS- Centered
TEACHING
Prepared by:
JOANN D. JACOB, LPT
Instructor
 Learning

• is a process that brings together personal and

environmental experiences and influences for
acquiring and reaching or modifying one‟s
knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, behavior, and
world views (“Education,” n.d.).
 The definition of learning covers the following
elements:

a. It is a long-term change (though it does not

necessarily last forever).
b. The change is brought about by experience.
c. It does not include changes that are
physiological like maturation, mental illness,
fatigue, hunger or the like.
d. It involves mental representation or association,
presumably, it has its basis in the brain.
 Types of Learning
a. Motor Learning. It is a form of learning for one to maintain and go through daily life activities
as for example, walking, driving, climbing, and the like. These activities involve motor
coordination.
b. Verbal Learning. It involves the use of spoken language as well as the communication devices
used. Signs, pictures, symbols, words, figures, and sounds are tools used in such activities.

c. Concept Learning. It is a form of learning which requires the use of higher order mental
processes like thinking, reasoning, and analyzing. It involves two processes: abstraction and
generalization.
d. Discrimination Learning. It is learning to differentiate between stimuli and responding
appropriately to these stimuli. An example is being able to distinguish the sound of horns of
different vehicles like bus, car, and ambulance.
 Types of Learning

e. Learning Principles. It is learning principles related to

science, mathematics, grammar, and the like. Principles show the
relationship between two or more concepts, some examples of
which are formulas, laws, associations, correlations, and the like.
f. Problem Solving. This is a higher-order thinking process.
This learning requires the use of cognitive abilities – such as
thinking, reasoning, observation, imagination, and generalization.
g. Attitude Learning. It is a predisposition which determines
and predicts behavior. Learned attitudes influence one‟s behavior
toward people, objects, things, or ideas.
 Learner-centered

• is a perspective that focuses on individual learners – their

heredity, experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, talents,
interests, capacities, and needs, with a focus on learning – the
best available knowledge about learning and how it occurs, and
about teaching practices that are most effective in promoting
the highest levels of motivation, learning and achievement for
all learners.
 Theories of learning

• Behaviorism is a world view that assumes the learner

is essentially passive, responding to environmental
stimuli.
• This perspective emerged in the early 1900s through
the research efforts of Ivan Pavlov and Edward
Thorndike who made more objective studies about
learning as opposed to the studies on learning which
relied heavily on introspection.
 Following are the basic assumptions of behaviorism,
which many behaviorists share (Ormrod, 2015).

a. Principles of learning should apply equally to

different behaviors and to a variety of animal
species. This is on the assumption that humans
and other animals learn in similar ways. Thus
behaviorists-researchers apply to humans what
they have derived from the studies of animals
 Following are the basic assumptions of behaviorism,
which many behaviorists share (Ormrod, 2015).

b. Learning processes can be studied most

objectively when the focus of study is on the
stimuli and responses. It is argued that stimuli and
responses are observable and measurable which
contribute to objectivity of studying learning.
 Following are the basic assumptions of behaviorism,
which many behaviorists share (Ormrod, 2015).

c. Internal processes tend to be excluded or minimized in

the theoretical explanations. This thinking stemmed from
the argument that these internal behaviors cannot be
directly observed. Recently, however, there has emerged
a thinking propounded by neo-behaviorists that learning
is better understood if cognitive processes be included as
factor that explains learning.
 Following are the basic assumptions of behaviorism,
which many behaviorists share (Ormrod, 2015).

c. Internal processes tend to be excluded or minimized in the

theoretical explanations. This thinking stemmed from the
argument that these internal behaviors cannot be directly
observed. Recently, however, there has emerged a thinking
propounded by neo-behaviorists that learning is better
understood if cognitive processes, be included as a factor,
that explains learning.
 Following are the basic assumptions of behaviorism,
which many behaviorists share (Ormrod, 2015).

d. Learning involves a behavior change.

e. Organisms are born as blank slates.
f. Learning is largely the result of environmental events.
g. The most useful theories tend to be parsimonious(or
concise).
 The areas of application of theories under behaviorism
are listed below: (Ormrod, 2015
and Kelly, September, 2012)

a. Drill/Rote work g. Giving of rewards

b. Repetitive practice h. Applying punishment
c. Giving bonus points i. Giving feedback
d. Giving participation j. Positive reinforcement
points k. Token reinforcers
e. Verbal reinforcement L. Negative
f. Establishing rules reinforcement
 Cognitivism or Cognitive Constructivism

• Cognitivism requires active participation in

order to learn and actions are seen as a
result of thinking. Knowledge can be seen as
schema or symbolic mental constructions,
thus learning is defined as 9 change in a
learner's schemata. Changes in behavior are
observed but this only indicates what is
going on in the learner‟s head.
 Examples and applications of the cognitive learning theory
(Kelly, September
2012).

a. Classifying or chunking information

b. Linking concepts (associate new content with something known)
c. Providing structure (organizing lectures in efficient and meaningful
ways)
d. Real world examples
e. Discussions
f. Problem-solving
g. Analogies
h. Imagery/providing pictures
i. Mnemonics
 Social Constructivism

As a worldview or paradigm that emerged in the

1970s and 1980s, it posits that learning is an active
constructive process. The learner himself constructs
knowledge. People actively construct or create their
own representation of objective reality. New
information is linked to prior knowledge, thus mental
representations are subjective. Learning is seen as
an active contextualized process of constructing
knowledge instead of simply acquiring it.
 Social Constructivism

The theory is about preparing the individual to solve

problems. Thus, the individual needs to have a wide and
significant base of knowledge upon which to create and
interpret ideas.
 Following are some applications of social constructivism (Kelly,
September 2012).

a. Case Studies
b. Research Projects
c. Problem Solving
d. Brainstorming
e. Collaborative Learning/Group Work
f. Discovery Learning
g. Simulations
 Cognitive Social
Behaviorism Constructivism Constructivism

View of Knowledge is a repertoire Knowledge systems of Knowledge is constructed

Knowledge of behavioral responses to cognitive structures are within social context
environmental stimuli. actively constructed by through interactions with a
learners based on cognitive knowledge community.
structures.

View of Learning Passive absorption of a Active assimilation and Integration of students into
predefined body of accommodation of new a knowledge community.
knowledge by the learner. information to existing Collaborative assimilation
Promoted by repetition and cognitive structures. and accommodation of
positive reinforcement. Discovery by learners. new information.

View of Motivation Extrinsic, involving positive Intrinsic, learners set their Intrinsic and extrinsic.
and negative own goals and motivate Learning goals and motives
reinforcement. themselves to learn. are determined both by
learners and extrinsic
rewards provided by the
knowledge community.
 Cognitive Social
Behaviorism Constructivism Constructivism

Implications for Correct behavioral Teacher facilitates learning Collaborative learning is

Teaching responses are transmitted by by facilitated and guided by
teachers and absorbed by providing an environment the
students. that promotes discovery teacher. Group work.
and assimilation or
accommodation
 Social Learning Theory

This theory was espoused by Albert Bandura who works

with both cognitive and behaviorist frameworks that
embrace attention, memory, and motivation. This theory
suggests that people learn within a social context and
that learning is facilitated through concepts like
modeling, observational learning, and imitation. Bandura
put forward “reciprocal determinism" that holds the view
that a person's behavior, environment, and personal
qualities all reciprocally influence each other.