Music Learning Theories & Motivation Flashcards
(76 cards)
What do learning theories originate from?
Learning theories originate with questions. Questions lead researchers to conduct systematic observations on the basis of which plausible answers can be constructed. Systematic observations lead to theories.
What is the purpose of theories in learning?
The purpose of theories is to explain, predict, and possibly control outcomes. A particular theory stems from a particular perspective: thus, theories carry “worldviews” and they look at things through a “lens”
What is learning defined as?
Learning is a relatively permanent change in an organism’s capacity to make a response. Change is not due to maturation or temporary states.
Learning Theory Outcomes
Working with humans makes defining a single, best learning theory challenging. Each theory may reveal different aspects of the teaching/learning process. Theories can help us understand specific situations, but no one theory is comprehensive.
What are some assumptions about learning theories?
No single learning theory is adequate to account for all aspects of learning. A theory of learning does not automatically prescribe the best way to teach. What people learn through formal instruction is only a very small subset of what they know. Most learning takes place in the “natural world” - informal learning
What is classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning associates involuntary behavior with a stimulus. Conditioning can shape behaviors unintentionally.
Who discovered classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning was discovered by Ivan Pavlov through experiments with dogs. A natural stimulus paired with a conditioned stimulus can produce a response.
What did John Watson believe about classical conditioning?
That it underlies all human learning. He saw behaviors as “built-in” and argued conditioning occurs from birth through adulthood.
What are the Limits of Classical Conditioning?
Can it account for learning complex ideas like language or abstract theories? While not the sole explanation, it has a significant impact on behavior.
Behaviorism
Associates voluntary action with consequences
What did E. L. Thorndike study?
E. L. Thorndike studied learning behavior in cats, developing the learning curve to show gradual improvement over time. (Behaviorism)
What are the laws of learning proposed by Thorndike?
The laws of learning are: Law of Exercise and Law of Effect. Thorndike believes these laws apply to humans, though human learning is more complex.
Law of Exercise (Thorndike)
the more the behavior is practiced or exercised, the more strongly it will be established or “learned”.
B.F. Skinner & Operant Conditioning
Behavior can be shaped gradually through reinforcement (e.g. teaching a pigeon to dance). Rewards can be used to motivate learning - getting the right answer provides positive feedback.
What are Skinner’s beliefs on reinforcement?
Reinforcement influences learning in all areas: balancing, playing games, speaking, writing, etc. One environment builds a repertoire of behaviors through operant conditioning.
Law of Effect (Thorndike)
if the response to a stimulus has a pleasing effect (or the reward is worth it) the probability of the learner repeating that exact response is higher.
How Did Thorndike’s Law of Effect Differ from Classical Conditioning?
Thorndike’s views provided a more versatile learning mechanism than classical conditioning, allowing any response to any stimulus to be conditioned through immediate reinforcement. This approach suggested limitless possibilities for learning and behavior modification.
What did B.F. Skinner contribute to operant conditioning?
B.F. Skinner expanded on Thorndike’s ideas using rats and pigeons. He discovered that rewarding a behavior randomly rather than every time strengthens persistence.
What is Gestalt Theory?
Learning is something the learner actively does not just something that happens to them. Learners are mentally and physically active during the process.
Who are the key figures of Gestalt Theory and what did they have in common?
Kohler, Wertheimer, Koffka, Lewin. They all reject Locke’s atomistic view that our minds receive simple ideas that are later combined into complex ideas. To use Locke’s approach is to distort.
How does learning occur in Gestalt Theory?
Learning occurs through insight - an “aha” moment when elements of the problem connect clearly. Insight is not dependent on reinforcement like operant conditioning. The learner must understand the problem elements and have a surveyable overall view.
How is meaning achieved through Gestalt Theory?
Meaning is “built in” to the ideas we receive right at the start. Gestalt means “organization” or “configuration,” the point being that we experience the world in meaningful patterns or organized wholes.
According to Gestalt psychologists - what is important in understanding human learning?
We respond to meanings; we make intellectual connections. We learn something by achieving insight, by coming to “see” the link between certain ideas – not by reinforcement of our operant behavior.
The Gestalt Approach
We experience the world in meaningful patterns or organized wholes.
