Johanna Schicker’s Weblog

This week we dealt with the topic of Learning Theories and Principles. The virtual session focuses on the three most important theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism and Constructivism) and exemplifies their different ways of learning and teaching according to the role of the teacher, the learning strategies and several other factors.

While the theories of Cognitivism and Constructivism are quiet similar and rather modern, the theory of Behaviorism seems to be an example for a very old fashioned way of teaching. The aim is to “fill” the brain with as much knowledge as possible by giving input and repeating the input, respectively learning by heart. Furthermore, the teacher plays the role of an authority.

Contrary to that, Cognitivism focuses on “explorative learning” and wants the student to be more active and involved into the learning process. The teacher is in the role of a tutor who helps the students to learn more autonomously. Constructivism pursues nearly the same target and wants knowledge to be constructed by the learner and not instructed by the teacher who is seen as a coach, having a supportive function.

In my opinion, Behaviorism cannot be that successful than the other two theories. Nowadays, lessons have to be interesting and should catch the students interest. Giving just an input and repeating it several times is not only less effective but also quite boring. The students have to become little explorers who have to learn that they should “grapple” with their environment and the world they live in. In addition, teachers are not strict authorities anymore. They have to help the students to get prepared for their life by teaching them methodological and social skills which provide them with the important ability to cooperate, communicate, structure information and so on. . .

Last week we discussed the importance of new media and computer of the present day, especially for teenager. We listened to an interesting interview with Mark Bauerlein (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzNkW2eyR-I) who states: “Young Americans are the dumbest generation”. From his point of view, the youth is spending too much time with watching TV and checking their facebook. Bauerlein complains about the lifestyle of the “digital culture” and the fact, that students are spending less time in libraries and museums. In his opinion, they have forgotten about the “old-fashioned” ways to communicate with friends: instead of writing a letter or meeting for a coffee they are using the internet in order to keep themselves informed etc.

In my opinion, Mister Bauerlein is right in SOME kind. Surely, there are many teenagers who are spending many hours in front of their computer each day playing several games etc. But we definately have to differentiate between those teenagers and other students who are using the internet as a tool for academic reason. As a student of the Philipps University in Marburg for example, it is obligated to use the internet for course sign-ups or the learner platform in order to get important bibliography or handouts for several courses, etc.

Concering his opinion about communication skills, we have to consider that friendship has changed: nowadays, we have friends all over the world and we also want to keep in touch when our fellow students are studying abroad. Furthermore, the entire world got more and more global, especially economics. Therefore, cooperators from a certain factory in different countries need a reliable and quick communication tool, like the internet!!! They cannot wait for two weeks until the letter with important information from Russia arrives e.g. in the USA.

That’s the way it works nowadays. Consequently, we – as future teachers – have to pick up the importance of the digital world. On the one hand, in order to prepare the students for several demands. Not only for using the internet as a research and communication tool but also e.g. for giving agood power point presentation etc. On the other hand we should bear in mind that the students will be more interested in and concentrated on the lessons when we work with new media instead of boring didactic teaching.