Cognitive Approaches to Learning

Cognitive approaches to learning are concerned with how information is processed by learners.
Cognitive theories view students as active in “an internal learning process that involves memory, thinking, reflection, abstraction, motivation, and meta-cognition” (Ally, 2008). Students organize old knowledge, scripts, and schema, find relationships, and link new information to old (Cognitive Theories of Learning, n.d.). Ertmer and Newby (1993) note that “learning is a change in the state of knowledge, and is a mental activity where an active learner internally codes and structures knowledge” (p. 58). They believe that “the real focus of the cognitive approach is on changing the learner by encouraging him/her to use appropriate learning strategies” (Ertmer & Newby, 1993, p. 59).
Learn more about the definition of cognitivism in this video.

Contents [hide] 1 History of Cognitivism 2 Classifying Cognitivist Theories 2.1 ETEC 512 Classifications 2.2 Other Cognitive Theories 3 Key Components of Cognitive Learning Approaches 3.1 How Learning Occurs 3.2 Factors Influencing Learning 3.3 Role of Memory 3.4 Transfer 3.5 Types of Learning Best Explained 3.6 Instructional Design 3.7 Major Tasks of Teacher/Designer 4 Considerations for Learning 5 Cognitive Tools 5.1 Educational Technologies 6 Relevance of Cognitivist Approaches 6.1 Distributed Learning 7 Resources 8 References 9 External Links

History of Cognitivism

Cognitivist theories emerged in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a reaction against the previously dominant paradigm; whereas behaviourism focused on observable behaviour and the response of humans to environmental stimuli, cognitivism took into account the human mind and complex processes of the mind such as thinking, problem solving, and memory ( Schunk 2004/2007b).
Noam Chomsky challenged behavioral approaches in the 1950’s through his critique of B.F. Skinner’s book, Verbal Behavior (Chomsky, 1967). Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (later known as Social Cognitive Theory), stressed observational learning and was seen as a bridge between behaviorist and cognitive learning theories. Currently, cognitivism underlies the major theoretical perspectives of learning (Schunk, 2004/2007b).
 

Classifying Cognitivist Theories

Behaviorist, cognitivist, and constructivist ideas and principles overlap in many areas (Ally, 2008). Therefore, classifying theories is challenging; some theories fit in more than one classification and different sources classify the theories in different ways. For example, in some sources Jerome Bruner‘s Discovery Learning Theory is classified as cognitive (Using the Web for Learning: Background, n.d.) and not developmental (Cognitive Theories of Learning, n.d.). In other sources, Bruner is deemed developmental (Driscoll, 2005/2007). In still other sources, Bruner is considered constructivist (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2009). In addition, Albert Bandura is often classified as a behaviorist; however, Bandura, himself, claimed that he was never a behaviorist (From Behaviorism to Social Cognition??, n.d.).

ETEC 512 Classifications

Course materials in ETEC 512 classified theorists as follows:
Cognitive

• Social Cognitive Theory (Social Learning Theory) by Bandura
  • Bandura focused on observational learning and self-efficacy (Zeldin, Britner, & Pajares, 2008).

• Information Processing Theories by various theorists
  • The computer was seen as a metaphor for the mind (Schunk 2004/2007a).
  • Information was input and the mind processed the information, creating output (Information Processing, n.d.).
• Assimilation Theory (Meaningful Learning) by Ausubel
  • Ausubel focused on reception learning; he noted that the learner was active and thus he differentiated between rote and meaningful learning (Novak, 1998/2007).
  • Ausubel stressed the importance of the advance organizer.

Developmental

• Genetic Epistemology by Piaget
  • Piaget believed that experience with the environment affected knowledge acquisition.
  • His four stages of development detail how humans develop cognitively.
• Sociocultural Theory by Vygotsky
  • Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) details the difference between what a learner can do independently and what the leaner can do with help; independent learning may not take place, but scaffolded learning can.
• Discovery Learning by Bruner
  • Bruner describes representational stages, and emphasizes exploring the environment.

Concept Map of Cognitive and Developmental Theories
Using the computer metaphor of input and output, this concept map of the theories organizes the main principles. The component referring to an individual is shown on the left hand side of each theory diagram, while the social contribution is shown on the right hand side. 

http://sites.wiki.ubc.ca/etec510/Cognitive_Approaches_to_Learning