P5

Comprehensive Definition and Objectives of Learning

• Learning is defined as the acquisition of a knowledge-based used with fluency to make sense of the world, solve problems, and make decisions.

• Primary Learning Targets for Medical Laboratory Science include:

  • Developing a comprehensive understanding of what is meant by learning.

  • Enumerating the specific principles that govern how learning occurs.

  • Identifying the practical implications of these principles for teaching strategies.

• Learning occurs most effectively when the environment is facilitative, a concept based on the components that make up a learning environment.

General Principles of Learning According to Horne and Pine ($1990$)

• Learning is an internal experience that occurs inside the learner and must be activated by the learner themselves.

• The process involves the discovery of personal meaning and the relevance of ideas to the individual's own context.

• Learning is characterized as behavioral change, which serves as a direct consequence of experience.

• The process is inherently cooperative and collaborative; cooperation among participants fosters better learning outcomes.

• Learning is recognized as a process that can sometimes be painful, requiring effort and adaptation.

• The most abundant and rich resource available for the learning process is the learner themselves.

• The process of learning is not strictly cognitive; it is emotional as well as intellectual.

• Problem-solving and learning methodologies are highly unique and individual to each person.

The Primary Laws of Learning Developed by Thorndike ($1932$)

• Law of Effect:

  • Learning is significantly strengthened when it is accompanied by a pleasant or satisfying feeling.

  • Conversely, learning is weakened when it is associated with an unpleasant feeling.

  • Proper learning takes place when it results in satisfaction and the learner derives pleasure from the experience.

• Law of Exercise:

  • Memory is enhanced through repetition; things that are most often repeated are the best remembered.

  • Instruction must account for the fact that students do not learn complex tasks in a single session.

• Law of Readiness:

  • Individuals learn most effectively when they are physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to engage with the material.

  • Learning is inhibited if the individual sees no reason or purpose for engaging in the learning process.

Additional Laws and Principles for Effective Instruction

• Law of Primacy:

  • The things learned first create the strongest and most lasting impression on the student.

  • It is vital that what is taught is correct the first time to avoid the persistence of incorrect information.

• Law of Recency:

  • Information and skills most recently learned are the most likely to be remembered by the student.

• Law of Intensity:

  • The likelihood of learning increases with the intensity of the material taught; more intense experiences result in deeper learning.

• Law of Freedom:

  • Things that are learned freely are learned the best.

  • There is a direct correlation between the freedom enjoyed by students in a classroom and their resulting intellectual and moral advancement.

Reference Materials and Source Documentation

• Source Text: Corpuz, B.B., and Salandanan, G.G. ($2013$). Principles of Teaching $1$ ($3\text{rd}$ edition). Published by Lorimar Publishing CP., INC.

• Curriculum Context: Module #$5$ Student Activity Sheet for Principles and Strategies of Teaching in Medical Laboratory Science.

• Associated Reading: Pages $32-40$ of the referenced manual.

Questions & Discussion

• What specific components does a learning environment consist of?

• Under what conditions is a learning environment considered to be facilitative to the student?

• How should Thorndike's laws of learning be represented in a graphic organizer to illustrate their connections?

• What is the explanation for the Law of Effect in your own words relative to student satisfaction?