View on Learning Theories
There is truly only one learning theory, but has of right now there is no label for it. I will get back to this statement later in the blog.
Before I studied different kinds of learning theories, I always viewed myself as a visual learner, I learned mostly from real life experiences, hands on projects, strength in Mathematical and Science subjects. In my 11 years of studying Applied Behavioral Analysis, I would think, I fell in the behaviorist theory realm. When reading a handful of the different learning theories I found myself to still be in the behaviorist theory but to also add constructivism. When reading more and more about learning theories I would come to discover there are only two true learning theories; Cognitivism and Behaviorism. The rest of the theories-Social Learning, Adult Learners, Constructivism, Cognitive Dissonance, Lateral Thinking, and Sign Learning, all of these extra theories have similarities with Cognitive and Behaviorism, at times are mention as the bridge between them. Connectivism is really not a learning theory. It’s how people find ways to get the information so they can learn. In general Cognitivism theory relates to human thought process and Behaviorism as only observable behaviors should be studied. Cognitive covers everything inside the body, and behaviorism covers everything outside the body. Instead of researchers thinking of a new learning theory that seems a little different but still part of cognitive and behaviorism, why not try to come up with the new theory that wraps up the two real learning theories.
A human body is made up of multiple cells. Each cell has a DNA in it, which carries the genetic information. The cells function in the foot area is designed to be different than the function in a hand area. Even though both parts of the body are different they have the same DNA in both cells. Same goes with learning theories, we may have so many different kinds of learners in the world, but in all we only need one learning theory that covers all the different types of learners.
There is a yearly conference that is held on research towards this: Association for Behavioral Cognitive Therapy. ABCT believe “the person’s cognitive, emotions, and behaviors are connected and affect one another.” http://www.abct.org/Home/ Possibly ABCT would be the future theory we were looking for.
