ESSAY ON LEARNING THEORIES

Learning theories are the set of knowledge obtained from

scientifically established hypotheses about the development of learning in the being
human, they are sets of knowledge acquired through observation and
experimentation and try from different epistemological perspectives to give a
explanation of the learning phenomenon, which according to Robbins, learning is
any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs
as a consequence of an experience.
Then, as is logical, the knowledge of these theories by professionals
education is of vital importance for actions to be implemented
that allow a more complete process, and consequently achieve the much-desired
meaningful learning in students and learners in general.

We are in increasingly complex temporal contexts in which to

education refers; societies progress, just like knowledge
scientists and the scope of the different professions that are being managed in
the needs of the social group. The way in which human beings acquire
information and use it for a specific purpose have also changed, the sources
data is vast, from the application of new technologies such as the internet and
its derivatives, the students have obtained a learning tool
invaluable that we would have wished to have in previous times not so
distant. From my perspective and professional experience (higher education), I
they are presenting a series of educational processes at the same time that instead of achieving

more substantial learnings, it seems that learnings are being developed

machined, mnemonic, due to a commercial and labor perspective of the
education in which the goals are not the learnings themselves, nor the development
integral of the subject, but the competencies and professional skills, processes
learning mnemonics that only allow a utilitarian use of information,
valuable knowledge that is forgotten because it cannot be related
with significant elements of the profession. Now, the profession is not being demonized.
memory by no means, rather it is an analysis of the teaching worked by
teachers in higher education and the skills that students develop with
these processes are sometimes erroneous, because of what experience has left
professional, it is that for each type of knowledge, there is a type of methodology of
teaching and at the same time a special learning style, thus reiterating in
the summary, the knowledge on the part of the teachers, administrators, advisors, and
other education professionals regarding learning theories is
obligatory and necessary to perform our functions correctly,
coherent and that allow for valuable learning for our students.

To understand the different theories, a process, like how humans learn,

There are different approaches that allow us to clarify this cognitive process.
fundamental in any classroom activity, but we could assert that the great
most refer to learning as the way in which a subject (be it a student or
whoever acquires information and preserves it for a specific use, this
acquisition is explained from the manifestation of behavioral changes to the
development of complex cognitive processes, from simple reception of
information up to its analysis, from perspectives that mention
different stages and capabilities as the individual grows and matures, and from the
that see the subject as a mere receptor of information and its counterpart that places
the student in an interactive role and creator of their own knowledge.

Learning is considered an individual and endogenous process, as

Each subject has different ways of approaching bodies of knowledge.
that teachers intend to convey, but it is also true that the
manifestations of that knowledge can be studied from approaches
scientists, mainly based in psychology.

One of these approaches is behaviorism, which establishes learning as the

acquisition of new behaviors or conduct, this group of theories that
from classical conditioning to operant conditioning maintain a perspective
based on external stimuli through which the student is conditioned to
achieve learning, almost always these stimuli are negative reinforcements
(punishments) that provoke an extrinsic motivation perpetuate rote learning,
dependence on the teacher's image to control and guide the E-A process,
in addition to all this, behaviorism causes the student to be more concerned about
to obtain a passing grade that truly achieves learning
significant. Have only negative practices been perpetuated in the process of
teaching-learning thanks to behaviorism? No, not everything is bad from the
behaviorist approach to learning applied to education, also thanks to
this model can reinforce specific learning and exercise memory
as an initial learning process, which in some cases allows to internalize the
more meaningful information.

This philosophical approach tells us that:

Students are individual, unique entities, different from others; people.
with initiative, with personal needs to grow, with potential to
develop activities and creatively solve problems. In your
conception, students are not beings that only participate cognitively but
people with particular affections, interests, and values, to whom it must
consider oneself in their total personality. (García, F. A. n.d.:p. 4)

Thanks to humanism, the concept of student changed completely.

Consequently, the educational objectives were transformed and therefore the purpose of
learning as well, since we change to learning where not only do we
consider behaviors and cognitive processes, they must also be considered
the values, spirituality, and morality of the student, that is, an education
integral, where the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and moral dimensions
be in harmony so that the student achieves what has been called a
meaningful learning.
Constructivism and its classroom application, according to Mark Windschitl (2002), suggests that

the following activities promote meaningful learning based on the

constructivism
Teachers provoke ideas and experiences in students in relation
with fundamental themes, and then organize learning situations that
they help them to develop or restructure the knowledge they have.
Students have frequent opportunities to participate in activities
complex and meaningful based on problems.
Teachers offer students a variety of resources.
information, as well as the tools (technological and conceptual)
necessary to mediate learning.
Teachers explicitly demonstrate their own processes of
thoughts to the learners, and encourage them to engage in the same type of dialogue
reflective, writing, drawings or other representations.
Students are routinely asked to apply their knowledge.
in diverse and authentic contexts, that explain their ideas, interpret texts,
predict phenomena and build arguments based on evidence, in
place to focus solely on acquiring 'correct answers'
predetermined.
Teachers, together with the conditions described earlier, promote the
reflective and autonomous thinking of the students.

Talking about learning theories leads us to define what is understood by

learning in itself. In a broad sense, learning refers to a process of
through which knowledge is acquired. Learning is acquiring new
information and new answers or modify previous answers. Understood this way
Learning is understanding. When a subject learns, they do not just receive.
information, but rather seeks to adapt it to later experiences, with the aim
to deepen and enrich their knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Thus,
what is learned allows for a certain mastery over the subject and can
to grow through appropriate experiences that put it into practice. This
The process of retention and subsequent application promotes future learning.

Different psychological theories, based on different paradigms, have

contributed with their inputs to define and recognize what should be understood as
to learn. Saying learning implies referring to the subject that learns and to their
different internal processes that make up the structure of your personality. One
this process is related to thought and its development.

These issues are taken into account by Pedagogy, as a science that

studies the problem of education in its theoretical foundation; and through Didactics,
that does it from a practical perspective in order to guide action
educational. Since education must be comprehensive, it should encompass all
aspects of the human being. That is why Pedagogy is based on knowledge
psychological aspect of the child and adolescent. The teacher's task is to educate the student; not

only taking into account what is taught, (mathematics, language, history,

geography, etc.), but also showing interest in the development of their faculties or
potentialities. Knowing the psychological part of the child and teenager, the
The teacher can better guide their educational action by choosing techniques and methods.
teaching that corresponds to each stage of the subject's development. We must have
domain then of all learning theories in order to perform
our function in a holistic and comprehensive way, allowing the student to achieve
its potentials, and in my case, allowing university students not to
develop only theoretical knowledge applicable to a professional area
specific, but rather to instill in them values and attitudes characteristic of
successful professionals, who are always subordinated to the needs of the
society and serve to foster development in our municipality, state and
country.