Learning and its components

Description
The report describes what is learning and different components of learning.

BY ? DR. M. C.  AGARWAL 

LEARNING
Definition:  “ Any relatively permanent change in behavior  that occurs as a result of experience. that occurs as a result of experience ” “Changes in behavior indicate that learning  “Changes in beha ior indicate that learning  has taken place and that learning is a change in  behavior. behavior ”

Components of Learning
1. Learning involves change. Change may be good g g g y g or bad from an organizational point of view. 2. The change must become ingrained. Immediate change may be only reflexive. 3. Some form of experience is necessary for learning. learning The experience must in a relatively e perience m st relati el permanent change in behavior.

THEORIES OF LEARNING
Definition D fi i i : Learning is any relatively permanent change in the behavior which occurs as a result of practice or experience. Learning can be an addition of new skill like how to use electronic computers. It can also be change in behavior ”

THEORIES OF LEARNING
Theories of Learning :   Th i   f L i    How do people learn? Why do some people learn faster than the others? How could learning be made more effective? There are several types of learning situation, each with its own ways of producing learning. Psychologists have pro?founded various theories in this regard which follows:

THEORIES OF LEARNING… Contd. 
1.

Classical Conditioning Theory (Pavlov): The essential operation in classical conditioning is a pairing of two stimuli: viz., Conditioned Stimulus and Unconditioned Stimulus
Unconditioned response (Salivation) Unconditioned response (Salivation)

Step 1. Unconditional Stimulus (Food) Step 2. Conditional stimulus paired with unconditioned stimulus (Buzzer followed closely in time, over many trials by food) Step 3. Conditional stimulus 3 (Buzzer alone)

Conditioned response (Salivation)

THEORIES OF LEARNING..Contd.
In classical conditioning experiment learning a conditioned response involves building up an association between a conditioned stimulus and an bet een stim l s unconditioned stimulus. When the stimuli, one co pe g a d t e ot e eut a , a e pa ed t e eut a compelling and the other neutral, are paired the neutral one becomes a conditioned stimulus and , hence takes on the properties of the unconditioned stimulus. Many of our subjective feelings may be conditioned responses. Many of these responses may have been acquired in very early childhood. This makes it difficult i di l hildh d Thi k diffi lt many a time to identify the origins of our emotional responses. However, it is possible something to discover their roots in ourselves and others.

THEORIES OF LEARNING… Contd.
Operant conditioning: B. F. Skinner 1971. A type of conditioning in which desired voluntary behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment. The tendency to repeat such behavior is influenced by the reinforcement or lack of reinforcement brought about by the i f b h b b h consequences of the behavior.

THEORIES OF LEARNING …Contd.
Operant Conditioning (Process Theory) In operant conditioning, a reinforcer is any stimulus or situation that strengthen the g response which precedes it. Reinforcer is something like a reward. A praise for the child for some achievement and a well done from the boss for some accomplishment are examples of reinforcers. B. F. Skinner, who has developed operant conditioning theory identified four types of consequences that can result from behavior.

THEORIES OF LEARNING …..Contd.
a) Positive reinforcement : It occurs where your

behavior results in something desirable happening to you-either you either tangible or psychological psychological.
b) Negative reinforcement : Occurs when your

behavior results in removing something you find annoying, frustrating or unpleasant. This “good” outcome increases your likelihood of repeating your behavior c) Punishment : Your behavior is punished when it results in something undesirable happening to you. Punishment decreases the likelihood of the response occurring in the future. Punishment can be tangible or psychological or be self administered

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
d) Extinction : When the person’s behavior no  longer produces the desired outcomes, the  longer produces the desired outcomes  the  behavior is less likely to occur in the future. 
Desirable  Consequences Undesirable  Consequences 

Trainee  Receives  Trainee  Loses 

Behavior Positively Reinforced Behavior Punished  (Extinction) (E ti ti )

Behavior Punished Behavior Negatively Reinforced R i f d

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
Social learning: A. Bandura 1977. We can learn through both observation and direct experience is called social learning theory . Much of what We have learned comes from watching models – parents , teachers, peers, film actors, bosses etc. Four processes are important: a) b) c) d) ) Attentional processes Retention processes Motor reproduction processes Reinforcement processes p

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
a) Attentional processes

People learn from a model only when they P l l f d l l h th recognize and pay attention to its critical features. features We tend to be most influenced by models that are attractive, repeatedly available, important to us, or similar to us in our estimation. b) Retention Processes A model’s influence depends on how well the individual remembers the model’s action after the model is no longer readily available. available

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
Motor reproduction processes After a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model, the watching must be converted to doing. This p g process then demonstrates that the individual can perform the modeled activities. d) R i f Reinforcement processes t Individuals are motivated to exhibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewards are provided. Behaviors that are positively reinforced are given more attention, learned better, and performed more often.
c)

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
Behavior modification  ? Beha ior modification   It represents the application of   reinforcement concepts to individuals in the  work setting. The typical Behavior  modification program follows a five?step  p g p problem?solving model:  (1) identify critical  behaviors; (2) develop baseline data; (3)  identify behavioral consequences; (4) develop  id tif  b h i l   ( ) d l   and implement an intervention strategy; and  (5) evaluate performance improvement.  (5) evaluate performance improvement  

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
Example : At Emery Air Freight , when packers were asked about th percentage of k k d b t the t f shipments contained in the container , the standard reply was 90 percent An analysis by percent. Emery found, however, that the actual container utilization rate was only 45 percent percent. In order to encourage employees to use containers, management established a program of feedback and positive reinforcements.

THEORIES OF LEARNING … Contd.
Each packer was instructed to keep a checklist of d il packings, b th containerized and non? f daily ki both t i i d d containerized. At the end each day, the packer computed th container utilization rate. Al t d the t i tili ti t Almost t unbelievably, container utilization jumped to more than 90 percent on the fi d of the h h first day f h program and held at that level. Emery reported that this simple program of f db k d h h l f feedback and positive reinforcements saved the company $2 million over a 3?year period.

Principles of Learning 
1. Every human being is capable of learning 2. 2 An adequate interest in and motive for learning is  3 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

essential because people are goal?oriented Learning is active, and not passive g , p People learn more and faster when they are  informed of their achievements People learn more by doing than by hearing  alone Time must be provided to practice what has been  learnt   A knowledge of the standards of performance  f f f makes learning effective   

Principles of Learning …Contd.
8.  Learning is cumulative process.  An individual’s 

reaction to any lesson is conditioned and  modified by what has been learned by him in  earlier lessons and by previous experience.  li  l   d b   i   i   Many of our subjective feelings may be  conditioned responses.  Many of these responses  conditioned responses   Many of these responses  may have been acquired in very early childhood.   This makes it difficult many a time to identify the  y y origins of our emotional responses.  However, it  is possible something to discover their roots in  ourselves and others.   l   d  h   

Principles of Learning …Contd.
9.  Early success increases an individual’s  chances  for effective learning 10.  Effective learning results when initial learning  is followed immediately by application 11.  The rate of learning decreases when complex  skills are involved 12.  L   Learning is closely related to attention and  i  i   l l   l d    i   d  concentration 13.  13   Learning is more effective when one sheds  one’s half?knowledge, prejudices, biases likes  and dislikes  

Principles of Learning …Contd.
14.  Learning to be successful should be related to learner’s experiences in life 15.  Trainees learn better when they learn at  5 y their own pace

The Kolb Learning Cycle 
Concrete Experience 

Testing the  implications  of concepts  in new  situations Formation of  abstract  concepts and  generalizations 

Observations  and reflections

Source : David A. Kolb, ‘On management and the learning process’, in Kolb, Rubin  Source   David A  Kolb  ‘On management and the learning process’  in Kolb  Rubin  and McIntyre (eds.) (1974) Organizational Psychology: A book of readings, 2nd edition, page 28. Reproduced by permission of David A. Kolb 

The Learning Process
Concrete experience C i Reflective observation Abstract conceptualization Active experimentation

The Learning Process
Concrete experience C i This is where the learner is personally involved p y in carrying out a task, and gains feedback on how well or how badly he or she has done it it. To be useful as a learning experience the learner must be aware of what is happening.

The Learning Process
Reflective b R fl i observation i Without reflecting on the experience it may g p y quickly be forgotten or its learning potential lost. lost It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from thi reflection and analysis that f this fl ti d l i th t generalizations or concepts may be generated.

The Learning Process
Abstract conceptualization Abstract concept ali ation It is only from generalizations and conceptual understanding th t new situations can b d t di that it ti be tackled effectively. This stage involves learners developing a deeper understanding of what they have learned. It is often helped by a ‘teacher’s input about a theory or a model which can be applied in a y pp variety of situation.

The Learning Process
Active experimentation For learning to result in changed behavior it is not sufficient to learn new concepts and develop new generalizations. The i li i h implications of the newly learned f h l l d concepts must be tested out in new situations. The learner must make the link between theory and action by planning for that action and carrying it out.

Examples 1. A  i A trainee nurse might start learning to lift a      i h   l i    lif     patient by trying to lift a dummy out of a  ee c a ( ct e e pe e tat o ) wheelchair (Active experimentation) 2. She finds this difficult and fails (Concrete  experience)  3. The instructor encourages reflection by  questioning: ‘How did that feel? Was it hurting  your back?’ (Reflective observation). 4. The nurse then reads a manual about lifting  q ( p ) techniques (Abstract conceptualization)

5. The nurse now tries out one of the  techniques 
on the dummy (Active  experimentation) 6. The nurse notices how much more effective the  new method is (Concrete experience) 7. She discusses her experiences with some other  trainees (Reflective observation) t i  (R fl ti   b ti ) 8. The instructor now asks the group to look in the   8  Th  i t t     k  th    t  l k i  th manual and to identify all possible methods  suitable for lifting an  unconscious patient  (Abstract conceptualization)

THANK  YOU 



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