- Describe an example from your life of when you were taught using each method described in this article: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.
During my school years, I have experienced each of the behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism method of teaching.
The behaviourism method of teaching I experienced was receiving a reward after getting a good grade or doing well in school works. I experienced this method of teaching during my middle and high school years. The instructor or teacher would make a deal with the students where they would reward the group that delivers the best work or the highest grade with a present. This motivated me to stay focused and be active during the class which produced high-quality and strong stimulus-response. This ultimately made me develop habits of constantly trying my best to receive the highest grade.
The cognitivism method of teaching I experienced was analyzing and evaluating the questions and information. I experienced this the most in my academic years at UVIC. Professor would assign or test students with questions where we have to demonstrate certain concepts that require interactive discussions and hands-on problems. I had to use my knowledge based on my previous studies and brainstorm, process information, perform interactive discussions and solve problems.
The constructivism method of teaching I experienced was through debates and discussions. I experienced this the most in my academic years at UVIC as well. Professor would create randomized groups where students have to discuss and debate about certain subjects. By sharing my unique knowledge and opinion with peers, I utilized my understanding based on my previous experience and gain insights on the topic. I also experienced different perspectives and wisdom shared by my cohorts which help me to gain unique insights.
Through experiencing each of the behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism method of teaching, I believe the behaviourism method of teaching is the least effective method of teaching. It emphasized objective measurement which could be ineffective depending on the needs of the students. Constructivism method of teaching was a reliable method of teaching where students can learn from others’ experiences. Based on my experience, I believe the cognitivism method of teaching is the most effective method of teaching where students have to go through a process of receiving, organizing, storing and finally retrieving the information. This mental process of connecting and applying previous knowledge to new problems improves comprehension and enhances problem-solving skills.
letterstokate January 25, 2023
Hi David, I wanted to let you know that I found your explanation of the theory of behaviourism, constructivism, and cognitivism particularly interesting and engaging. I appreciated how you linked your real-life school experience to each of these methods. It made it easier for me to understand and relate to the concepts you were discussing. Your examples were clear and specific, which helped me to visualize the different teaching methods and how they were implemented in your own educational experience. I thought it was very effective the way you compared and contrasted the different methods and provided your own personal opinion on which one you found to be the most effective. It was also beneficial to see how you have experienced all these methods, and how it has helped you to understand and appreciate different ways of learning. Overall, I enjoyed reading your blog post. Thanks for sharing!
Anastassiya January 27, 2023
Hi David! What great examples of various learning theories in relation to your experience! I like how you grasp the most distinctive features of each!
Behaviourism may not be a suitable and the most engaging approach in certain contexts. However, behaviourist strategies are very helpful in acquiring specific information, e.g., codes, dates, names, features of products, etc. It also helps students with autism learn. Learning is a complex process that requires different approaches depending on the expected learning outcomes and the nature of the content/subject matter.
Mikaela Curdyk February 11, 2023
Hi David. This blog post is very informative and helpful. I appreciated all of your examples, as these are things that I also experienced in high school but never considered in this context. These examples create a clear picture as to how behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism inform educational practices. I relate to your opinion on behaviourism being the least supportive of students as this feels like an approach that would not create positive learning experiences.
Sidney Gibb March 26, 2023
David, your grasp of concepts and the explanations and examples you used were very insightful. I liked how you used a multitude of theories because I feel that that is the best way to teach and be taught. I think adding a bibliography would have helped your post, just so we know where you received your information from. But in all I really enjoyed your post and thanks for doing it.