Learning theories are scientific explanations for how people do and should learn. The two dominant learning theories in education throughout the U. S.—behaviorism and constructivism. Behaviorism is the default learning theory, however, that guides the vast majority of educational practices in our school systems. Critical pedagogy challenges both behaviorism and constructivism as blinded by assumptions and mechanistic.
| | [Traditional Practices] | [Progressive Suggestions] | [Critical Lens] |
| | Behaviorism | Constructivism | Critical Pedagogy |
| Role of TEACHER | Authoritarian | Facilitator/ Mentor (Coach) | Authoritative (teacher-student) |
| Role of STUDENT | Receptive (passive) | Active | Empowered (student-teacher) |
| Role of CONTENT (ends v. means) | Ends (goal) | Means | Means |
| Nature of REASONING (inductive v. deductive) | Instructional decisions = Deductive | Instructional decisions = Inductive | Not primary over affect; Instructional decisions = Inductive |
| Assumptions about student thinking/ learning | Analytical (part to whole) | Global (whole to part) | To be monitored by teacher and learner |
| Responsibility for learning | Primarily the teacher | Primarily the student | Teacher-student/ Student-teacher |
| Central source of CURRICULUM | Traditions of the field | Student needs and interests | Discovered and defined during process |
| Nature of ASSESSMENT | Selected response/ serves to label and sort | Created response/ performances | Authentic/ integral part of learning |
| Nature of learning conditions (individual v. social) | Individual | Social | Social |
| Nature of QUESTIONS (opened v. closed) | Closed | Opened | Opened |
| Attitude toward ERROR | Must be avoided | Natural and even necessary element of learning | Sees “error” as dehumanizing and oppressive |
| Assumptions about MOTIVATION (intrinsic v. extrinsic) | Extrinsic | Intrinsic | To be monitored by teacher and learner |
| Role of psychology (behavioral v. cognitive) | Behavioral | Cognitive | Postformalism (Kincheloe) |
| Names associated with theory | Pavlov, Skinner, Thorndike, Watson | Piaget, Dewey, Vygotsky | Freire, hooks, Vygotsky, Giroux, Kincheloe, Apple |
| Attitude toward standardization | Appropriate goal | Flawed expectation | Dehumanizing |
| Goal of instruction (answers v. questions) | Answers (correctness) | Questions (possibilities) | Questions that confront norms, assumptions |
| Perception of the nature of the mind | Blank slate | Jungian (Collective Unconscious) | Cognitive and affective both valued, evolving |
| Nature of Truth/truth | Truth (absolute) | truth (relative) | Truths as normalized assumptions (oppressive) |
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