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=EXPLORING THEORIES OF LEARNING=


 * Learning and Student Well-being Team Investgations**

The group will meet for half a day on the following team days The Agenda and outcomes from the meeting can be found here
 * 16th June
 * 11th August
 * 20th October

We will report back to the L&SW team on the 1st of December 2011.

We will reflect on the quesiton: "How will this learning (exploring theories of learning) influence the contemporary practices of the L&SW Team?


 * Purpose**:
 * Build the capacity of the L&SW Team
 * Make Team days more productive
 * Work across teams in small groups
 * Explore flexible approaches to learning
 * Contribute to evidence informed contemporary practices

What does **Wikipedia** say about learning theories? []

In psychology and education, **learning** is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views (Illeris, 2004; Ormrod, 1995).

Learning as a process focuses on what happens when the learning takes place. Explanations of what happens constitute **learning theories**. A **learning theory** is an attempt to describe how people and animals learn, thereby helping us understand the inherently complex process of learning.


 * Learning theories** have two chief values according to Hill (2002). One is in providing us with vocabulary and a conceptual framework for interpreting the examples of learning that we observe. The other is in suggesting where to look for solutions to practical problems. The theories do not give us solutions, but they do direct our attention to those variables that are crucial in finding solutions.

There are three main categories or philosophical frameworks under which learning theories fall:
 * [|behaviorism]
 * [|cognitivism]
 * [|constructivism]

Behaviorism focuses only on the objectively observable aspects of learning. Cognitive theories look beyond behavior to explain brain-based learning. Constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner actively constructs or builds new ideas or concepts.

Merriam and Caffarella (1991) highlight four approaches or orientations to learning: Behaviouist, Cognitivist, Humanist, and Social/Situational. These approaches involve contrasting ideas as to the purpose and process of learning and education - and the role that educators may take.