LEARNING

DEFINITION OF LEARNING
Learning can be defined as any reIativeIy
permanent change in behaviour that
occurs as a resuIt of practice or
experience.
Gates - Learning may be thought of as
the progressive change in behaviour
which is associated on the one hand
with successive presentation of a
situation & on the other , with repeated
efforts of the individuaI to react to it
effectiveIy.
Learning is the acquisition of
knowIedge, attitudes , habits & skiIIs.
NATURE / PRINCIPAL CHARACTERSTICS
OF LEARNING
1. Learning is growth learning a new
nursing procedure is growing in experience
& thereby, is modifying her behaviour.
2. Learning is adjustment helps the
individual to adjust himself adequately to
the new situations.
3. Learning is organizing experience Not
mere addition to knowledge, acquisition of
facts & skills through drill & repetition. t is
the reorganization of experience.
. Learning is purposeful All true learning
is based on purpose . Purpose plays a big
role in learning.
5. Learning is ntelligent Meaningless
efforts do not produce permanent result.
6. Learning is active The activity of the
learner counts more than the activity of the
teacher.
7. Learning is both individual & social
learning is more than an individual activity.
s a social activity.
. Learning is a product of the environment
environment should be healthy & rich in
educative possibilities.
9. Learning affects the conduct of the
learner There is a change in the mental
structure of the learner after every
experience.
10. Learning takes place through trial &
error Some learning is the outcome of trial
& error.
11. Learning depends upon insight
Lasting learning depends upon insight.
ELEMENTS IN LEARNING
Elements in
learning
Who is to
learn
( Child)
From whom
to learn
(Teacher
Environment )
Why to
Learn
( Aims oI
Learning )
What to
Learn
( Acquisition
OI
Knowledge,
skills,etc)
How to
learn
( Methodology )
When to
Learn
( Motivation
Where to
Learn
( Place,
area )
$TEP$ IN LEARNING
1.otivation within the learner.
2.GoaI become related to the motivation.
3. arrier or difficulties are perceived &
experienced & tension arises. Strong barrier
may cause excessive tension which may
altogether discourage & confuse the
learner.
.The search for an appropriate soIution to
the problem or an appropriate line of action
to reach the goal.
5.The most appropriate line of action is
seIected & practiced &inappropriate
behaviour dropped.
FACTORS OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING
1. otivation Stronger & clearer the
motive in learning, the greater is the
effort & interest shown by the learner
in learning it.
2. InteIIigence enables us to
understand things, to see the
relationship between things, to reason
& judge correctly & critically.
3. aturation We learn things when
we are mature to learn them.
. Physical condition of the learner
Without health one lacks energy,
hence the need for sound health for
the learner.
5.Good working condition Fresh air,
light , comfortable surrounding,
equable temp, absence of distractions
like noise, are a great aid in learning
efficiently.
. Mental Health of the learner t is
necessary to build the learners self
confidence, self respect, self-reliance
through praise for work well done.
7. Learning is helped by associating
things as part of a total situation
Different aspects of the learning
situation should be connected.
. Length of the working period
Neither too short nor too long.
THEORIES OF LEARNING
. TriaI & Error- Thorndike , the
American PsychoIogist ,( Father of
educationaI psychoIogist) series
of experiments on triaI & error
method of Iearning by animaIs.
2. Experiment ungry rat- maze-
bread.
3. Acc. To him aII Iearning is triaI &
error
Theory oI conditioned reIlexes
IassicaI conditioning
Operant conditioning
IassicaI conditioning- PavIov's
experiment
U$- eat powder
UR-$aIivation
$- $ound of beII
R- $aIivation at the sound of the beII
Operant conditioning or
instrumental conditioning
F $kinner - rat - gIass box- food
tray.
Types of InstrumentaI conditioning
Reward training
Omission training
Escape training
Punishment training
$haping
ehaviour modification
3.OGNITIVE LEARNING
A. Insight Iearning-
. GeItaIt- The whoIe of an object or
situation is not mereIy the sum totaI of
its part Iike water is quite different from
its eIement hydrogen and oxygen. $um
totaI of the parts may create a new
entity which is caIIed as GestaIt
KohIer- $uItan chimpanzee
. $igh Iearning
Factors inIluencing learning
Learning depends upon three main
factors
. Nature of the Iearner
2. Nature of the Iearning materiaI or
task to be Iearned.
3. Nature of the Iearning sit5uation
or Iearning method.
Nature oI the learner
.Perception - The process of
perception and the factors reIated to
perception shouId be perfect.
2. Organic defects- VisuaI defects Iike
hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism and
coIour bIindness can affect Iearning
adverseIy.
3. Defect - oth mentaI & physioIogicaI.
ompuIsive Iearning, IoneIiness, strain,
restIessness and boredom can cause
mentaI fatigue.
. Time of the day - There is no
variation in efficiency of Iearning
throughout the day, provided other
factors are present.
5. Age & Iearning - The capacity to
Iearn improves up to 23 or 2 years.
After it decIines
Nature oI learning materials
. Iess number of Iearning eIements
in a materiaI
2. Less ompIexity
3. eaningfuI materiaI
. Learning materiaI be
distinguished
Nature oI the learning method
. Definite goaI- cIear goaI, cIear
aim enhance motivation.
2. KnowIedge of resuIts or
psychoIogicaI feedback- Frequent &
reguIar review of the amount pf
progress being made towards the
goaI
3. Distribution of practice periods -
$horter practice periods are more
effective than Ionger periods
. WhoIe versus part method - This
is as per GestaIt Theory. With easy
units whoIe method shouId be
adopted.
5. LogicaI Iearning - No rote
memory. LogicaI Iearning caIIs for
an arrangement & aIso assimiIation
with ideas in mind.
. Rest - Rest in between . entaI
fatigue proIongs the study process.
. LeveI of anxiety - iId degree of
anxiety can be a usefuI aid to
Iearning but undue worry, anxiety &
nervousness wiII have an inhibiting
and interfering effect.
8. OverIearning/ repetitions - at
reguIar intervaIs heIp to retain the
materiaI over a Ionger period of
time.
TRANSFER OF LEARNING
Transfer of Iearning or training occurs
when Iearning of one set of materiaI
infIuences the Iearning of another set of
materiaI Iater.
E.g- Driving a new car, The movements
& responses in driving a new car wiII
have simiIarities and differences when
compared to movements and responses
in driving the oId car. The individuaI has
to adapt his oId habits and Iearn new
ones.
Theories oI transIer oI learning
Theory of identicaI eIements or
components- Thorndike- cycIe - car
Theory of GeneraIization by harIes
Judd- Unripe fruits are sour.
The theory of IdeaIs by W agIey-
Idea of neatness.
STUDY HABITS
row , crow and $kinner :25
suggestions given.