THEORY OF LEARNING AND ITS IMPLICATION TOWARD EDUCATION
Translated and edited into English by: Denny Nugraha
English Education Department 5th Semester
From the book of “Landasan Pendidikan” (The Foundation of
Education)
Originally written in Indonesian by: Dr. Asep Kurniawan, M.Ag
The State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Syekh Nurjati Cirebon
Introduction
The success of teachers in implementing kinds of their roles will
depend on their comprehension about students’ development and the skills to apply
it in the practice of education. This statement refers to the assumption that
one of teachers’ role is to help students in completing development tasks
accordance with their development phases. Moreover, another teachers’ roles in
learning process are as facilitator and motivator for their students. In the
implementation of their roles, teachers also need to comprehend how students
are learning, which it will be concerning about theory of learning.
This paper will elaborate the study of theory of learning and its
implication as in psychological study of education. One of educators’ role in
learning process is as facilitator or motivator for their students. For the sake
of implementing their role, they need to understand how the way students learn,
moreover this is regarding with the theory of learning. In this paper, there
are three main issues regarding with the theory of learning. The first main
issue involves the theory of learning according to behaviorism school and its
implication toward education. The second main issue is about the theory of
learning pursuant to the cognitive school and its implication toward education.
The last main issue is about the theory of learning according to humanism
school and its implication toward education.
1.
Behaviorism Theory of Learning
The figure of behaviorism theory of learning is B.F. Skinner. This
theory is based on the assumption that: (1) learning outcome is in the shape of
behavior’s change which can be observed; (2) behavior and its change as the
result of learning are modified by the conditions of environment; (3) the
components of this theory are stimulus, response, and consequence; (4) the
important determiner factor as the condition of environment in learning is reinforcement.
The adherents of this theory
explain learning as a behavioral response system toward physical stimulus. They
prioritize the effect or consequence of a reinforcement, practice or training,
and external motivation. Teachers who follow this theory, commonly plan the
curriculum by arranging the knowledge content to be small parts which is marked
with certain skill. Furthermore, those parts are compiled by hierarchy,
following the principle of simple-to-complex. Students are viewed as the
passive creature, which need outside motivation and are influenced by
reinforcement. Therefore, they develop the structured curriculum very well and
determine how students should be motivated and evaluated. The learning progress
of students is measured by the observable outcome.
In detail, the concepts’ implication of behaviorism theory of
learning toward education are as enclosed by Yelon and Weinstein (1977) as
follow:
a.
Individualization:
individual manner treatment is based on the tasks, rewards, and disciplines.
b.
Motivation:
learning motivation is extrinsic through customization simultaneously or
through reinforcement.
c.
Methodology:
learning method is elaborated in detail to develop certain skill and knowledge,
and use the technology.
d.
Curricular
purpose: centered to the academic knowledge and skill also social behavior.
e.
Class
management form: class management is teacher-centered, social relations are
only the ways to reach the purpose and not the purpose which is intended to be
reached.
f.
Efforts
to make effective the teaching: namely by the way of organizing the program
minutely and gradually also prioritize the mastery of material or skill.
g.
Participation:
students may be passive.
h.
Students’
learning activity: skill’s proficiency through phase by phase customization
minutely.
i.
General
purpose: the ability to do something (competence).
2.
Cognitive Theory of Learning
The figures of the cognitive theory of learning are Jerome Bruner
and Jean Piaget. This theory is based on the assumption that: (1) individual
has the ability of processing information. (2) the ability of processing
information depends on cognitive factor in which the development progresses
gradually in line with individual’s age phase. (3) learning is internal complex
process in the form of processing information; (4) learning outcome is in the
form of cognitive structure; (5) learning way in childern and adult are
different according to their development phase.
According to Piaget that every living being needs to adapt and
organize the physical environment of their surroundings so that they can remain
alive. For Piaget, the mind and the body are also affected the similar play
rule. Therefore, he thinks that the mind’s development is also the same with
the biological development, namely both of them can adapt with and organize
their environment. Piaget states that the theory of knowledge is basically the
mind adaptation theory into a reality, like organism adapts into the
environment.
As stated by Paul Suparno (1977), Piaget suggests that human’s mind
has structure which is called scheme or schemata. Scheme is a
mental structure or cognitive which can make someone intellectually adapt and
coordinate his/her surrounding environment. Schemata will adapt and change
during the mental development of children. Adult has many schemata. Scheme is
used to process and identify the coming stimulus. A newborn baby has a little
scheme, which is in his/her development becomes more general, more detail and
more complete.
Human intellectual adaptation is carried out by two ways, namely
through assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation is the
cognitive process which makes perception, concept, or new experience into the
scheme or pattern which has existed in someone’s mind. Assimilation is viewed
as a cognitive process that locates and classifies the new event or stimulus
into the existing scheme. Thus, this process always proceedes simultaneously.
If someone cannot assimilate the stimulus or new experience because
it is not suitable with the scheme which exists in his/her mind, thus he/she
will do the accommodation, which involves: (1) forming the new scheme which can
be suitable with that stimulus or or new experience, or (2) modifying the
existing scheme so that it is suitable with that stimulus or new experience.
Scheme is the product of construction, therefore the scheme is not imitation of
the existing world’s reality.
In the individual cognitive development, individual needs the
balance between assimilation and accommodation. This process or condition is
called equilibrium, namely self-adjustment mechanically to set the
balance both of the assimilation and accommodation process. If both of them are
not balance, this condition is called disequilibrium. Whereas the
process from disequilibrium to equilibrium is called equilibration. This
process remains progressive on one’s self through assimilation and
accommodation. Equilibration makes someone can unify the outside experience
with the inside structure (schemata). If there happens the disequilibrium,
he/she is spurred to seek the equilibrium by the way of assimilation and
accommodation.
According to Piaget, the scheme develops in line with the
development phases of mental/cognitive/individual. Thus conceptually that the
cognitive development goes in all development phases of someone’s mind since
the birth until adult. The knowledge is shaped by individual continuosly. So
that Piaget is classified a cognitive psychology expert which follows the
philosophy of constructivism.
The implication of the cognitive theory of learning concepts toward
education is as summarized by Yelon and Weinstein (1977) as follow:
a)
Individualization:
individual manner treatment is based on the cognitive development phase of
students.
b)
Motivation:
learning motivation is intrinsic which appears according to the knowledge which
has been mastered by students.
c)
Methodology:
using the curriculum and methods which function to develop the basic skill of
thinking.
d)
Curricular
purpose: focused to develop the entire motor sensoric skill, language, and
cognitive, as regards to the social interaction is the way/tool to develop
intelligence.
e)
Class
management form: class management is student-centered; teachers should act to
lead and guide students in learning process, exploration, and discovery.
f)
Efforts
to make the teaching to be effective: by the way of prioritizing the programs
of education in the shape of integrated knowledges, as regards to the concepts
and skills must be arranged by hierarchy.
g)
Students’
participation: students are demanded to participate actively to develop their
cognitive with principle learning by doing.
h)
Students’
learning activity: prioritizing the learning through the insight learning and
comprehension.
i)
General
purpose: developing the skills or cognitive functions optimally and skill to
use the intelligence wisely.
3.
Humanism Theory of Learning
The figure of the humanism theory of learning is Carl Rogers. This
theory is based on the assumption that: 1) individual is the intact person,
he/she has the freedom to choose and determine his/her life; 2) individual has
the desire to know (curiosity), the desire to explore, and assimilate his/her
experiences; 3) learning is the whole function of individual personality; 4)
learning will make sense if it involves the whole individual personality (if it
is relevant with the need of individual, and involves the intellectual aspect
and the emotional of individual).
The implication of concepts of humanism theory of learning toward
education are as stated by Yelon and Weinstein (1977) as follow:
a)
Individualization:
individual manner treatment is based on the individual needs and students’
personality.
b)
Motivation:
learning motivation is intrinsic namely based on the individual needs’
satisfaction of students.
c)
Methodology:
using the method or approach of integrated project, emphasizing on the social
studies or studying the social life.
d)
Curricular
purpose: prioritizing on the social development, communication skills, the
ability to respond toward the need of group and individual.
e)
Class
management form: class management is student-centered, students are free to
select the material whereas teachers/educators act to aid and not to lead.
f)
Efforts
to make the teaching to be effective: the teaching is organized in the form of
integrated topics based on the needs of students personally.
g)
Students’
participation: prioritizing the active participation from students.
h)
Students’
learning activity: prioritizing the learning process through the understanding
and comprehension, not only to achieve the knowledge.
i)
General
purpose: reaching self-perfection and comprehension.
Conclusion
In order to the practice of education, we should not adopt only one
of the theory of learning’s school above. Kinds of concepts from that the three
theory of learning should be viewed as the alternative way which can be
choosed, and mutually overlap. In line with that, we should be wise in
selecting, adopting, and applying the appropriate concepts. As regards to the
reference which we should take in choosing, accepting, and applying the theory
is our view about the essence of students, the purpose of education which is
intended to be reached, students’ characteristics, also the situation and
condition or context faced by us as the educators.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar