Modern pedagogical science considers an approach as a certain position concerning any problem or phenomenon. In its most general form, the approach can be understood as a theoretical and logical basis for considering or designing an object. Most often, the pedagogical activity of a teacher is based on several theories.
Their orientations should not be mutually exclusive but complementary to each other. Learning theories try to explain how people learn and investigate the nature of knowledge. In education, many learning theories have appeared and disappeared over the years.
However, some of them have survived and still influence the structure of learning, namely: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Behaviorism is most often associated with the works of B.F. Skinner, who established its basis. It was the most famous theory of learning for most of the twentieth century. Behaviorism’s influence is still strong in education, although it has certainly gone out of fashion.
This theory states that learning consists of an event (stimulus), a reaction to that event (response), and consequences for that reaction. Through this process, participants change their behavior to get a favorable result. This idea is vital for learning practice by introducing specific stimuli. It is possible to cultivate the desired responses and engage students in the learning process.
Cognitive constructivism is most often associated with Piaget and popularized as a response to behaviorism. Cognitive scientists blamed behaviorism because it is difficult to explain higher-order thinking skills and for an insufficient concentration of attention on the mind when learning. It is often associated with the theory of circuits, information processing theory, and the metaphor of cognition. Cognitive scientists are interested in how information is perceived in the mind.
It is often associated with the theory of circuits, information processing theory, and the metaphor of cognition working as a computer. It emphasizes promoting the mental processing of how students think about problems. In practice, it can be used to promote better outcomes by using facilitators of students’ cognitive activity.
Social constructivism is most often associated with L.S. Vygotsky and is similar to cognitivism in many ways. Both describe learning theories that focus on building knowledge, but they differ in several ways. The two most important differences between the two theories lie in the view on learning results and how they emerge from interacting. Applying social constructivism to practice, it is possible to cultivate an environment beneficial for building knowledge and its sharing.