1.
Learning theories: Classical
Conditioning & GestaltTheory
Lourdes Machuca
AET/500
October 3, 2016
Emily Christiansen

2.
What is a leaning theory?
Learning is an important part of the educational process.
Learning happens without and effort and it is present even in
our every-day activities.
Throughout the time, there have been many psychologists and
philosophers studying the nature of learning and they have
come out with different theories to try to explain it.
A learning theory is an explanation or model that describes how
information is absorbed, processed and retained during
learning.

3.
Behaviorist and CognitivistTheories
Behaviorism Overview
 Its principal is stimulus-
response.
 Positive or Negative
reinforcement.
 Learner is passive.
 Learning defined as “a
change of behavior in the
learner”.
Cognitivism Overview
 In this theory, the learner is
an information processor.
 Learning goes beyond
external; it is and internal
process.
 Cognitivism replaced
behaviorism in the 1960s as
the dominant paradigm.
 The learner has the control of
the process.

4.
Classical Conditioning & GestaltTheory
Behaviorism Cognitivism

5.
Classical Conditioning
 It is also known as Pavlovian (as its researcher last name: Ivan
Pavlov) or respondent conditioning.
 It is a reflexive or automatic type of learning.

6.
History and theorist of Classical
Conditioning
 First studied by Ivan Pavlov through
experiments with dogs (Pavlov’s dogs, 1920s).
 This theory became the foundation of
behaviorism.
 John B.Watson applied Pavlov’s model to
human beings in 1921.
 Watson’s experiment concluded that the
classical conditioning model could cause some
phobias in humans.

7.
Learning Settings and Mode of Delivery
 Consistent and repetitive
stimuli from teacher to
students.
 Classical conditioning can
be used to teach students
what is expected from
routine activities’ like
clapping 2 times to get
students attention.
 Use of rewards is
encouraged.
 Instructor-led of one-on-
one or small group
settings.
 Computer-based learning.

8.
Gestalt theory
 Gestalt is a German word that means pattern or form.
 Gestalt theorists propose that the experiences and
perceptions of learners have a significant impact on the way
that they learn.
This theory attempts to describe how people tend to
organize visual elements into groups or unified
wholes when certain principles are applied. (Koffka,2013)
 The human brain maps learning features to understand the
whole, instead of the sum of its parts .

9.
History and theorist of Gestalt theory
 The term “Gestalt” was created by German
theorist Graf Christian von Ehrenfels who
said that learning takes place as students
were able to comprehend a concept in its
entirety, rather than broken up into parts
(Ehrenfels, 1937).
 Max Wertheimer was one of Ehrenfels’
students and with his two assistants
Wolfgang Köhler and Kurt Koffka studied
the use of a tachistoscope and its effects.

10.
Learning Settings and Mode of Delivery
 As an instructor, deliver a
holistic lesson.
 Harmony in the classroom is
important so that the
students will be comfortable
exchanging ideas.
 Teachers should encourage
their students to discover the
relationship of the elements
that make up a problem
 Experiments or laboratory
sessions are activities that
can be used as a discovery
method.
 A traditional classroom
environment will allow
student to interact and
exchange ideas.
 Self-study is also encouraged.
 Small or large group settings
mediated by an instructor.
 Computer-based simulations.
 Workshops, role plays.

11.
References
 LearningTheories. (2005-2016). Retrieved from
https://www.learning-theories.com/
 Wikipedia. (2016). Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning
 Ehrenfels, C.V. (1937). On Gestalt-qualities. Psychological
Review, 44(6), 521.
 Shippensburg University. (2000). Retrieved from
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/gestalt.html