Unit-V: LEARNER AND LEARNING BEHAVIOUR

1. Learning: Meaning, Nature, Characteristics

Meaning of Learning

Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior (or potential behavior) as a result of experience or practice.

Let's break this down:

• "Relatively permanent": This excludes temporary changes due to fatigue, illness, or drugs.
• "Change in behavior": Learning must be inferred from a change in what a person does (e.g., solving a problem, riding a bike).
• "Experience or practice": This is the key. The change must come from experience, not from maturation (e.g., a baby walking is maturation; a child learning to read is learning).

Nature and Characteristics of Learning

• Learning is a Process, not a Product: It is a continuous, lifelong journey.
• Learning is Purposeful: All learning is goal-oriented. We learn to achieve a certain goal.
• Learning involves Change: As per the definition, it is a change in behavior.
• Learning is Active: The learner is not a passive recipient. They must actively engage with the content.
• Learning is Transferable: What you learn in one situation (e.g., addition) can be applied to another (e.g., shopping).
• Learning is Universal: Every creature (human and animal) learns.
• Learning is an Adjustment: It helps the individual adjust to their environment.

2. Factors Influencing Learning

Learning is a complex process affected by many factors, which can be grouped as follows:

Personal Factors (Factors related to the Learner)

• Motivation: (See Topic 4) This is the most important factor. A motivated learner learns more.
• Intelligence: A learner's general mental ability affects the speed and depth of their learning.
• Physical and Mental Health: A sick, tired, or anxious learner cannot concentrate.
• Maturation and Readiness: The learner must be physically and mentally "ready" to learn a new skill (e.g., a 2-year-old is not ready to learn algebra).
• Attitude and Interest: A positive attitude and a genuine interest in the subject make learning easier and more enjoyable.

Social and Affective Factors

• Family Environment: A supportive, stimulating home environment encourages learning.
• Peer Group: Peers can have a positive (study group) or negative (distraction) influence.
• Emotional State (Affective): Emotions like fear, anxiety, or stress can block learning. A positive, secure emotional state is essential.

Environmental Factors (Factors related to the Learning Situation)

• Physical Conditions: The learning environment (classroom) should have proper lighting, ventilation, and seating, and be free from distractions.
• Teacher's Role: The teacher's personality, mastery of the subject, and teaching method are critical.
• Nature of the Learning Material: Material that is well-organized, meaningful, and relevant to the learner is learned more easily.

3. Laws and Approaches of Learning (Theories of Learning)

This section covers the Behaviorist school of thought, which sees learning as a change in observable behavior caused by environmental stimuli.

Connectionism (Trial and Error Approach) - E.L. Thorndike

Thorndike believed that learning is a process of forming a connection (or "bond") between a Stimulus (S) and a Response (R). He famously experimented with a cat in a "puzzle box."

Thorndike's Laws of Learning:

Based on his experiments, he proposed three primary laws:

1. The Law of Readiness:
   • Meaning: Learning is most effective when the learner is ready to learn. If they are ready, learning is satisfying. If they are not ready, learning is annoying.
   • Educational Implication: A teacher must motivate students and create interest before starting a lesson.
2. The Law of Exercise (Practice):
   • Meaning: This law has two parts:
     • Law of Use: The S-R bond is strengthened with practice. ("Practice makes perfect.")
     • Law of Disuse: The S-R bond is weakened when practice is stopped. ("Use it or lose it.")
   • Educational Implication: The basis for drill, repetition, and homework.
3. The Law of Effect:
   • Meaning: This is the most important law. If a response is followed by a satisfying state of affairs (a reward), the S-R bond is strengthened. If it is followed by an annoying state of affairs (a punishment), the bond is weakened.
   • Educational Implication: The basis for using rewards, praise, and positive feedback in the classroom.

Conditioning (Classical and Operant)

Classical Conditioning - Ivan Pavlov

Pavlov (a Russian physiologist) showed that learning can occur by association. He famously experimented with a dog.

• Before Conditioning:
  • Food (Unconditioned Stimulus, UCS) -> Salivation (Unconditioned Response, UCR)
  • Bell (Neutral Stimulus, NS) -> No Salivation
• During Conditioning:
  • Bell (NS) + Food (UCS) -> Salivation (UCR) (Repeated many times)
• After Conditioning:
  • Bell (now Conditioned Stimulus, CS) -> Salivation (now Conditioned Response, CR)

Educational Implication: This explains how students learn emotional responses. Example: A child who is humiliated by a math teacher may learn to associate math (CS) with fear (CR). A good teacher creates a positive classroom environment so students associate the subject with pleasant feelings.

Operant Conditioning - B.F. Skinner

Skinner argued that Thorndike's "Law of Effect" was the key. He stated that behavior is controlled by its consequences. The learner "operates" on the environment.

Skinner's key concepts are Reinforcement and Punishment:

• Reinforcement (Strengthens Behavior):
  • Positive Reinforcement: Giving something pleasant to increase a behavior. (e.g., giving a star for good homework).
  • Negative Reinforcement: Removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior. (e.g., a teacher stops scolding when a student starts working. Note: This is NOT punishment.)
• Punishment (Weakens Behavior):
  • Positive Punishment: Giving something unpleasant to decrease a behavior. (e.g., giving extra homework).
  • Negative Punishment: Removing something pleasant to decrease a behavior. (e.g., taking away playtime).

4. Role of Motivation in Learning

Meaning of Motivation

The word "motivation" comes from the Latin word 'movere', which means 'to move'.

Motivation is an internal state that arouses, directs, and maintains behavior.

It is the "why" behind our behavior. It is the engine of learning; without it, no learning happens.

Types of Motivation

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

	Intrinsic Motivation	Extrinsic Motivation
Definition	The desire to do an activity for its own sake, out of interest, or for a sense of accomplishment.	The desire to do an activity to get an external reward or avoid a punishment.
Source of Reward	Internal (joy, satisfaction, curiosity).	External (grades, praise, money, stars, fear of failure).
Example	Reading a book because you love the story.	Reading a book to get a good grade on a report.
Long-Term Effect	More sustainable, leads to deep learning and creativity.	Less sustainable, can undermine intrinsic interest.

How to Motivate Students (Role of Teacher):

• Connect to Interests: Relate the lesson to students' lives and hobbies.
• Set Clear, Achievable Goals: Students should know what they are doing and why.
• Provide Positive Feedback: Use praise (Law of Effect) effectively.
• Arouse Curiosity: Start lessons with a surprising fact or a challenging question.
• Create a Supportive Environment: Reduce anxiety and fear of failure.

5. Characteristics of Learner - Children and Adolescents

This topic summarizes the developmental characteristics from Units 3 & 4 and applies them to the learning process.

The Child as a Learner (Later Childhood, 6-12)

• Cognitive: Concrete Operational. They learn best through hands-on activities, real-world examples, and structured, logical steps. They struggle with highly abstract concepts.
• Social: "Gang Age." They enjoy group work and collaborative projects. They are motivated by peer approval.
• Motivational: Often motivated by a desire to please the teacher and by concrete rewards (extrinsic), but also by a growing sense of competence (intrinsic).

The Adolescent as a Learner (12+ years)

• Cognitive: Formal Operational. They are now capable of abstract, hypothetical, and logical thought. They can handle complex problems, debate moral issues, and think about the future.
• Social: Peer-oriented. Learning must be seen as socially relevant. They are highly sensitive to peer opinions and dislike being treated "like a child."
• Motivational: Driven by a search for identity. They are motivated when they see the relevance of the subject to their future goals. They are idealistic and enjoy exploring "big ideas" (e.g., justice, society).