2. CONCEPT OF LEARNING
INTRODUCTION
Learning is not something that takes place within the boundaries of a classroom; rather
it takes place anywhere, anytime and from anyone.Traditional Indian Literature has
examples where people learnt from trees, mountains, rivers, insects, etc. It means
learning is something which is possible anywhere.
3. CONCEPT OF LEARNING
let us begin with few definitions of learning which
many psychologists and educationists have
proposed. Generally, learning is defined as a process
of behaviour modification through experiences,
exercise and efforts. Before discussing further, let us
have a look at the definitions of learning given by
various psychologists/educationists:
•
•
4. Definitions
Hurlock (1942) :
Learning is
development that
comes from exercise
and effort.Through
learning, children
acquire competence
in using their
hereditary resources.
Hilgard, Atkinson
and Atkinson (1979):
Learning may be
defined as a relatively
permanent change in
behaviour that occurs
as the result of prior
experience.
Murphy (1968) :The
term learning covers
every modification in
behaviour to meet
environmental
requirements.
Woodworth (1945) :
Any activity can be
called learning so far
as it develops the
individual (in any
respect, good or bad)
and makes him alter
behaviour and
experiences different
from what they would
otherwise have been.
5. As an individual grows s/he has to make certain adjustments in various situations of life.Therefore, s/he
has Understanding Learning to acquire various habits, knowledge, attitudes and skills, etc.
The acquisition of all these things is called ‘learning’.
It means that: • Learning is not acquired by birth, but it is the process of acquiring competence by using
hereditary resources.
•Temporary change in behaviour is not learning.
• Not only the modification of behaviour by acquiring good things as per the social norms is learning but
even behaviour modification by acquiring bad things comes under‘learning’.
In other words, learning leads to change in behaviour but this does not necessarily mean that these
changes always bring about improvement or positive development.
6. • According to Smith (1962),‘learning is the acquisition of new behaviour or
the strengthening or weakening of old behaviour as the result of experience’.
• It means, instead of change in existing behaviour or acquisition of new
behaviour, learning may also result in discontinuance or abandonment of
existing behaviour.
• This ‘unlearning’ is also learning in itself.
• According to Fagin (1958), learning is a sequence of mental events or
conditions leading to changes in learner
7. CONCLUSION FROM DEFINITIONS
• It can be concluded that learning is a process by which an individual, as a
result of interactions in a situation, modifies his/her behaviour. It helps in
bringing desirable changes in behaviour attaining proper adjustment, and
attaining proper growth and development.
8. CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING
• Learning is a process which is continuous & it never stops at any
phase. It is a lifelong process hence learning starts from birth &
ends only with the death of an individual. Hence we can say that
learning proceeds from womb to tomb. E.g. when a child takes
birth he first learns to cry for food, and at each phase of life at
every step the child learns to walk, run, talk, write alphabets etc
9. Characterisitics of learning
• Learning is the process which leads to mental growth of an
individual.The growth takes place along with the learning.
• Basically when learning takes place the individual learns to
adjust &adopt with the environment.
• Learning is purposeful.Though learning takes place at every
place & at every moment all the learning are not useful. Hence
those learning which are useful & meaningful are learnt.
• Learning is active process. Learning by doing is the best part of
learning e.g. it becomes easy for the science students to learn the
concepts in science when they perform practical.
10. CHARACTERISTICS
• Learning takes place individually& as well as socially e.g.When a seminar or
workshop is conducted, then all the members of the group learn to share
their thoughts, each one learns something new from the other individual.
• Last but not the least learning brings about the change in the behavior in
individual e.g. a child is always taught values & manners, & due to this
teachings, a child learns to respect their elders & teachers, learns to speak
politely etc, which bring about the change in his behavior as the child grows.
11. • 1 Learning is Growth.
• 2. Learning is Adjustment.
• 3. Learning is Intelligent.
• 4. Learning is Active.
• 5. Learning is the product of Environment.
• 6. Learning is both Individual and Social.
• 7. Learning is Purposeful.
• 8. Learning is organising Experience.
• 9. All living is Learning.
• 10. True Learning affects the conduct of the learner.
12. CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING
• 11. Learning is Universal.
• 12. Learning is Change.
• 13. Learning is a Process not a product.
• 14. Learning is transferable.
• 15. Learning is total reaction of the individual to total situation.
13. BRIEFLY ….
• In brief, we may enumerate the following facts about the learning process:
• 1. In its simplest form, learning means acquisition of experience.
• 2. In its complex form, it means acquisition, retention and modification of experience.
• 3. It means establishing new relationship between stimulus and response.
• 4. It means development of method of problem solving.
• 5. It is motivated by adjustment to environment.
• 6. It includes all activities which leave a permanent effect on the individual.
14. • 7. The process of learning includes the following:
• (i) Acquisition of new experiences,
• (ii) Retention of new experiences in the form of impressions or engrams or skill,
• (iii) Development of the experiences, step by step,
• (iv) Synthesis and organisation of the old and the new experiences, resulting in a
novel pattern.
• 8. Learning is possible both on the cognitive, affective and conative side. Acquisition
of knowledge is cognitive, modification of emotions is affective, and acquisition of
skills and habits is conative.
15. •Types of Learning:
• Learning is of the following types:
• (a) Skill Learning:
• Right from the birth, the child acquires skill. His bodily organs learn to handle the things.
He moves his legs and begins to crawl. In source of time, he learns other motor, skills, like
walking, speaking, drawing, writing, reading, playing music, cycling and swimming etc.
• (b) Perceptual Learning:
• The child gets sensations through his organs of sense, and he attaches meaning to each
sensation. The earliest sensations of the infant are undifferentiated to the extent that he
cannot differentiate between one object and another. In course of time, he recognises
specific objects, and perceives these separately.
• Indian psychologists have given explanation of perceptual learning its types and
processes. They define conceptual learning as sense object contact. Pure sensation is
indeterminate perception, and is the first stage in perceptual learning. The second step is
determinate perception, where in the object is revealed as endowed with its attributes and
characteristics.
16. (c) Conceptual Learning:
• As concrete thinking leads to abstract thinking perceptual learning is followed by conceptual learning. A
concept is a general idea, universal in character. A child sees a particular cow, and forms some ideas of a cow,
with some particular characteristics Here the ideation is on the basis of one particular cow.
• This is the particular percept but when the a child sees number of cows, with some common characteristics, he
locates certain general qualities in all the cows, and on the basis of these he forms a conception of ‘cow’. This is
on the basis of percept which is made general.
• Thus the child proceeds from particular to general and forms, in course of time, innumerable concepts,
sometimes concrete and sometimes abstract. This is the basis of all thinking and ideational learning. When a
few concepts are learnt, this forms the basis of raising the super-structure of knowledge and education,
through association and assimilation.
• (d) Associative Learning:
• Conceptional learning is helped by associative learning in amassing a wealth of knowledge. New concepts are
tagged with the past concepts through association, and as such knowledge.
17. • (e) Appreciational Learning:
• While conceptual learning is on the affective side. A child, from the very beginning, utilises his
inborn trait of aesthetic sensibility, and acquires concepts coloured by appreciation.
• (f) Attitudinal Learning:
• Attitudes are generalised dispositions for certain particular concepts, things, persons or activities. A
child develops an attitude of affection towards his mother, an attitude of reverence towards the
teacher, and an attitude of belongingness towards the family. His attitude towards play is most
favourable. All this he learns and adopts gradually.
18. Relationship between teaching and learning
• Teaching causing learning
• Close relationship between the components of learning and teaching
process
• One is the means and other is the end
• Teaching principles are based on learning principles
19. • Theories of teaching are based on theories of learning
• Teaching is not one sided activity
• Teaching is not an independent activity
• Teaching is both formal and informal
• In teaching there is interaction between the teacher and the taught
• Teaching is observed by somebody
• Teaching is lively activity
20. Relationship between teaching and learning
• Teaching is conscious and unconscious
• In process of teaching ,the behaviour of teacher as well as learner id modified.
• Teaching is related to time
• Teaching and learning are related to the place where they are conducted
• Teaching is an art
• Teaching is always goal oriented
