The Child and Adolescent Learner and

Learning Principles (PED 101)

PART 1 - INTRODUCTION
Unit 1 – Learner – Centered Psychological
Principles (LCP)
Unit 1 Learner-Centered Psychological
Principles (LCP)
• Cognitive and • Motivational and
Metacognitive Factor (6 Affective Factors
principles) (3 principles)

14 Learner-

Centered Principles

• Developmental and Social • Individual

Factors (2 principles) Difference
Factors (3
principles)
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

1. Nature of the learning process

* The learning of complex subject matter is most effective
when it is an intentional process of constructing meaning
from information and experience.
Exs. Habit formation in motor learning, learning that involves the
generation of knowledge, cognitive skills and learning strategies.

* Successful learners are active, goal-directed, self-regulating, and

assume personal responsibility for contributing to their own learning.
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

2. Goals of the learning process

* The successful learner, over time and with support and
instructional guidance, can create meaningful, coherent
representations of knowledge.

• The strategic nature of learning requires students to be goal directed.

• Educators can assist learners in creating meaningful learning goals
that are consistent with both personal and educational aspirations and
interests.
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

3. Construction of knowledge
* The successful learner can link new information with
existing knowledge in meaningful ways.

- Educators can assist learners in acquiring and integrating knowledge

by a number of strategies that have been shown to be effective with
learners of varying abilities, such as concept mapping and thematic
organization or categorizing.
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

4. Strategic thinking
* The successful learner can create and use a repertoire of
thinking and reasoning strategies to achieve complex learning
goals.
- Successful learners use strategic thinking in their approach to
learning, reasoning, problem solving, and concept learning.

- Learning outcomes can be enhanced if educators assist learners in

developing, applying, and assessing their strategic learning skills.
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

5. Thinking about thinking

* Higher order strategies for selecting and monitoring mental
operations facilitate creative and critical thinking.
- Successful learners can reflect on how they think and learn, set reasonable
learning or performance goals, select potentially appropriate learning strategies
or methods, and monitor their progress toward these goals.
- Know what to do if a problem occurs or if they are not making sufficient or
timely progress toward a goal.
- Instructional methods that focus on helping learners develop these higher order
(metacognitive) strategies can enhance student learning and personal
responsibility for learning.
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

6. Context of learning
* Learning is influenced by environmental factors, including culture,
technology, and instructional practices.
- Learning does not occur in a vacuum. Teachers play a major
interactive role with both the learner and the learning environment.

- Cultural or group influences on students can impact many

educationally relevant variables, such as motivation, orientation
toward learning, and ways of thinking.
 Cognitive and
Metacognitive Factors

6. Context of learning
* Learning is influenced by environmental factors, including culture,
technology, and instructional practices.
- Technologies and instructional practices must be appropriate for
learners’ level of prior knowledge, cognitive abilities, and their
learning and thinking strategies.

- The classroom environment, particularly the degree to which it is

nurturing or not, can also have significant impacts on student
learning.
 Motivational and
Affective Factors

7. Motivational and emotional influences on learning

* What and how much is learned is influenced by the learner’s
motivation. Motivation to learn, in turn, is influenced by the
individual’s emotional states, beliefs, interests and goals, and habits of
thinking.

- The rich internal world of thoughts, beliefs, goals, and expectations

for success or failure can enhance or interfere with the learner’s
quality of thinking and information processing.
 Motivational and
Affective Factors

7. Motivational and emotional influences on learning

* What and how much is learned is influenced by the learner’s
motivation. Motivation to learn, in turn, is influenced by the
individual’s emotional states, beliefs, interests and goals, and habits of
thinking.

- Student’s beliefs about themselves as learners and the nature of

learning have a marked influence on motivation.
 Motivational and
Affective Factors
7. Motivational and emotional influences on learning
* What and how much is learned is influenced by the learner’s
motivation. Motivation to learn, in turn, is influenced by the
individual’s emotional states, beliefs, interests and goals, and habits of
thinking.

- Positive emotions, such as curiosity, generally enhance motivation and

facilitate learning and performance. Mild anxiety can also enhance learning
and performance by focusing the learner’s attention on a particular task.
However, intense negative emotions (e.g., anxiety, panic, rage, insecurity) and
related thoughts (e.g., worrying about competence, ruminating about failure,
fearing punishment, ridicule or stigmatizing labels) generally detract from
motivation, interfere with learning, and contribute to low performance.
 Motivational and
Affective Factors

8. Intrinsic motivation to learn

* The learner’s creativity, higher order thinking, and natural curiosity
all contribute to motivation to learn. Intrinsic motivation is stimulated
by tasks of optimal novelty and difficulty, relevant to personal interests,
and providing for personal choice and control.

- Curiosity, flexible and insightful thinking, and creativity are major

indicators of the learners’ intrinsic motivation to learn, which is in
large part a function of meeting basic needs to be competent and to
exercise personal control.
 Motivational and
Affective Factors

8. Intrinsic motivation to learn

* The learner’s creativity, higher order thinking, and natural curiosity
all contribute to motivation to learn. Intrinsic motivation is stimulated
by tasks of optimal novelty and difficulty, relevant to personal interests,
and providing for personal choice and control.

- is facilitated on tasks that learners perceive as interesting and

personally relevant and meaningful, appropriate in complexity and
difficulty to the learners’ abilities, and on which they believe they can
succeed.
 Motivational and
Affective Factors

9. Effects of motivation on effort

* Acquisition of complex knowledge and skills requires extended
learner effort and guided practice. Without learners’ motivation to learn,
the willingness to exert this effort is unlikely without coercion.

- Effort is another major indicator of motivation to learn. The

acquisition of complex knowledge and skills demands the investment
of considerable learner energy and strategic effort, along with
persistence over time.
Developmental and
Social Factors

10. Developmental influences on learning

* As individuals develop, there are different opportunities and
constraints for learning. Learning is most effective when differential
development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional and
social domains is taken into account.

- Individuals learn best when material is appropriate to their

developmental level and is presented in an enjoyable and interesting
way.
Developmental and
Social Factors

10. Developmental influences on learning

* As individuals develop, there are different opportunities and
constraints for learning. Learning is most effective when differential
development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional and
social domains is taken into account.

- Because individual development varies across intellectual, social,

emotional, and physical domains, achievement in different
instructional domains may also vary.
Developmental and
Social Factors

10. Developmental influences on learning

* As individuals develop, there are different opportunities and
constraints for learning. Learning is most effective when differential
development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional and
social domains is taken into account.

- Overemphasis on one type of developmental readiness – such as

reading readiness, for example-may preclude learners from
demonstrating that they are more capable in other areas of
performance.
Developmental and
Social Factors

10. Developmental influences on learning

* As individuals develop, there are different opportunities and
constraints for learning. Learning is most effective when differential
development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional and
social domains is taken into account.

- The cognitive, emotional, and social development of individual

learners and how they interpret life experiences are affected by prior
schooling, home, culture, and community factors.
Developmental and
Social Factors

10. Developmental influences on learning

* As individuals develop, there are different opportunities and
constraints for learning. Learning is most effective when differential
development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional and
social domains is taken into account.

- Early and continuing parental involvement in schooling, and the

quality of language interactions and two-way communications
between adults and children can influence these developmental areas.
Developmental and
Social Factors

10. Developmental influences on learning

* As individuals develop, there are different opportunities and
constraints for learning. Learning is most effective when differential
development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional and
social domains is taken into account.

- Awareness and understanding of developmental differences among

children with and without emotional, physical, or intellectual
disabilities, can facilitate the creation of optimal learning contexts.
Developmental and
Social Factors

11. Social influences on learning

* Learning is influenced by social interactions, interpersonal relations,
and communication with others.

- Learning can be enhanced when the learner has an opportunity to

interact and to collaborate with others on instructional tasks.

- Learning settings that allow for social interactions, and that respect
diversity, encourage flexible thinking and social competence.
Developmental and
Social Factors

11. Social influences on learning

* Learning is influenced by social interactions, interpersonal relations,
and communication with others.

- In interactive and collaborative instructional contexts, individuals

have an opportunity for perspective taking and reflective thinking that
may lead to higher levels of cognitive, social, and moral development,
as well as self-esteem.
Developmental and
Social Factors

11. Social influences on learning

* Learning is influenced by social interactions, interpersonal relations,
and communication with others.

- Quality personal relationships that provide stability, trust, and caring

can increase learners’ sense of belonging, self-respect and self-
acceptance, and provide a positive climate for learning.
 Individual
Differences Factors
12. Individual differences in learning
* Learners have different strategies, approaches, and capabilities for
learning that are a function of prior experience and heredity.

- Individuals are born with and develop their own capabilities and
talents.

- In addition, through learning and social acculturation, they have

acquired their own preferences for how they like to learn and the
pace at which they learn. However, these preferences are not always
useful in helping learners reach their learning goals.
 Individual
Differences Factors

13. Learning and diversity

* Learning is most effective when differences in learners’ linguistic,
cultural, and social backgrounds are taken into account.

- The same basic principles of learning, motivation, and effective

instruction apply to all learners. However, language, ethnicity, race,
beliefs, and socioeconomic status all can influence learning. Careful
attention to these factors in the instructional setting enhances the
possibilities for designing and implementing appropriate learning
environments.
 Individual
Differences Factors

13. Learning and diversity

* Learning is most effective when differences in learners’ linguistic,
cultural, and social backgrounds are taken into account.

- When learners perceive that their individual differences in abilities,

backgrounds, cultures, and experiences are valued, respected, and
accommodated in learning tasks and contexts, levels of motivation and
achievement are enhanced.
 Individual
Differences Factors
14. Standards and assessment
* Setting appropriately high and challenging standards and assessing
the learner as well as learning progress – including diagnostic, process,
and outcome assessment – are integral parts of the learning process.
- Assessment provides important information to both the learner and
teacher at all stages of the learning process.

- Effective learning takes place when learners feel challenged to work

towards appropriately high goals; therefore, appraisal of the learner’s
cognitive strengths and weaknesses, as well as current knowledge and
skills, is important for the selection of instructional materials of an
optimal degree of difficulty.