Section 2: Theories and Models of Learning and Instruction

After reading through Chapters 4-9 in the textbook, I was still confused as to what the difference between epistemology and instructional theories is. After further research, I found that epistemology, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the study of theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity. In simpler terms, it is the study of what knowledge is and how we acquire knowledge. Instructional theories, like behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism, take wha thas been learned from epistemology and attempts to explain how knowledge can be nurtured in order to change and grow. Learning models describe how the different learning theories will work in practice; and finally, instructional methods are the ways in which teachers go about moving through the learning models in the classroom throughout their lessons. As the base of all of my newly acquired knowledge, I have learned that epistemology is important because it tells us how we should expect our students to learn.

After reading through the definitions of positivist, relativist, and contextualists, I find that I most closely identify with the contextualist perspective. As both a teacher and a student, I prefer to witness how an individual constructs learning rather than constructing it for them.

One of the major issues that I see in secondary school education is that we are not teaching our students how to think about and apply their knowledge in settings outside of the classroom or the "test". Too many teachers are taking a positivist or behavioral stance in teaching to a test, only asserting one way to solve complex problems. In a contextualist stance, the teacher allows the student to define the problem and come up with his or her own solution. I feel this is more beneficial to the student because it teaches them to think outside of the box and take control of his or her own learning.

I remember back in high school, I had a math teacher that had more of a positivist perspective on learning.  He taught only one way to solve complex problems and considered any other solution incorrect.  Even if at the end I would come up with the same answer, if I did not follow his steps he would take away several points.  That year, I had a tutor that taught me several ways to solve the same types of problems.  This allowed me to look at similarly worded problems as  almost the same, applying similar steps in the solving process.  I believe differing epistemic stances was the root of our problem. I wanted to play a more active role in my learning by applying different problem solving strategies whereas, he wanted me to only follow his methods.

Behaviorists approach problem-solving by providing constant feedback to problems that are easily measureable and set up.  For example, they would work out a problem and ask the students to work a similarly set up problem.  The teacher measures learning by how well the student is able to follow the examples.  In contrast, a contextualist approaches problem-solving by creating  problems that are applicable to a certain context and measuring learning by how the student constructs his or her own meaning.  This gives the student more control of their learning environment.

Both of these theories have a significant impact on how a student is motivated.  Students that lack confidence, basic skills, or knowledge will benefit most from a teacher that instructs his or her class from a behavoriorist stance. These students would be motivated by constant feedback and affirmations.  They appreciate the teacher being in control of the learning process.  On the other hand, students that are more confident and prefer to be challenged are motivated by a constructivist approach to learning, as they are able to construct and apply their own meanings to their learning process.