Theories of Teaching and Learning

Overview

This unit introduces pre-service teachers to different learning perspectives and how they relate to contemporary theories of learning. The unit challenges them to reflect upon their own belief system and how this aligns with contemporary approaches to teaching and learning and the capacity to create effective learning environments.

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Recognise and explain why learning is a complex concept
2. Describe and define learning theories and articulate their benefits and limitations
3. Describe and compare different learning perspectives and relate them to contemporary theories of learning
4. Relate and reflect upon personal beliefs about learning and teaching to contemporary theories and how this impacts on practice
5. Identify and predict factors that contribute to effective learning environments
6. Identify how research aligns with theories of teaching and learning and informs education

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Assessment

Content

• Complexities of learning
• What is a learning theory
• Where do theories come from and how are they used
• Benefits and limitations of learning theories
• Application of learning theories to practice
• World views and their impact on practice
• Behavioural perspectives
• Cognitive perspectives
• Constructivist/Socio-cultural perspectives
• Poststructural perspectives
• Contemporary theories from different perspectives
• Teaching and learning processes/pedagogy
• Overview of how research is used in education