Factors and educational implications of insight learning

Insightful learning depends on certain factors:

1. Experience:

Example: Problems of modern mathematics solve unless he is well acquainted with its symbolic language.

2. Intelligence:

More intelligent greater will be his insight.

3. Learning Situation:

Insight occurs when the learning situation is so arranged that all  the necessary aspects are open to view.

4. Initial Efforts:

Insightful learning has to pass through the trial & error but this stage does not last ling it should be in the form of an initial effort to open the way for learning.

5. Repetition & generalization:

Obtained solution of a problem is implement in another situation demanding similar type of solution

Educational implications of Gestalt theory of learning:

1. Learning purposeful & goal oriented.
2. Motivation to the learner
3. Acquaint with specific aims & purposes of the learning.
4. Emphasis on situation as a whole – maxim from whole to parts.

Example: To learn or memorize a poem, present as a whole. After being read & understood as a whole, break into parts or stanzas  as for effective memorized.

5. Organization of a perceptual fields & learning material as a whole.

Learning cannot be related to subject or skill. It should be collection of isolated facts, informations or unrelated behaviuoral acts. Contributes in organization of curriculum, scheme of studies, work plan & procedure of planning the schedule of learning or teaching of a skill or a behavior.

6. Distinction between a psychological & a logical order of presentation.

Example: to teach matter we have to proceed as subelectronic particles electrons, atoms molecules and matter.

Example: in geography: map of the world an orange and the relation of sun & earth.

7. Problem solving attitude develops
8. Encourages reasoning, develops thinking & trains imagination & creative activity

Kohlers experiment on chimpanzee

Kohlers Experiment on Chimpanzee:

Experiment – 1

1. Chimpanzee sultan inside a cage or a box.
2. Chimpanzee jump to reach the banana which was hang from the roof of the cage.
3. Not succeed.
4. Used the box as a jumping platform by placing it just below the hanging banana.
5. Got success.

Experiment – 2

1. Chimpanzee inside a cage & two or three box required.
2. To reach the banana specific arrangement of box were required.

Experiment – 3

1. Chimpanzee inside the cage & two sticks one longer than the other were placed inside the cage.
2. Chimpanzee took one after the another  stick to picked banana. Not succeed as banana was placed outside the cage.
3. One stick has hollow end so that other stick could thrust into it to form a longer stick.
4. Suddenly he joined two sticks together & reached the banana.

Experiment demonstrate role of intelligence & cognitive abilities in higher learning (Problem solving).

Thus to react intelligently

1. Identify the  problem.
2. Organize their perceptual field
3. Use insight to reach solution

Perceived situation as a whole. Perceptual field is properly organized. Problem can be solve through flashes of insight.

Example: A student may suddenly discover that in 9’s table, the sum of the digits in the answer is always 9.

9 X 5 = 45, 4 + 5 = 9 etc.

Learning of a new meaningful relationship is a result of his insightful learning.

Gestalt theory of insightful learning

        Cognitivist’s Theory of Learning (Gestalt’s Insightful Learning):

            Wolfgang Kohler originated theory. Gestalt is a german word means configuration or forms or patterns. Organised whole in contrast to a collection of parts. Example:  Flower is just not a total of petals, calyx, corolla, colour, fragrance but something mere than that. According to gestalt the total of the parts is not equal to the whole. According to him “Learning is the organism or reorganism of  behaviuor which arises from the interaction of a maturing organism & its environment. Insight is the perception of relationship between atleast 3 factors an  agent, a goal and intervening condition or obstacles. Its an Aha experience. Flash of understanding which comes to us all of sudden.

Idea of Theory:

Thing cannot be understood by the study of its constituent parts but only by the study of its as a totality or whole.

Gestalt theory focuses on idea of grouping. i.e. characteristics of stimuli that structure or interpret visual field or problem in a certain way.

Factors Determine Grouping (Law of organization):

1. Proximity: Elements grouped together according to their nearness.
2. Similarity: Similar items in some respect tend to be grouped together.
3. Closure: Elements grouped together if they complete some entity.
4. Simplicity: Elements tend to be organized into simple figures according to symmetry, regularity & smoothness.

This laws have been explained in the context of perception & problem solving.

Thorndike's laws of learning and its educational implications

Thorndike’s Laws ofLearning:

1)      Law of Readiness:-

First primary law of learning, according to him, is the ‘Law of Readiness’ or the ‘Law of Action Tendency’, which means that learning takes place when an action tendency is aroused through preparatory adjustment, set or attitude. Readiness means a preparation of action. If one is not prepared to learn, learning cannot be automatically instilled in him, for example, unless the typist, in order to learn typing prepares himself to start, he would not make much progress in a lethargic & unprepared manner.

2)      Law of Exercise:-

The second law of learning is the ‘Law of Exercise’, which means that drill or practice helps in increasing efficiency and durability of learning and according to Throndike’s S-R Bond Theory, the connections are strengthened with trail or practice and the connections are weakened when trial or practice is discontinued. The ‘law of exercise’, therefore, is also understood as the ‘law of use and disuse’ in which case connections or bonds made in the brain cortex are weakened or loosened. Many examples of this case are found in case of human learning. Learning to drive a motor-car, typewriting, singing or memorizing a poem or a mathematical table, and music etc. need exercise and repetition of various movements and actions many times.

3)      Law of Effect:-

The third law is the ‘Law of Effect’, according to which the trial or steps leading to satisfaction stamps in the bond or connection. Satisfying states lead to consolidation and strengthening of the connection, whereas dis-satisfaction, annoyance or pain lead to the weakening or stamping out of the connection. In fact, the ‘law of effect’ signifies that if the response satisfy the subject, they are learnt and selected, while those which are not satisfying are eliminated. Teaching, therefore, must be pleasing. The educator must obey the tastes and interests of his pupils. In other words, greater the satisfaction stronger will be the motive to learn. Thus, intensity is an important condition of ‘law of effect’.

     Besides these three basic laws, Throndike also refer to five subordinate laws which further help to explain the learning process. These are-

4)      Law of Multiple – Response-

According to it the organism varies or changes its response till an appropriate behaviour is hit upon. Without varying the responses, the correspondence for the solution might never be elicited. If the individual wants to solve a puzzle, he is to try in different ways rather than mechanically persisting in the same way. Throndike’s cat in the puzzle box moved about and tried many ways to come out till finally it hit the latch with her paw which opened the door and it jumped out.

5)      The Law of Set or Attitude-

Learning is guided by a total set or attitude of the organism, which determines not only what the person will do but what will satisfy or annoy him. For instance, unless the cricketer sets himself to make a century, he will not be able to score more runs. A student, similarly, unless he sets to get first position and has the attitude of being at the top, would while away the time and would not learn much. Hence, learning is affected more in the individual if he is set to learn more or to excel.

   

6)      Pre- potency of Elements:-

According to this law, the learner reacts selectively to the important or essential in the situation and neglects the other features or elements which may be irrelevant or non- essential. The ability to deal with the essential or the relevant part of the situation, makes analytical and insightful learning possible. In this law of pre-potency of elements, Thorndike is really anticipating insight in learning which was more emphasized by the Gestaltions.

7)      Law of  Response by Analogy-

According to this law, the individual makes use of old experiences or acquisitions while learning a new situation. There is a tendency to utilise common elements in the new situation as existed in a similar past situation. The learning of driving a car, for instance, is facilitated by the earlier acquired skill of driving a motor cycle or even riding a bicycle because the perspective or maintaining a balance and controlling the handle helps in stearing the car.

8)      The Law of Associative Shifting-

According to this law we may get an response, of which a learner is capable, associated with any other situation to which he is sensitive. Thorndike illustrated this by the act of teaching a cat to stand up at a command. A fish was dangled before the cat while he said ‘ stand up’. After a number trails by presenting the fish after uttering the command ‘stand up’, he later ousted the fish and the over all command of ‘stand up’ was found sufficient to evoke the response in the cat by standing up or her hind legs.

      In brief implications of the Theory are-

1)      According to this theory the task can be started from the easier aspect towards its difficult side. This approach will benefit the weaker and backward children.

2)      A small child learns some skills through trial and error method only such as sitting, standing, walking, running etc. In teaching also the child rectifies the writing after commiting mistakes.

3)      In this theory more emphasis has been laid on motivation. Thus, before starting teaching in the classroom the students should be properly motivated.

4)      Practice leads a man towards maturity. Practice is the main feature of trial and error method. Practice helps in reducing the errors committed by the child in learning any concept.

5)      Habits are formed as a result of repeitition. With the help of this theory the wrong habits of the children can be modified and the good habits strengthened.

6)      The effects of rewards and punishment also affect the learning of the child. Thus, the theory lays emphasis on the use of reward and punishment in the class by the teacher.

7)      The theory may be found quite helpful in changing the behaviour of the deliquent children. The teacher should cure such children making use of this theory.

8)      With the help of this theory the teacher can control the negative emotions of the children such as anger, jealousy etc.

9)      The teacher can improve his teaching methods making use of this theory. He must observe the effects of his teaching methods on the students and should not hesitate to make necessary changes in them, if required.

10)   The theory pays more emphasis on oral drill work. Thus, a teacher should conduct oral drill of the taught contents. This help in strengthening the learning more.

Major Theoretical Principles of Thorndike’s theory of learning:

Major Theoretical Principles of Thorndike’s theory of learning:

1. Learning involves trial and error or selection & connection:

Cat  stamp in and stamp out for correct  responses. Example False  attempts  made by  cat.

Selection  &  connection of proper responses to  connect or  associate them with adequate stimuli. Example: subsequent trials, cat tried  to avoid the erroneous moves &  to repeat the correct manner manipulating the latch.

2. Learning is  the result of formation of connections:

Connection in nervous system between stimuli & responses. Mind is man’s connection system. Association between sense, impression, impulse & action. This association is named as bond or connection. Association may be strengthen or weaken results in making or breaking habits. This type of association is known as connectionism or bondpsychology.

3. Learning is incremental, not insightful:

Learning performance depends on number of trials or opportunities. Increase in number of trials or practice performance gradually improves known as incremental performance. Such type of learning is called incremental learning. Example: solution of a problem does not strike the mind of the animal at once & the time an animal needs to find a solution to a problem depends upon the number of trials it gets to solve it.

4. Learning is direct, not mediated by ideas:

Learning is direct not mediated by ideas reasoning or thinking. Learning is simple mechanical phenomenon a process of establishing a simple connection between sensory stimuli & appropriate responses. Example: the cat does not look over the situation, much less think it over, and then decide what to do. It bursts out  at once into the activities helped by instincts & experiences.

Thorndike's Theory of Learning

Thorndike’s Connectivism:

1.                  Connections in the nervous system between stimuli and response.

2.                  Connections illustrated by S-R

3.                  Word bond theory of learning

4.                  According to thorndike “Learning is connecting.

5.                  Learning by trial and error

6.                  No readymade solution for problem is available – trial & error method is used.

Trial & Error is based on random activities to reach the goal.

Random activities are block or hinderances, drive, goal, random movements, multiple response, chance, success, selection and fixation.

Thorndike’s Experiment on Cat:

Hungry cat is placed inside the box. Food kept outside the box work as a motive. Cat started doing random movements for getting food. Cat squeeze through opening, claws and bites at the bars of wires, thrust its paws through any opening. Out of any one random movement latch manipulated accidently. Hungry cat came out and got its reward i.e. food.

In another trial:

Hungry cat placed in a puzzle box. Food kept outside the box worked as a motive. To get out of the box cat again did random movements. But cat took less time to come out from the box. Gradually reduced and took less time on each succeeding trial. Manipulate the latch as soon as it was put in the box. Gradually cat learned the art of opening door.

Experiment sums up the following stages in the process of learning:

1.                  Drive: Hungry cat intensified by the sight of the food.

2.                  Goal: To get food by getting out of the box.

3.                  Block: The cat was confined in the box with a closed door.

4.                  Random movements: The cat persistently tried to come out of the box without knowing how.

5.                  Chance success: Striving and random movements the cat by chance succeeded in opening the door.

6.                  Selection: Gradually cat recognized the correct way to manipulate the latch.

7.                  Fixation: At last cat learned the proper way to open the door by eliminating all the incorrect responses & fixing only the right response.

Implications of Operant conditioning Theory

Implication of the theory of operant conditioning:

1.      Conditioning study behaviour

Teaching is the arrangement of contingencies of reinforcement which expedite learning. For effective teaching teacher should arranged effective contingencies of reinforcement. Example: For Self learning of a student teacher should reinforce student behaviour through variety of incentives such as prize, medal, smile, praise, affectionate pating on the back or by giving higher marks.

2.      Conditioning and classroom behaviour:

During learning process child acquire unpleasant experiences also. This unpleasantness becomes conditioned to the teacher subject and the classroom and learner dislike the subject and a teacher. Suitable behavioural contingencies, atmosphere of recognition, acceptance, affection and esteem helps child in approaching teacher and the subject. If student is not serious in study,  teacher make use of negative reinforcement like showing negligence,  criticising student etc. but if student is serious in study, teacher make use of positive reinforcement like prize, medal, praise and smile. Example: student having transistor in classroom neglected by the teacher induged in talking with others for longer time. After long time student asked teacher till now you are receiving assignments, I will also submit you. Thus behaviour is conditioned.

3.      Managing Problem Behaviour:

Two types of behaviour is seen in the classroom viz undesired behaviour and problematic behaviour. Operant conditioning is a behaviour therapy technique that shape students behaviour. For this teacher should admit positive contingencies like praise, encouragement etc. for learning. One should not admit negative contingencies. Example punishment (student will run away from the dull and dreary classes – escape stimulation.

4.      Dealing with anxieties through conditioning:

Through conditioning fear, anxieties, prejudices, attitudes, perceptual meaning develops. Example of anxiety:

Signals on the road

Siren blown during war time

Child receiving painful injection from a doctor

            Anxiety is a generalized fear response. To break the habits of fear, desensitization techniques should be used by a teacher. Initially teacher should provide very weak form of conditioned stimulus. Gradually the strength of stimulus should be increased.

5.       Conditioning group behaviour:

Conditioning makes entire group learn and complete change in behaviour is seen due to reinforcement. It breaks undesired and unsocial behaviour too.

Example: Putting questions or telling lie to teachers will make teachers annoyed in such circumstances students learn to keep mum in the class.

Asking questions, active participation in class discussion will make the teacher feel happy – interaction will increase and teaching learning process becomes more effective.

6.      Conditioning and Cognitive Processes:

Reinforcement is given in different form, for the progress of knowledge and in the feedback form. When response is correct positive reinforcement is given.

Example: A student who stands first in the class in the month of January is rewarded in the month of December. To overcome this Programme instruction is used. In this subject matter is broken down into steps. Organizing in logical sequence helps in learning. Each step is build upon the preceding step. Progress is seen in the process of learning. Immediate reinforcement is given at each step.

7.      Shaping Complex Behaviour:

Complex behaviour exists in form of a chain of small behaviour. Control is required for such kind of behaviour. This extended form of learning is shaping technique. Smallest Behaviour is controlled at initial stage. On behalf of different contingencies next order of chain of behaviours is controlled.

Example: Vocabulary in English. Teaching spelling is mainly a process of  shaping complex form of behaviour.