ASSIGNMENT ON PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND HUMAN

DEVELOPMENT
LEVELS OF LEARNING
SUBMITTED BY
NAME: MURUGALAKSHMI. P
DEPARTMENT: TAMIL
Contents :
 Introduction:
 Meaning of learning
 Types of Learning
 GAGNE’S THEORY OF LEARNING
 The meaning and concept of learning
 The out comes of Learning
 Gagne’s hierarchical structure of Learning
 Conditions or Events of Learning
 Events of Learning and Instructions
 Conclusion
 Referance book

INTRODUCTION:
The knowledge we acquire,the language we speak, the habits, attitudes
and skill developed in us are all due to learning. Learning is basic to human
behavior. Learning plays a central role in the language we speak, our goals, our
personality traits and even in our perceptions. As a consequence of learning the
human child which starts with a few inborn patterns of behavior called instincts
for its adjustment to its environment, could constantly refine its modes of dealing
with its environment and become more independent effective and self-reliant in its
functioning.
MEANING OF LEARNING:
Psychologys define learning as “a relatively permanent change in
behavior, which occurs as a result of activity, training, practice of experience.”
GAGNE’S THEORY OF LEARNING:
Robert Gagne, the famous American psychologist put forward a theory of
learning and instruction incorporating a behaviouristic, eclectic approach to the
psychology of learning and teaching. He is specially known for his famous
writings “the conditions of learning” and “Instructional Technology Foundations”.
The major theoretical notions and ideas propagated by him through his learning
theory may be summarized now.

THE MEANING AND CONCEPT OF LEARNING:

Learning, according to Gagne, may be considered a change in human
disposition, or capability which can be retained and which is not simply ascribable
to the process of growth. The major task or objective of one’s learning is to bring
the required change in his way of disposition (tendency to behave in certain ways
in given situations) or the capability of performing one task or the other. The result
or impact of learning, thus may be subjected to proper measurement since these
can be properly observed and inferred by observing the difference in performance
of the learner before and after learning. These changes in behavior or ability and
potential of the learner are somewhat enduring, as the learner is capable of utilizing
and benefitting through the outcomes of such learning. In any case, this is an
acquired tendency which cannot be simply associated with the process of natural
growth. i.e. maturation etc.
THE OUTCOMES OF LEARNING
Learning, according to Gagne is supposed to result in the enhancement of a
person’s performance and capabilities by acquiring new ways of behaving (gaining
in terms of knowledge, understanding, skills and change of attitudes etc). He
declared that all types of human learning may result in the development of human
capabilities in terms of the following five components:
1. Verbal information
2. Intellectual skills
3. Cognitive strategies
4. Motor skills
5. Attitudes
Let us know in detail about these outcomes of learning.
1. Verbal information:
Through one’s learning one may acquire different types of
information in a verbal form (listening, viewing and reading). One may then make
use of this information for one’s own purposes or transmit it to others through
verbal means (spoken or written). Verbal communication of the acquired
information then may prove helpful in many ways to the learner.
2. Intellectual skills:
Another outcome of learning is that it helps the learner acquire necessary
Intellectual skills. Gagne (1970) has further classified these intellectual skills into
levels or types. Eg. Discrimination, concept, formation, and rule learning.
According to him, these skills assist the learner in “knowing how” in comparison
to “knowing that” of (verbal) information, that is, how to convert decimals into
fractions, how to interpret various symbols on a page into recognized words, and
so on.
 3. Cognitive strategies:
These refer to the internally organized capabilities of a learner, which he
acquires through the process of learning. These strategies help him in the tasks
related to attending, learning, remembering, thinking and problem solving,
leading him to attain his individual and social goals.
4. Motor skills:
Learning affects the conative domain of a person’s behavior by bringing the
required changes in the way he does things through motor activities. His
learning to drive a car, swimming, playing a musical instrument or playing a
game are all the outcomes of acquisition and development of his motor skills.
5. Attitudes:
Learning helps the learner to bring significant changes in the effective
domain of his behavior, particularly in terms of the change in his disposition or
attitude that is, his attitude towards things, persons or events.
These outcomes can be illustrated as in the form of a Table 13.1
Table 13.1 Illustrating Gange’s Outcomes of Learning
Learning outcomes Example of human performance made possible
by the related learning outcome
1. Verbal information Stating Newton’s laws of motion.
2. Intellectual skills Exhibited in the following manner
i. Discrimination Distinguishing printed letter ‘d’ from ‘b’
ii. Concept formation Naming apple as fruit and distinguishing it
from other fruits.
iii. Generalization of Demonstrating and concluding that matter
rule or principle expands after heating.
3. Cognitive strategy Thinking and discovering a novel strategy for
the purification of water.
4. Motor skill Learning to play harmonium
 5. Attitude Choosing teaching as a noble profession.

TYPES OF LEARNING (GAGNE’S HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF

LEARNING)
Gagne maintained that all learnings are not alike and, consequently, he
divided human learning into eight types or categories arranged in hierarchy. He
gave them the hierarchical order based on their internal connections since one type
of learning provides a prerequisite for the next higher order learning. These eight
types of learning in their hierarchical order can be presented in the form of a Table
13.2 as follows:
While presenting such a hierarchical order, Gagne tried to guide the process
of learning and instructional organization by emphasizing that in learning, the
lower steps of hierarchy must by mastered before the higher steps can be learned.
Gagne’s theory of learning provides a genuine basis for the proper organization
and sequencing of instruction.
CONDITIONS OR EVENTS OF LEARNING
Gagne, through his theory of learning and instruction, emphasized that
different internal and external conditions or events are necessary for each type or
level of learning. Internal conditions, according to him, are those capabilities
which are already possessed by a learner on account of his previous learning,
physical stamina, and mental emotional make-up. External conditions represent
those things and elements in his environment which affect his learning outcomes
from outside. Good learning, in terms of its required outcomes, thus requires a
proper organization of these internal and external conditions of learning. As
favourable internal conditions, we can consider the learner’s interest, motivation,
his mental and physical and emotional make-up and previous learning (learning
prerequisites that facilitate present learning). In terms of favourable external
conditions, one should look for favourable teaching-learning strategies and
environmental situations. For example, for learning cognitive strategies, a learner
must be given
Table 13.2 Gagne’s system of Learning
Hierarchical Type Brief description of its nature
order
Signal learning A learning of the nature that we are stopped at the
red light and start driving our vehicle at the green.
Here we learn to make a generalized response to a
signal or stimulus (as happens with the classical
conditioning of Pavlov and Watson)
2. Stimulus- Learning based on S.R. type instrumental
response conditioning emphasized by Thorndike. Here a
(S.R). learning stimulus is properly discriminated for a
mechanical alike response.
3. Chaining In this type of learning, two or more S.R.
connections are joined together.
4. Verbal In this type of learning the learner is made to emit
association chained responses of S.R. type by making verbal
association.
5. Multiple This is a stage of good discrimination. i.e. to learn
discrimination making different responses to different (even
having too much resemblance) stimuli.
6. Concept In this type of learning one learns to provide a
learning common response to a class of stimuli.
7. Rule learning Also known as learning of principles. Principles
are generated through the chaining of two or more
concepts, e.g. if one is thirsty, one needs water to
 drink.
8. Problem solving In this type of learning, higher mental or cognitive
abilities are involved for making use of the
concept and rules for solving one or the other
problem.

Opportunities to enhance his thinking skills, and use novel methods for doing
things and solving problems. Similarly, for learning attitudes, the learners may be
exposed to a credible role model or persuasive arguments.
EVENTS OF LEARNING AND INSTRUCTIONS
Gagne, while emphasizing the need for a proper theory of instruction,
proposed that such a theory of instruction must be based on the hierarchical
structure of the events of learning. How the information is processed by the learner
may work towards planning the task of instruction (either for self-learning or
through an instructor or teacher). What goes on inside the learner’s mind (in the
shape of various cognitive processes) during the teaching-learning process may be
termed as internal events. These events must be fully taken into consideration
(along with the external conditions or events in the shape of desired teaching-
learning environment) while planning the corresponding instructional procedures.
These learning events from the angle of a learner (also called as cognitive process
going inside the mind of the learner) along with the corresponding instructional
events, may be well presented as follows (Table 13.3).
Table 13.3 Gagne’s Learning Events along with their Corresponding Instructional
Events
Learning event Corresponding instruction event
(cognitive process in a learner’s mind)
Reception Gaining attention
Expectancy Informing learners of the objective
 Retrieval Stimulating recall of prior learning
Selective perception Presenting the stimulus
Semantic encoding Providing learning guidance
Responding Eliciting performance
Reinforcement Providing feedback
Retrieval Assessing performance
Generalization Enhancing retention and transfer
An instructional plan my thus be properly chalked out by following the
sequences of learning events. For example, every learning requires its reception
and acceptance from the learner. Thereafter, it should be realized with the
assistance of a proper motivation. Every effort should therefore be made to seek
his attention and make his learning goal and attainable purposeful. After being
motivated to learn something, a learner is naturally inclined to depend on or
associate it with previous learning and as such for this purpose, he has to undergo
the instructor or teacher has to make efforts to stimulate the recall of his previous
learning. Similarly, we can judge the validity of the instructional events suggested
by Gagne, well in tune with the requirements of the hierarchical sequence of the
learning events (cognitive process going inside the learner’s mind).
In this way, as Gagne puts the sequence of learning events (necessary
conditions for learning) may serve as a useful and necessary base for designing
instructions and selecting appropriate media for a teaching-learning process
(Gagne, Briggs and Wager, 1992).
For the illustration of his views about the relationship between learning
events and instructional events, Gagne (1985) has tried to provide examples of
events for each category of learning outcomes. Here we can cite an example
illustrating a teaching sequence related to the required instructional events for the
topic, “Recognition of an equilateral triangle”.
 1. Gain attention – show variety of triangles (drawing figures illustrating
models or computer generated figures).
2. Identify the object – pose question: “What is an equilateral triangle”?
3. Recall prior learning – review definitions of triangles.
4. Present stimulus – give definition of equilateral triangles.
5. Guide learning – show example of how to create an equilateral triangle.
6. Elicit performance – ask students to create five different examples.
7. Provide feedback – check all examples as correct/incorrect.
8. Assess performance – provide scores and remediation.
9. Enhance retention/Transfer – show pictures of objects and ask students to
identify equilaterals.
Thus, Gagne, through his theory of learning, tries to provide a
Behavior-istic, electric approach to the psychology of learning. He proposes a set
of events or conditions for the occurrence of learning and links them to a set of
instructional events. The hierarchical order which he proposes for the learning
types, outcomes, and the instructional designs, say much about his dynamic
approach and efforts to integrate teaching well with the learning process. His
theory almost covers all aspects of human learning and, therefore, it can be safely
applied to the design of instruction in all domains of human behavior.

CONCLUSION:
From the different learning theories that we have discussed, it is clear the
‘learning’ is of different types and takes place at different levels. Factors like
pupil’s intelligence, his previous experiences and the content of the subject more
particularly the topic to be learned, determine the method of learning preferred by
the pupil. To choose the most appropriate method for the classroom teaching-
learning process, that is suitable for intellectual ability of his pupils, and the nature
of the content to be learned, the teacher should have the knowledge of different
learning theories as well as their relative merits and demerits. No single theory of
learning could be considered as the best. Though the kit of a carpenter contains a
variety of tools and that too in different sizes, an efficient carpenter chooses a
particular tool among the many and puts it into use in a given situation depending
upon the nature of the work to be done, nature of the wood he has to deal with,
amount of time available to him to finish the work and the abilities of his assistant.
For example if he has to make a hole in a piece of wood, the carpenter may use a
chisel or a drill-bit depending upon the size of the hole to be drilled and the
strength of the wood he has to deal with. Similarly a teacher should also know
when to give emphasis for acquisition of knowledge, when associations and
relationship are to be emphasized, when imitational learning will be highly
effective etc. so that he could create the appropriate situations that facilitate the
particular type of learning or teaching. Hence knowledge about ‘learning’ and
learning theories is considered to be highly useful for a practicing teacher.
REFERENCE BOOK
1. S.K. Mangal
2. K. Nagarajan M.Sc (phy) M.A. (psy)., M.Ed., Ph.D.,
3. R. Sriviniasan M.A., M.Ed., M.Phil., Ph.D.,
4. R. C. Sharma
5. Skinner, E. Charles