CONTEMPORARY LEARNING THEORIES/PSYCHOLOGISTS: THEIR

IMPACT TO EPP TEACHING

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LEARNING THEORIES OF BRUNER AND GAGNE IN THE
TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS OF THE DIFFERENT SKILLS IN THE EPP
SUBJECT
Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the topic/lesson, the pre-service teacher (PST) must

have:
1. explained the significance of the learning theories of Bruner and
Gagne in the teaching-learning process of the different skills in the EPP
subject. (BTI 1.1.1, 1.2.1) (CLO 1)
2. demonstrated with mastery the content knowledge through
discussion of the different curriculum foundations. (BTI 1.1.1, 1.2.1) (CLO
1)

Time Allocation: 6 hours

I. PREPARATION

This lesson introduces a brief overview of two contemporary learning theories and
their impact to EPP teaching.

Now, to ignite our interests, let’s have an interesting activity called “Fact or
Bluff”.Just click the link provided:

https://padlet.com/reyprincessyvonne/umfnxyuz49kkx6py and let’s have fun in our

virtual activity room!

Guide Questions:

1. What is your idea of Discovery Learning?

2. How about the Hierarchy of Learning, can you share your idea about this
theory?
3. What do you think is the purpose of these theories in teaching?
 II. PRESENTATION

What is Learning Theory?

Learning theories are abstract frameworks that describe how knowledge is

received and processed during the learning experience. Additionally, these theories
became the basis in choosing appropriate instructional design and technology which
answered the need for a well-designed and effective instruction (Reid, AJ. PhD,
Learning Theory.Coastal Carolina University). Now, let us take a brief look on the two
contemporary learning theories:

1. Jerome Bruner and Discovery Learning

a. Getting to know Mr. Jerome Bruner

Jerome Bruner, in full Jerome Seymour Bruner,
(born October 1, 1915, New York, New York, U.S.—
died June 5, 2016, New York, New York), American
psychologist and educator who developed theories on
perception, learning, memory, and other aspects of
cognition in young children that had a strong influence
on the American educational system and helped
Image source:
launch the field of cognitive psychology
https://elearningindustry.com/dis
covery-learning-model
(https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jerome-Bruner). Bruner
believes that students must be active—they must
identify key principles for themselves rather than
simply accepting teachers’ explanations. This process
has been called DISCOVERY LEARNING
b. The Discovery Learning
Discovery Learning was
introduced by Jerome Bruner,
and is a method of Inquiry-
Based Instruction. This
popular theory encourages
learners to build on past
experiences and knowledge,
Image source:
https://www.earlyyearscareers.co
use their intuition, imagination
m/eyc/learning-and-development
/the-legacy-of-jerome-bruner/
and creativity, and search for
new information to discover
facts, correlations and new
truths. Learning does not equal absorbing what was
said or read, but actively seeking for answers and
 solutions (Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional Design Models and
Theories: The Discovery Learning Model)

Inquiry – Based Instruction - is a student-centered approach where

the instructor guides the students through questions posed, methods
designed, and data interpreted by the students. Through inquiry,
students actively discover information to support their investigations
(Alper, C. 2018. Embracing Inquiry-Based Instruction)

1.2.1 The 5 Principles of Discovery Learning Model

The Discovery Learning Model integrates the following 5 principles:

Principle1: Problem Solving

Instructors should guide and motivate learners to seek for solutions by combining
existing and newly acquired information and simplifying knowledge. This way, learners
are the driving force behind learning, take an active role and establish broader
applications for skills through activities that encourage risks, problem-solving and
probing (Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional Design Models and Theories:
The Discovery Learning Model)

Principle 2: Learner Management

Instructors should allow participants to work either alone or with others, and learn at
their own pace. This flexibility makes learning the exact opposite of a static sequencing
of lessons and activities, relieves learners from unnecessary stress, and makes them
feel they own learning (Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional Design
Models and Theories: The Discovery Learning Model)

Principle 3: Integrating and Connecting

Instructors should teach learners how to combine prior knowledge with new, and
encourage them to connect to the real world. Familiar scenarios become the basis of
new information, encouraging learners to extend what they know and invent something
new (Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional Design Models and Theories: The Discovery
Learning Model)

Principle 4: Information Analysis and Interpretation

Discovery learning is process-oriented and not content-oriented, and is based on the

assumption that learning is not a mere set of facts. Learners in fact learn to analyze and
interpret the acquired information, rather than memorize the correct answer (Pappas, C.
2014. Instructional Design Models and Theories: The Discovery Learning Model)
 Principle 5: Failure and Feedback

Learning doesn’t only occur when we find the right answers. It also occurs through
failure. Discovery learning does not focus on finding the right end result, but the new
things we discover in the process. And it’s the instructor’s responsibility to provide
feedback, since without it learning is incomplete (Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional Design
Models and Theories: The Discovery Learning Model)
1. Jerome Bruner and Discovery Learning

Image source:
https://www.slideshare.net/hullpg
ce/jerome-bruner-discovery-lear
ning

Figure 1. The Inquiry Cycle

Therefore, discovery learning educational sessions should be well-

designed, highly experiential and interactive. Instructors should use
stories, games, visual aids and other attention-grabbing techniques
that will build curiosity and interest, and lead learners in new ways of
thinking, acting and reflecting (Pappas, C. 2014. Instructional
Design Models and Theories:

Image source:
http://gagnelearningtheoris
t.blogspot.com/2013/05/ga
gnes-assumption-and-how
-his.html
 The Discovery Learning Model)
Robert Gagne and Learning Hierarchy

1. Getting to know Mr. Robert Gagne

Robert Mills Gagné (born 1916) was an American educator whose studies of learning
and instruction profoundly affected American schooling
(https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/
robert-mills-gagne)

2. Gagne’s Hierarchy of Learning

In 1956, the American educational psychologist Robert M. Gagne proposed a system of

classifying different types of learning in terms of the degree of complexity of the mental
processes involved. He identified eight basic types, and arranged these in the hierarchy
shown in Figure 2. According to Gagne, the higher orders of learning in this hierarchy
build upon the lower levels, requiring progressively greater amounts of previous learning
for their success. The lowest four orders tend to focus on the more behavioral aspects
of learning, while the highest four focus on the more cognitive aspects (Module: How
Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy
of learning)

8. Problem Solving
7. Rule Learning
Increasing Complexity 6. Concept Learning
5. Discrimination Learning
4. Verbal Association
3. Chaining
2. Stimulus – Response
Learning
1. Signal Learning
Figure 2. Gagne’s Hierarchy of Learning

At this point in time, let us take a closer look at each of the eight learning categories:
 1. Signal Learning (Stimulus) - This is the
For example: Teaching Alphabet
simplest form of learning. In this, the subject is
Teacher writes on the board
'conditioned' to emit a desired response as a
capital letter “A” – unconditioned
result of a stimulus that would not normally
stimulus. While writing, she makes
produce that response. This is done by first
the sound “Capital letter A” –
exposing the subject to the chosen stimulus
conditioned stimulus.
(known as the conditioned stimulus) along with
Response: The child
another stimulus (known as the unconditioned
associates capital letter “A” and the
stimulus) which produces the desired response
sound capital letter “A”. After several
naturally; after a certain number of repetitions of
presentations of both the letter and
the double stimulus, it is found that the subject
the sound, the child can now
emits the desired response when exposed to the
distinguish what is capital letter “A”.
conditioned stimulus on its own (Module: How
Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy
of learning)

For example: If a student 2. Stimulus-response learning (Response) - It

accidentally hits the right solution to involves developing desired stimulus-response
a problem, he is encouraged to bonds in the subject through a carefully-planned
continue solving similar problems; reinforcement schedule based on the use of
otherwise, he tries to find other 'rewards' and 'punishments' (Module: How
solutions until he finds the correct Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main
one. Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of
learning)

For example: Riding a bicycle. 3. Chaining (Process or Procedure) - This is a

The child should learn the first step more advanced form of learning in which the
before proceeding to the second one subject develops the ability to connect two or
and so on. Now, he will begin to more previously-learned stimulus-response bonds
connect the first step, second step into a linked sequence. It is the process whereby
and other steps to fully learn how to most complex psychomotor skills are learned
ride a bicycle. (Module: How Students Learn - A Review of
Some of the Main Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's
hierarchy of learning)

4. Verbal association (Terminology) - This is a

For example: “The dog’s name is
form of chaining in which the links between the
Rover.” (simple fact). “Sugar consists
items being connected are verbal in nature.
of three elements: carbon,
Verbal association is one of the key processes in
hydrogen, and oxygen.” (verbal
the development of language skills (Module: How
chain) (Kozloff, MA. 2006, Designing
Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main
Instruction)
Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of
Phases of Mastery
learning)
 5. Discrimination learning (Differentiation) - This
For example: involves developing the ability to make appropriate
Sound horns of different vehicles (different) responses to a series of similar stimuli
like bus, car, ambulance, etc. that differ in a systematic way. The process is
made more complex (and hence more difficult) by
the phenomenon of interference, whereby one
piece of learning inhibits another. Interference is thought to be one of the main causes
of forgetting (Module: How Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main Theories;
Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of learning)
6. Concept learning (Concepts) - This involves
For example:
developing the ability to make a consistent
We generalize the term “rectangle”
to those stimuli that possess the response to different stimuli that form a common
defining attributes. class or category of some sort. It forms the basis of
the ability to generalize, classify etc. (Module: How
Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main
Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of learning)

For example: 7. Rule learning (Rules) - This is a very-high-level

In a math equation, the student tries cognitive process that involves being able to learn
to follow a step by step process in relationships between concepts and apply these
order to provide a solution that will relationships in different situations, including
lead to a specific answer. situations not previously encountered. It forms the
basis of the learning of general rules, procedures,
etc. (Module: How Students Learn - A Review of
Some of the Main Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of learning)

For example: 8. Problem solving - This is the highest level of

Upon the presentation of a certain cognitive process according to Gagne. It involves
math problem, the student will now developing the ability to invent a complex rule,
try to analyze the problem, apply the algorithm or procedure for the purpose of solving one
learned principles and concepts that particular problem, and then using the method to
will serve as guide in the whole solve other problems of a similar nature (Module:
mathematical process before
How Students Learn - A Review of Some of the Main
arriving at the specific answer. After
solving the problem successfully, the Theories; Page: 4a - Gagne's hierarchy of learning)
student may now try to solve other
According to Gagne, learning hierarchies define
problems with the same nature
what intellectual skills are to be learned and a
using the method used in the
sequence of instruction. The primary idea of the
previous one.
hierarchy is to identify prerequisites that should be
completed to facilitate learning at each level. Learning
Hierarchies provide a basis for the sequencing of
instruction (Longakit AM. 2014, Gagne’s Conditions
of Learning). Therefore, teachers should assess the learning level of each student
carefully before deciding what specific instruction should be integrated to meet the set
learning goals. Additionally, a student cannot proceed to the next level unless he
mastered the skills being required in a certain learning stage as reflected in Gagne’s
belief.

The two learning theories; Discovery Learning of Jerome Bruner and Learning
Hierarchy of Robert Gagne serve as basis in choosing the right teaching approaches,
methods and techniques in delivering instruction that will fit in a contextualized,
integrative, experiential and authentic EPP learning environment. Since the focus of
teaching EPP is the mastery of content and skill, these two learning theories bridge the
gap of content towards the mastery of the skill.