Learning & Teaching

1. Give the Laws of Learning by trial and error?

According to Thorndike learning takes place by trial and error. Some people call it,
“Learning by selection of the successful variant,” accordingly when no ready-made
solution of a problem is available to the learner, he adopts the method of trial and error.
He first, tries one solution. If it does not help him, he rejects it, then, he tries another and
so on. In this way he eliminates errors or irrelevant responses which do not serve the
purpose and finally discovers the correct solution.

Thus, in trial and error method, the learner makes random activities and finally reaches
the goal accidently.

 Law or Readiness:
First primary law of learning, according to him, is the ‘Law or 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 for 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
and unprepared manner.

 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
Thorndike’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 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 May times.
  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 leads to the weakening or stamping out of the connections.
In fact, the ‘law or effect’ signifies that if the responses 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 the ‘law of effect’.

In Brief, the implications of the theory are:

1. According to his 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 committing 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 repetition. 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 delinquent 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 helps in strengthening the learning more.
 2. Difference between Trial and error vs Theory of Insightful?

Sr. Trail & Error Insightful learning

No.
1 It is a fundamental method of It is a cognitive method of learning
problem solving and learning.
2 Learning is repetitive process, Learning is result of meaningful
keep on doing till success is experiences.
achieved.
3 Learning through practice Learning as a result of ability to
perceive.
4 This method is used by organism This method is used by organism of
of low intelligence high intelligence
5 Solution to a task is found after Solution to a task emerges in one insight
repeated trials.

3. Explain the outcomes of Learning?

Learning outcomes need to be SMART.

 Specific: The learning outcome should be well defined and clear. It states exactly what will be
accomplished.
 Measurable: The learning outcome should provide a benchmark or target so that the institution
can determine when the target has been reached, by how much it has been exceeded or by how
much it has fallen short.
 Agreed Upon: Important stakeholders must be in general agreement with the institution’s
mission, goals and learning outcomes. Stakeholders may include university, school
administration, faculty, students, alumni and/or community members.
 Realistic: Learning outcomes should be reasonable given the available resources. Learning
outcomes should neither be easy nor impossible to attain, but somewhere in between.
 Time-Framed: A learning outcome should include a specific date by which it will be completed.
It is important to allow enough time to successfully implement the steps needed to achieve the
objective, but not so much as to elicit procrastination.
 Learning outcomes help faculty to:

 Decide our emphasis in the course: Of all the things we could teach, what should we teach?
 Decide how best to teach: Teaching students to analyze requires different teaching approaches
from teaching students to memorize.
 Decide how best to assess learning: Do I need a project or a final exam?
 Communicate expectations to students: What are our decisions on the matters above?

Learning outcomes help students by:

 Creating a connection between teaching and learning, between professors and students
 Taking much of the guessing out of the student's attempt to learn
 Enabling them to truly master the content of the course

4. Difference between Classical conditioning and Instrumental conditioning?

Sr. No. Classical Conditioning Instrumental (Operant) Conditioning

1 Involves learning through associations Involves learning through associations

between stimuli between stimuli

2 Focuses on involuntary, reflexive Focuses on voluntary, goal-directed

responses behaviors

3 Key elements: unconditioned stimulus Key elements: reinforcement and

and response punishment

4 Emphasizes the role of the Emphasizes the role of consequences

environment in learning in learning

5 Emphasizes the role of consequences Skinner's operant chamber is a classic

in learning example

6 Mainly applicable to emotional and Mainly applicable to emotional and

physiological responses physiological responses

 5. Two examples of negative motivation?

 Using fear or punishment to motivate students to behave or perform well.

 Comparing students to each other and using competition as a motivator.
 Using grades or test scores as the sole measure of achievement.
 Criticizing and belittling students for mistakes or poor performance.

6. Education is tripolar process explain?

According to John Dewey education is a tri-polar process. Any system of education
which does not have a social significance is incomplete. The modern concept of
education includes the social setting in which the educator and educand interact.
Education involves an interaction between the educator, educand and the social
environment. Therefore, it is said to be that education is tripolar.

7. Clarify the Role of teacher in Advance Organizer Model?

In this model teacher plays the role of organizer of subject matter and presents
information through lectures, readings and providing tasks to the learner to integrate what
has been learned. In this approach, teacher is responsible for organizing and presenting
what is to be learned. The learner’s primary role is to master ideas and information. The
Advance Organizers provide concepts and principles to the students directly.

8. State Aims of Inquiry Training Model?

To enhance the thinking ability of the student.
To enable them to form conclusions based on facts.
To enable them to have fluency in their thinking and speaking.
More specialty to impart training of inquiry skills.

9. Name the psychologists who gave the theory of wholeness?

Carl Jung

10. Explain Conditioned Response?

Conditioned response is a behavior that does not come naturally, but must be learned by
the individual by pairing a neutral stimulus with a potent stimulus. The potent stimulus is
one that does not require any learning or conditioning to respond to appropriately.

11. Importance of maxims of teaching?

 Simplify the process of teaching.
 Joyful teaching & learning environment.
 To create creativity among students.
 To develop scientific attitude.
 To develop critical thinking.
 Learning by doing.
12. Example of Particular to general maxim of teaching?
For example, if a teacher wants to explain a problem of addition, they give the example
of counting fingers or apples instead of numbers. That's among the most effective
teaching strategies.

13. Who gave the concept of meaningful learning?

David Ausubel

14. Difference between models of teaching (modern teaching) and traditional teaching?

Sr. No. Models of teaching Traditional teaching

1 Modern education gives greater Traditional teaching relies on
emphasis on science and technology textbooks and theoretical learning
2 Students are provided with critical Students were provided with known
thinking and problem-solving skills facts and knowledge in traditional
were introduced so that they could education
conduct research and reach higher
levels in education.
3 while in modern education systems, traditional methods use repetition
students learn through human- and memorization of information to
environment interaction teach students
4 students find learning and grading Traditional teaching was found to be
very easy in models of teaching. more stressful for students.