Learning Design Approaches

As I started reading “Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism” article, I realized that I generally use the constructivist approach when I’m teaching someone, but depending on what I am teaching, I also make use of the other two. But I wondered whether each instructor sticks to only one or another approach design. As I continued reading, I understood that the learning plan is often adapted by the instructor to each student’s needs, learning context, and experiences. This indicated that instructional design is flexible and dynamic; it is changeable throughout the learner’s study path according to each situation, topic, or previous learning experiences.

The most challenging learning experience that I had was to take a degree in a foreign language. I enjoy challenges and learning, but I noticed how hard it could be at the beginning. In my first year, I watched many online classes from Khan Academy and made the Centre for Academic Communication my main resource whenever I needed help. I overcame this challenge by working hard until I got used to the system that was new for me. 

 Throughout our learning path which is continuous as we learn in our everyday lives, we are presented with different forms of learning techniques (design). Depending on which type of knowledge is being acquired or the way how we learn most effectively, the behavioral, cognitive, or constructive approach could be more or less successful in achieving the best outcome. For example, a high school teacher teaching climate change could make use of flashcards with climate change processes definitions and consequences applying the behavioral learning design. 

Alternatively, for succeeding with the cognitive learners, the same teacher could make use of the cognitive learning design. By drawing sequential algorithms on the board explaining what causes climate change through its different factors and processes (including chemical reactions, and atmosphere conditions changes), students would be able to understand the causes and consequences involved in the bigger concept of climate change. 

Finally, by applying the constructivism approach, the teacher could draw concepts upon the use of examples from the students’ real life. For example, by asking them to observe in the news how sea level rise is a global phenomenon, or ask them to check historical reports linking greenhouse gases emission with the increased average global temperature. Another example of a constructivism approach is to simulate climate change events in a lab session, where students can learn through realia.