Bateson and Engestrom's Learning Theories - Essay Example

Running head: Learning theory analysis Student’s name Institution Course Professor Date Introduction Adult learning theories are essential in the development of the learning institution. Adult learning theories have been deemed to assist in the creation of significant learning. Since time immemorial, people have tried to understand how learning takes place. As a result, learning theories came out with each of them having its own psychology. Earliest philosophers who began to study how learning takes place include Plato and Aristotle. Despite the fact that they had different opinions about learning, their ideas were inter-related. In some cases, a new opinion of a theorist was just an extension of an opinion of another. A good example is Vygotsky who extended on the ideas of Jean Piaget (Hammond, Austin, Orcutt & Rosso, 2001, p.7). However, these learning theories do not provide direct solutions to pedagogy problems, but with their ideas, teachers are able to apply them in solving them. The learning theories bestow guidance to a strong teaching practice that will eventually lead to an improvement in the knowledge of learners (Sotto, 2007). The pupils are led to the stage where they are able to use the learning tools they had acquired on their own to generate their own meaning. Adult learning has been termed as highly individualistic and it necessitates that educators be very flexible and willing to utilize several teaching approaches and methods in order to promote learning. Adult learners are inspired to learn as they experience needs and interests that learning will fulfill. For instance, adults have a crucial need to be self-directing and hence the task of the educator is to participate in the process of mutual inquiry with them as oppose to transmitting the knowledge to them and then evaluate their conformity to it. Body (Learning theories) Bateson's learning theory The theory asserted that teaching should address the whole person, for instance physical, emotional and intellectual in dialogues that can cut across a wider range of contextual boundaries and communication pathways. Bateson utilized the theory of logical types to delineate a set of five classes of learning labeled learning 0 through IV that came up after the first development that consisted learning I and learning II (proto and deuterolearning). According to him, learning is simultaneous where he pointed out the fact that when learning I is going on, learning II is also going on at the same time (Illeris, 2009 P.58). Learning has been recognized as a systematic phenomenon that comprises multiple logical levels. From these levels, it can be concluded that learning is a process. The first level he describes it as learning 0. This level describes a reaction to something but no learning takes place (Seel, 2011 P. 413). In level II; learning I, learning takes place but on condition that there is a perceived error. It is much more like the operant and classical conditioning. Learning II occurs in the context of learning one and it has a lot of effects on how we look at things (Seel, 2011 P. 413). Learning III is a very rare case especially for the human beings. It develops from learning II. Learning III is the limit of human learning process (Seel, 2011 P. 413). Learning IV develops from learning III. He terms it as non-existent in living organisms. From these five levels, we can conclude that learning is procedural and learning process occurs differently based on the level. From the idea of learning being in levels, teachers need to be aware that learning is a relational process. Each subsequent level of Bateson’s theory of learning is dependent on the previous level. It is therefore crucial for learners to move in steps beginning from the lowest level. In the same way, there has been an emphasis on the use of context markers on many occasions in pedagogy. Teachers are advised to use visual aids in learning. From this theory, Bateson place emphasis on the issue of repeatable context that can lead to learning. This is much apparent in level two (learning I) whereby the theorist, Bateson characterizes with operant and classical conditioning. This theory is therefore fundamental in the realm of pedagogy and it proposes a redesign of a learning program that is very effective and helpful to the learners. Engestrom's theory of learning by expanding This theory was formulated in 1987 and it was built on foundational ideas put forward by Vygotsky, Leont’ev and Davy-dov. It was developed within the framework of cultural-historical activity theory. The theory helps learners to learn something that is not yet there. The learners are able to construct a new object and concept for their own collective activity and able to implement in practice. Generally, it focuses on learning processes where the key subject of learning is transformed from isolated individuals to collectives and networks. This theory puts emphasis on communities as learners, on transformation and creation of culture, on horizontal movement and hybridization and on the formation of theoretical concepts (Engestrom, 1987). The learners are able to participate in constructing and implementing a fundamentally, new, wider and more complex object and concept for their activity. Expansive learning activity generates a culturally, new patterns of activity and able to develop Bateson’s idea into a systematic framework. The theorist explored the relationship between learning and formal education where the institutionalization of knowledge makes it a self-conscious and abstract process. For instance, the advent of the first distinct, specialized forms of transmission of knowledge and experience brings about the first conscious learning actions. The development of a structured formal learning is related to literacy. Both expansive learning and activity theory assert that new knowledge can be made from an existing contraction within an activity system (Engestrom, 1987). Human practice lies behind the most complex systems. The theory granted the seizing and bringing of processes where situations can be altered by men and educators are educated too. Engestrom, (1987) classified three previous lines of research that met his initial requirements such as theorizing of signs, the genesis of inter-subjectivity and the cultural-historical school of psychology. It deals with the new learning of new forms of activity that are made rather than the mastery of punitive stable, well-defined and existing knowledge and skill. Generally this theory focuses on horizontal development rather than vertical development. Read More