Introduction
Hello Everyone!
Have you ever wondered why some students learn best by doing, while others learn by watching or thinking things through? Have you ever pondered how social factors affect education? What about the benefits and disadvantages of using feedback and punishment? Imagine you’re a teacher trying to help every student succeed, but each student learns differently and has different factors affecting them. For this reason, we have learning theories that apply different lenses to education.
In this WebQuest, you will explore three major learning theories. In these links, I have good jumping-off points for your research:
It should be noted that these websites are great STARTING POINTS, but more sources should be used to receive full marks (see rubric).
By the end of this lesson and assignment, you will be able to present information on all of these theories, the individuals behind these theories, and how they can be useful in the classroom. Continue to the task tab to receive instructions.
This graphic helps differentiate the factors toward these theories.
Task
Task (What Students Will Do)
Students will work in a group of 3–4 to:
- Research the three learning theories in Behaviorism, Social Cognitive Theory, and Cognitive Psychology. Be sure to use an array of sources, not just the one introductory link that I covered previously.
- Compare and contrast them, finding similarities and differences in applications and key principles.
- Create a final product that explains each theory clearly in an engaging manner.
Final Product Options (Choose ONE):
- Slideshow Presentation (Google Slides, Prezi, etc.)
- Infographic/Brochure (Canva, etc.) *MUST BE PRINTED AND HANDED AROUND CLASS DURING DEMONSTRATION*
- Short Video(YouTube, Canvas Studio, etc) *SEE BELOW*
Your project MUST include:
- Definition of each theory.
- Key theorists.
- Main Concepts and Key Principles
- Classroom examples and everyday implementations.
- A comparison of similarities and differences between all theories.
ALTERNATE PRESENTING OPTIONS:
If your ENTIRE group agrees on creating a 4 to 7-minute-long YouTube video that I will review privately and score, that can supplement your classwide presentation. Each member should have a speaking part to receive full marks, and the rubric used for the presentation will be used to grade the alternate presentation. I am happy to offer this as a supplementary assignment for any group that unanimously agrees.
Now that you know WHAT you are doing, go to the next tab to see HOW you will do it!
Process
Step 1: Assign Roles (Group Work)
Each group member will take on a role:
- Researcher – finds and gathers information
- Organizer – structures the content
- Presenter – leads explanation (everyone still participates)
You will need to introduce yourself and the roles you chose at the beginning of your presentation.
(It is to be noted that there can be either 2 researchers or 2 organizers, and that your duties in this assignment DO NOT stop at the listed ones in the roles.)
Step 2: Research Each Theory
Use reliable sources to answer:
- What is the theory?
- Who created it?
- What are the key ideas?
- How does it apply in the classroom?
Part of this assignment is engaging in online research, but these are a couple of websites that COULD answer some of the previous questions.
Learning Theories and How to Implement Them: NU Educational
Lessons for Learning: How Psychology Informs Classroom Practice
Structural Learning: Behaviorism in Education
Google Scholar and JSTOR are great resources to find websites and articles like this!
Step 3: Compare the Theories
Compare the theories in a chart or Venn diagram. This should be digestible information separated by:
- How are they similar?
- How are they different?
- What are the focuses of each theory? (cognition, social effects, behavior, etc)
Here is an excellent example! Just be sure to do this to all three!
Step 4: Create Your Product
Using your chosen format (slides, infographic, brochure, video, etc), you will:
- Define each theory
- Describe key principles and identify main theorists.
- Analyze classroom implementations
- Portray similarities and differences in the theories in the previous chart or Venn diagram.
Step 5: Present Your Work
Present your project to the class (or send me the link to your group's YouTube video)
Be prepared to explain:
- Which theory do you think is most effective, and why?
- Think of your favorite class you've had. What theory did the educator use, if any?
- Is it more efficient to find a middle ground in these theories, or to subscribe to solely one?
Sample Product
The following link provides a sample slideshow product that your presentation should sort of mirror! It shouldn't be exactly like mine, but the format should relatively follow the same guidelines.
On the following tab, you will find a link to the rubric used to evaluate this assignment.
Evaluation
Here is a link to the rubric that will be used to assess this assignment. If you need any further clarification, feel free to reach out to me!
Rubric for Cognitive Psychology, Behaviorism, and Social Cognitive Theory.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In this WebQuest, you explored three major learning theories: Cognitive Psychology, Behaviorism, and Social Cognitive Theory. Each theory explains learning differently through thinking processes, behaviors, or social interactions. Understanding these theories helps teachers create more effective lessons and support different types of learners.
Now that you’ve completed this activity, take a moment to reflect on your learning:
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Which learning theory do you think is most effective, and why?
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How do these theories show up in your own learning experiences?
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How could you use these theories in a future classroom or real-life situation?
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How might each theory approach helping a struggling student?
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Which theory best supports creativity and critical thinking?
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How could technology be used to support each theory?
With the time you have spent learning about these theories, make an attempt when you are in class to see these theories at work. Could the student sitting in the corner, struggling to pay attention, benefit from any of these theories put in place? Could the teacher understand their educational prowess better if they applied these strategies? These are the questions you should ask regarding different educational theories.