Exploring Learning Theories: Cognitive, Behaviorism & Social Cognitive Theory

Introduction

Imagine you are the lead designer for a new interactive learning app for teens.

To succeed, you must understand how students learn.

Three famous psychologists each claim their theory is best: a cognitive psychologist, a behaviorist, and a social-cognitive theorist.

Which will guide your app design?

Let’s dive in and discover!

Task

As a design team, you will investigate three learning-theories — Cognitive Psychology, Behaviorism, Social Cognitive Theory.

Then, as a group, you will create one of the following:

A Canva infographic comparing all three theories

A Google Slides mini-presentation (5–7 slides)

A Digital poster summarising key ideas

Your product must include:

Key theorists for each theory

How learning occurs under each theory

Strengths & limitations of each theory

Real-world classroom examples

Your team’s ranking: Which theory you believe is most effective — and why

You will also submit a one-paragraph individual reflection and respond to higher-order questions.

Process

Step 1 – Background Learning

Explore the following links to build your foundation:

Cognitive Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive.html

Behaviorism: https://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html

Social Cognitive Theory: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html

Take notes in your research journal (Google Doc/Notepad) about theorists, learning processes, and examples.

Step 2 – Team Research

In your groups of four:

Researcher A → Cognitive Psychology

Researcher B → Behaviorism

Researcher C → Social Cognitive Theory

Designer/Presenter → Oversees the final product & presentation

Each researcher finds at least 3 credible online sources, takes notes, and shares findings in a shared document.

Step 3 – Group Discussion

As a group, meet (in class or virtually) to compare findings:

What are the similarities/differences between theories?

How might each be applied in an adolescent classroom?

Which theory do you think is most effective — and why?

Step 4 – Create the Product

Choose one of the three product formats: infographic, slides, or poster.

Use tools such as Canva, Google Slides, or PosterMyWall.

Make sure to incorporate visuals, comparison chart, citations, and your analysis.

Step 5 – Reflection & Higher-Order Thinking

Individually write a one-paragraph reflection:

“Which learning theory best fits how I learn — and why?”

Then answer these closing questions:

How could these theories be combined to create a stronger teaching approach?

Which theory works best in a culturally diverse classroom — and explain your reasoning.

How do these theories apply to online or blended learning environments?

Evaluation

Criteria	4 – Exemplary	3 – Proficient	2 – Developing	1 – Beginning
Content Accuracy	Information is clear, thorough, and correct	Mostly accurate with minor errors	Several inaccuracies	Major errors or missing content
Comparison of Theories	Strong, insightful comparison of all three theories	Clear comparison with minor gaps	Partial comparison, some theories weakly compared	Minimal or no valid comparison
Creativity & Design	Visually appealing, well-organized, excellent design choices	Organized, clear design but could be improved	Some design issues or organization lacking	Disorganized or incomplete product
Use of Sources	At least 3 credible sources cited and clearly referenced	2 credible sources cited	1 credible source or weak referencing	No sources or poor referencing
Reflection & Higher-Order Questions	Deep insight and analysis; all closing questions answered thoroughly	Adequate reflection; most questions answered	Surface-level answers; some questions incomplete	Reflection missing or minimal; questions unanswered
Group Collaboration	All members clearly contributed; roles fulfilled; smooth collaboration	Most members contributed; minor role imbalances	Unequal contribution; role confusion exists	Little contribution from some or many members

Conclusion

You’ve now explored three major learning-theories and seen how they influence classroom practice.

As future educators, mentors, or leaders, you can use this knowledge to design meaningful learning opportunities for adolescents—ones that are developmentally appropriate (INTASC 7), inclusive of individual differences and diversity (INTASC 2), and that build critical thinking and creativity (INTASC 5).

What’s next? Think about how you’ll apply your preferred theory — or a fusion of them — in your own instructional planning, mentoring, or leadership work.

Credits

This WebQuest was created by Theasia Emerson Taylor for Educational Psychology.

Much of the background information links to reputable psychology and education sources, including:

Simply Psychology
American Psychological Association (APA)
Vanderbilt IRIS Center

Thank you to the creators of the WebQuest model, Bernie Dodge and Tom March, for the original framework that inspired this layout.

All images used in this WebQuest are for educational purposes under fair use.

Special thanks to UT Martin’s Education Program for providing guidance through INTASC Standards and developmental learning outcomes.

Teacher Page

Purpose:

This WebQuest helps students understand and apply three major learning theories — Cognitive Psychology, Behaviorism, and Social Cognitive Theory — in alignment with INTASC Standards 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8.

Intended Grade Level:

Undergraduate Education Majors / High School Psychology students

Time Required:

2 class periods for research
1 class period for collaborative product creation
1 class period for presentation & reflection

Group Size:

Groups of four

Materials Needed:

Internet access
Google Docs (for shared notes)
Canva or Google Slides (for final product)
Research links (provided in Process section)

Learning Objectives:

Students will:

Demonstrate understanding of three major learning theories
Compare and contrast theoretical perspectives
Apply theories to real-world classroom examples
Create a visual representation to explain concepts
Reflect on which learning theory aligns with their personal learning style

Teacher Tips:

Pre-assign groups to ensure balanced participation
Encourage each “Researcher” to fully master their theory before group collaboration
Remind students to cite their sources using APA style
Provide time checkpoints to keep groups on track

Assessment:

Use the rubric included in this WebQuest to evaluate content accuracy, design, collaboration, higher-order thinking, and reflection.