chapter 4- learning

• classical conditioning (CC) is a simple form of learning that occurs through repeated association of two different stimuli to produce a naturally occurring response. learner is passive.
• in CC, learning is only said to have occurred when a particular stimulus consistently produces a response that it did not previously produce.
• cc is a learning process that results in the involuntary association between a neutral stimulus (which becomes a conditioned stimulus) and unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response
• the 3 phase model of CC are referred to as before conditioning, during conditioning, and after conditioning.

  • before conditioning, event A produces the response to be conditioned/learnt and event B produces an irrelevant response
  • during conditioning, events A and B are repeatedly presented together until B alone produces the target response
  • after conditioning, B presented alone will produce the target response and has therefore become a learnt/conditioned response to event B.
• CC phase 1: neutral stimulus (NS) produces no relevant response, unconditioned stimulus (UCS) elicits the unconditioned response (UCR)
• CC phase 2: neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) to produce the unconditioned response (UCR)
• CC phase 3: neutral stimulus (NS) becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS), CS produces a conditioned response (CR) which is usually similar to the UCR from previously
• factors that influence CC: nature of the response, the association/linking of stimulus, timing of the stimulus presentation
• for CC, the nature of the response:

  • UCR must initially be an involuntary response (eg. salivation)
  • the behaviour shown in UCR occurs without the need for prior learning
  • conditioned responses are evident in anticipatory behaviour, as the link between stimuli forms
• for CC, the association / linking of stimuli:

  • if the individual does not associate the two stimuli, conditioning will not occur
  • these two stimuli (which were previously unconnected) become linked due to contiguity
  • contiguity is the formation of the connection between two stimulus, when they occur close together in time and/or space (they become so linked it is hard to picture one without the other)
• for CC, the timing of the stimulus presentation

  • the NS should be presented before the UCS, with a very short time between their presentations
  • ideally, NS should not occur more than half a second before the UCS in order for the association to be most effectively made (as longer intervals lead to less links in stimuli)
• an antecedent is a stimulus that precedes and influences the occurrence of a response/behaviour. one antecedent stimulus that elicits a specific response (e.g. food) is linked with a second antecedent stimulus that does not elicit the response (e.g. bell) and learning has occurred when the second stimulus alone will also elicit the specific response
• operant conditioning (OC) is a learning process in which the likelihood of a particular behaviour occurring is determined by the consequences of that behaviour

  • desirable consequence- behaviour likely to be repeated
  • undesirable consequence- behaviour unlikely to repeat
• OC's 3 phase model is ABC (example= study hard for a test and get a good mark)

  • antecedent (A) → behaviour (B) → consequence (C)
  • Antecedent : that which initiates, stimulates or triggers the behaviour
  • eg. parental pressure, desire to do well, so on
  • Behaviour : also known as operant response, individual acts upon their environment
  • eg. study hard
  • Consequence : that which shapes or guides future behaviour
  • eg. good mark
• for OC, the effectiveness of the consequences relies on the consequence following the behaviour, to either extinguish or reinforce the behaviour
• OC order of presentation: a reinforcement or punishment should always occur after the desired response (and it should be consistent)
• OC timing; the punishment or reinforcement is most effective when given immediately after the response has occurred
• OC appropriateness of consequences: need to take into account the personal characteristics of the individual and the individual situation when deciding whether the stimulus will act as a reinforcer or punishment for them personally (eg. child who loves attention will not see getting called out in front of others as a punishment)
• Observational Learning is a type of social-cognitive learning that occurs when a learner observes a models actions and their consequences to guide their future actions
• the process of observational learning:

  1. attention
  2. retention
  3. reproduction
  4. motivation
  5. reinforcement
• observational learning attention: learner must actively watch models behaviour and their consequences
• observational learning retention: learner must retain a mental representation of the models behaviour for future use
• observational learning reproduction: learner must have the physical and mental capabilities to reproduce the behaviour
• observational learning motivation: learner must have the desire to perform the behaviour
• observational learning reinforcement: consequence of the behaviour influences the learners’ likelihood of reproducing the behaviour in future
• vicarious conditioning is when the individual watches behaviour being either reinforced/punished and then subsequently behaves in exactly the same way or in a modified way, or refrains from the behaviour as a result of what they have observed (ie. living vicariously through someone)
• The concept of country is that it is the living system of all entities that exist in the universe (what learning is based upon)
• 8 frameworks of Aboriginal Learning

  1. Storytelling / sharing
  2. Learning maps
  3. Non-verbal
  4. Symbols & Images
  5. Land Links
  6. Non-linear
  7. Deconstruct / Reconstruct
  8. Community Links
• Story telling / sharing in Aboriginal learning is learning through narrative and sharing stories (ie. Dreamtime). These stories encode knowledge of place that are significant for finding water, food, medicine, etc & explore consequences of behaviour, law and spiritual knowledge
• Learning maps in Aboriginal Learning is planning and visualising processes and knowledge (ie mind maps)
• Non-verbal in Aboriginal Learning is art, dance, and observation, where traditional dance movements reflect the patterns of certain animals
• Symbols/images in Aboriginal Learning is creating artwork that uses symbols to represent landmarks, animals or objects
• Land links in Aboriginal Learning is learning and knowledge linked to nature land and country
• Non-linear in Aboriginal Learning is learning by thinking outside the square, taking different viewpoints, putting different ideas together, and creating new understandings
• De/reconstruct in Aboriginal Learning is learning by breaking down a concept from whole parts, then applying it. learners are modelled the behaviour and guided (eg. learning a new language by reading a passage, then breaking down to individual sentences and words)
• Community links in Aboriginal Learning is where learning is connected to local values, needs and knowledge. It is shared with others and used to meet the needs of the community
• learning embedded into relationships

  • learning begins with the relationship between teacher and learner, and understanding the connections between people
  • relationship between concepts
  • relationships between individuals, families and communities
  • relationship between teacher and learner
  • relationship between all of the above and country