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Humanism Learning Theory and Implementation by Psy30142

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Humanism Learning Theory and Implementation by Psy30142

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Star trek themed presentation exploring the humanism perspective of learning. Includes and overview of key theoretical features and implementation examples.

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humanism learning theory and implementation

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Star trek themed presentation exploring the humanism perspective of learning. Includes and overview of key theoretical features and implementation examples. Created to meet an assignment objective on a PGCE teacher training course. - created at http://goanimate.com/

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The Brief History of Humanistic Learning Theory

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The Brief History of Humanistic Learning Theory

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I found this interesting SlideShare presentation by Zakiya Alsadah on the history of all of the different types of Humanism there are in the world. I found the slide comparing the differences of Humanism vs. Behaviorism to be interesting. Full SlideShare link: https://www.slideshare.net/zakiyaalsadah/learning-theory-humanism

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Humanistic Learning Theory by Andrew P. Johnson

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Humanistic Learning Theory by Andrew P. Johnson

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"Human learning theory and human education enhance rather than detract from academic learning, intellectual

growth, and the development of basic skills. Human learning theory is concerned with personal growth and includes attention to students’ affective dimensions such self-concept, values, and emotions."

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This chapter excerpt describes the basic tenets of Humanistic Learning Theory. According to this theory, the goal of education should be human development and personal growth (as opposed to higher test scores). Focus on these will naturally increase

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"Student-centred learning: a humanist perspective" by Tangney

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"Student-centred learning: a humanist perspective" by Tangney

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This article from Teaching in Higher Education addresses some of my wonderments about humanism as I read through our posts. It seems to me that even researchers are little fuzzy on the topic!

Abstract:

"The notion of student-centred learning is often not defined; within the pedagogic literature it is generally associated with constructivism or principles associated with a constructivist environment such as building on prior knowledge, purposeful active learning and sense-making. An informal enquiry into conceptions of university staff prior to this study revealed a variety of interpretations warranting greater clarification and context. This interpretive study using a constructivist grounded approach focused on academic staff in art and design. It revealed a broader, more holistic conception of student-centred learning which is largely ignored in the literature and included ideas such as personal growth, consciousness raising and empowerment. It raises the question of whether humanist interpretations of student-centred learning should be more explicitly considered across the disciplines."

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This Khan Academy video discusses the basics of the humanistic theory. I can see how this can be applied to education. I wonder if this theory influenced Montessori education? That is, allowing students to discover what interests them while the teacher is more of a guide?

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Humanistic theory | Behavior | MCAT | Khan Academy

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Humanistic orientations to learning-  infed Blog -A.Morris

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Humanistic orientations to learning-  infed Blog -A.Morris

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This blog is from YMCA George Williams College focuses on self-actualization.

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Humanistic orientations to learning. In this framework the basic concern is for human growth. We look to the work of Maslow and Rogers as expressions of this approach.

A great deal of the theoretical writing about adult education in the 1970s and 1980s drew on humanistic psychology. In this orientation the basic concern is for the human potential for growth. As Mark Tennant notes, the concern with 'self' is 'a hallmark of humanistic psychology' (1997: 12). There was a reaction against 'scientific' reductionism - people being treated as objects and rationalism. Instead the affective and subjective world was to be reaffirmed. Personal freedom, choice, motivations and feelings had to have their place.

Perhaps the best known example is Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of motivation. At the lowest level are physiological needs, at the highest self actualization. Only when the lower needs are met is it possible to fully move on to the next level. A motive at the lower level is always stronger than those at higher levels. Tennant (1997) summarizes these as follows:

Level one: Physiological needs such as hunger, thirst, sex, sleep, relaxation and bodily integrity must be satisfied before the next level comes into play.

Level two: Safety needs call for a predictable and orderly world. If these are not satisfied people will look to organize their worlds to provide for the greatest degree of safety and security. If satisfied, people will come under the force of level three.

Level three: Love and belonginess needs cause people to seek warm and friendly relationships.

Level four: Self-esteem needs involve the desire for strength, achievement, adequacy, mastery and competence. They also involve confidence, independence, reputation and prestige.

Level five: Self-actualization is the full use and expression of talents, capacities and potentialities.

Self actualizers are able to submit to social regulation without losing their own integrity or personal independence; that is they may follow a social norm without their horizons being bounded in the sense that they fail to see or consider other possibilities. They may on occasion transcend the socially prescribed ways of acting. Achieving this level may mean developing to the full stature of which they are capable. (Tennant 1997: 13)

Learning can, thus, be seen as a form of self-actualization, it contributes to psychological health (Sahakian 1984 in Merriam and Caffarella 1991: 133). Yet while self actualization may seen as the primary goal, other goals (linked to the other stages) are also around. These include a sense of accomplishment and the controlling of impulses (Maslow 1970: 439)

Much criticism has been levelled at this model. For example,

Do lower needs really have to be satisfied before higher ones come into play? People may well put physiological needs on one side to satisfy the need for love, for example.

Are we all propelled to the sorts of qualities that Maslow identifies with 'self actualization'? To what extent are these qualities culturally-specific?

The idea of a hierarchy of needs, the identifying of different needs, and the notion of self-actualization did, however, exert a powerful hold over adult education writers like Malcolm Knowles. Humanistic psychology's positive view of people and their ability to control their own destiny, and the seemingly unlimited possibilities for individual development provided some hope for educators.

Perhaps the most persuasive exploration of a humanistic orientation to learning came from Carl Rogers. His passion for education that engaged with the whole person and with their experiences; for learning that combines the logical and intuitive, the intellect and feelings; found a ready audience. 'When we learn in that way', he said, 'we are whole, utilizing all our masculine and feminine capacities' (1983 20). He saw the following elements as being involved in significant or experiential learning.

It has a quality of personal involvement-the whole person in both feeling and cognitive aspects being in the learning event.

It is self-initiated. Even when the impetus or stimulus comes from the outside, the sense of discovers of reaching out, of grasping and comprehending, comes from within.

It is pervasive. It makes a difference in the behaviour, the attitudes, perhaps even the personality of the learner.

It is evaluated by the learner. She knows whether it is meeting her need, whether it leads toward what she wants to know, whether it illuminates the dark area of ignorance she is experiencing. The locus of evaluation, we might say, resides definitely in the learner.

Its essence is meaning. When such learning takes place, the element of meaning to the learner is built into the whole experience. (Rogers (1983: 20)

See, also: learning · the behaviourist orientation to learning · the cognitive orientation to learning · the humanistic orientation to learning · the social/situational orientation to learning

References

Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential Learning, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice Hall.

Maslow, A. (1968) Towards a Psychology of Being 2e, New York: Van Nostrand. See, also, A . Maslow (1970) Motivation and Personality 2e, New York: Harper and Row.

Merriam, S. and Caffarella (1991, 1998) Learning in Adulthood. A comprehensive guide, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Rogers, C. and Freiberg, H. J. (1993) Freedom to Learn (3rd edn.), New York: Merrill. . See, also, H. Kirschenbaum and V. L. Henderson (eds.) (1990) The Carl Rogers Reader, London: Constable.

Tennant, M. (1988, 1997) Psychology and Adult Learning, London: Routledge.

Acknowledgement: Picture: "Lifelong Learning", 2 Franklin Town Blvd.(the Fountains at Logan Square, 18th and Callowhill St.). Sourced from Flickr and reproduced under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) licence. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeleonephotos/2936063357/

How to cite this article: Smith, M. K. (1999) 'The humanistic to learning', the encyclopedia of informal education. http://infed.org/mobi/humanistic-orientations-to-learning/. Retrieved: insert date].

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A great deal of the theoretical writing about adult education in the 1970s and 1980s drew on humanistic psychology. In this orientation the basic concern is for the human potential for growth. As Mark Tennant notes, the concern with 'self' is 'a hallmark of humanistic psychology' (1997: 12).

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Playing Around With Curriculum -Angela Morris

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Playing Around With Curriculum -Angela Morris

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Found this article on LISTA it talks about using an holistic approach and the importance of play as a trans formative learning theory. I believe this embodies the humanistic approach.

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I didn't really expect to learn about the benefits of the humanistic approach from a guy in dental school, but I really enjoyed his perspective. The author describes positive relationships with the dean(s) and other faculty at his institution as beneficial to his education, and he stresses the importance of support and respect in educational environments. "Treat [students] with respect as colleagues-in-training from day one, and the students, the university, the educators themselves, and most importantly our great profession will see fantastic benefits for many years to come."

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Humanistic Approach to Education- Blog Post - Becca Galow

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Humanistic Approach to Education- Blog Post - Becca Galow

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This blog post from Trenducation was written to promote humanistic principles in the educational process. The author details the importance of teachers, promotes a more fluid approach to education, and explains how humanistic values affect students and teachers alike. I really appreciate her push for formal educational institutions to interact more closely with less formalized educational experiences throughout life in order to promote curiosity and responsibility.

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This article looked pretty interesting when it comes to thinking about student success in relation to the Humanistic Theory of Learning. Here's the abstract: "The Student Success Skills program is an evidence-based, counselor-led intervention founded on a variety of humanistic principles. Five studies and a recent meta-analysis provide evidence that integrating human potential practices into the school by teaching students foundational learning skills strengthens the link between school counseling interventions and student achievement. (Contains 2 figures.)"

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I found a short video explaining the benefits of adapting your teaching style to a more student-centered environment. The Humanistic approach to teaching gives the students more autonomy in the classroom!