B.Ed. 2nd Semester Notes - Understanding the Learner - Unit 1 (a) - Nature of Learning: Learning as a process and as an outcome, Characteristics and factors affecting learning.
Q1. Define transfer
of Learning. Discuss in detail the various factors affecting learning. (8 Marks)
Answer.
Meaning
The carrying over of feelings, habits, skills and knowledge from one learning area to another is called transfer of learning or training.
Definitions
According to Crow and Crow, “The carryover of habit of thinking, feeling or working of knowledge or of skills from one learning area to another is usually referred to as transfer of learning.”
According to Peterson, “Transfer of learning is generalization, for it is extension of idea to a new field.”
According to Guthrie and Powers, “Transfer of learning may be defined as a process of extending and applying behavior.”
Factors Affecting Learning:
(A) Psychological Factors:
(i) Maturation: If the individual is matured to learn a particular activity, he will learn effectively. If the individual is not mature, learning will not be effective.
(ii) Readiness: If the learner is ready to learn a particular activity, he will learn better and quickly.
(iii) Attitude: Favorable or positive attitude towards the work makes one more active and favors learning. Negative attitude of the pupil delays learning.
(iv) Motivation: Motivation through rewards, success, competition, level of aspiration is powerful incentives to the learner.
(v) Memory: A person with good memory will learn quickly.
(vi) Mental Health: A learner who is mentally healthy i.e. free from conflicts, anxieties and worries will learn better.
(vii) Goal: Appropriate, stronger, clear goal is conjuncture to learning.
(viii) Will: The stronger the will and determination of learner the quicker and effective will be the learning.
(ix) Mental Fatigue: It inhibits learning process. Person is mentally tired.
(x) Needs: Psychological, educational, vocational, social needs of learner are conjuncture to learning.
(B) Physiological Factors:
(i) Food and Nutrition: Poor nutrition has an adverse effect on learning.
(ii) Drugs: Alcoholic, Narcotic drugs, use of tobacco are harmful for the body and consequently, learning may be hampered.
(iii) Good physical health: Sound physical health provides enthusiasm for better learning.
(iv) Age: Research studies have shown that learning efficiency increases with age to certain extent after which it remains stationary for some time and ultimately tends to decrease during old age.
(v) Physical fatigue: It can be physical or mental fatigue that causes boredom and has negative effect on learning.
(vi) Physiological defects: Visual defects, hearing defects, other diseases like paralysis, cancer, poor vision, etc., obstruct learning.
(C) Environmental Factors:
1.
Task
Factors:
(i) Difficulty of the task: Task given has to mixture of easy, average and difficulty level appropriately. If the task is too easy, students will not learn and improve. If the task is too difficult, students may not be able to complete it; it will just add extra pressure on them.
(ii) Meaningfulness of the task: The more meaningful is the material, the easier is the learning.
(iii) Length of the task: The longer is the task, the more difficult it is to be learnt.
(iv) Appropriateness of task: Subject matter should be appropriate to the age level, activity, intelligence and interests of the students.
2.
Method
Factors:
(i) Whole and Part Method: Whole method gives better results than part method. It can be retained for a longer time than learning by part method which employs cramming.
(ii) Practice: Learning is more effective when practice is distributed in intervals over a period of time.
(iii) Guidance: Guided learning saves time and energy of the learner, eliminates wastage.
(iv) Learning by doing: Pupil should be encouraged to learn through activity. Theoretical teaching should be replaced by practical applications.
(v) Time of learning: Morning and evening hours are the best time of study.
(vi) Active participation: Students should be encouraged to ask various questions in the class.
3.
Teacher
Related Factors:
(i) Lecture Method
(ii) Experimental method
(iii) Discussion Method
(iv) Assignment Method
(v) Seminar Method
(vi) Project Method
(vii) Field Trips Method
(viii) Story Telling Method
(ix) Audio-Visual Aids: Like charts, Modals, Posters, etc.
Appropriate mix of all these above method helps in learning quickly.
4.
Working
Conditions:
(i) Atmospheric Conditions: High temperature and humidity lower the mental efficiency, lack of ventilation, noise, physical discomfort (overcrowded school) hamper the learning.
(ii) Working Conditions: Good location of the school, good sanitary conditions and adequate accommodation is helpful for learning.
5.
Organisational
Set-up:
(i) Time Table: Based on sound psychological principles like principle of motivation, fatigue, rest, importance of subject, difficulty level of subject is favorable to efficient learning.
(ii) Teacher- Pupil relation: Healthy teacher-pupil relation is helpful in effective learning as they increase motivation among the pupils.
(iii) Competition: Inter class competition will stimulate the pupils to work more in order to outshine others.
Conclusion: Learning is relatively a permanent change in behavior as a result of experience. The learning focuses on a range of topics related to how people learn and interact with their environments.
In its complex form, it means acquisition, retention and modification of experience. Learning is possible both on the cognitive, affective and conative side.
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