| CODE | EDS2003 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Learning Theories and the Primary School Child | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Education Studies | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit focuses on the primary school aged child and the learning process that all children follow in a compulsory education system in their first six years of formal schooling and the years leading up to it. This study-unit deals with aspects of learning that impinge on the learner's development such as intelligence, language, motivation, cognitive development, family structure, personal characteristics and learning styles that determine the child's progress at school and the outcome of this process. Theories of learning will be presented in complementary ways with an emphasis on what each theory has to offer in the primary school teacher’s understanding of these factors. Students will also be exposed to how teachers can enhance pupil learning such that difficulties imposed by the child's developmental history, cognitive development and social circumstances can be addressed with a view to improving learning outcomes. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to provide students following the unit with the knowledge, skills and abilities to examine a number of theories of learning in the context of the primary school and the biological, familial and social factors affecting the success of the learning process. It will consider the cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions in teaching and learning. This study-unit will also expose students to teaching methods that are particularly effective with primary school children. Such methods would include the implementation of teaching to objectives, programmed instruction, and mastery learning, among others. This should not limit the teachers' and pupils' response to incidental learning and creativity. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. describe the various theories of learning; 2. decide which theories of learning to adopt depending on the age and overall development and needs of specific groups of children or individuals; 3. analyse and discuss at which stage of cognitive development children may be at; 4. discern which factors may be having positive or deleterious effects on the child's learning; 5. support decisions favouring particular teaching and learning strategies in view of children's needs; 6. recognise that children come from diverse cultures and backgrounds. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. apply the theories of learning to specific classroom situations and individuals; 2. identify what issues are impinging on the children in question and devise strategies to address children's needs; 3. identify objectives to be attained in all the teaching that pupils undertake; 4. individualise teaching to enable all children to understand the concepts being taught to all children at their own own pace and level of ability; 5. devise the practice experiences that enable each child to master the concepts being taught. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Text - Duchesne, S. (2018). Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (6th ed.). Cengage. Supplementary Readings - Ormrod, J. (2016). Human Learning (5th ed.). Pearson Education. - Wilsenach, C. & Makaure, P. (2018). Gender effects on phonological processing and reading development in Northern Sotho children learning to read in English: A case study of Grade 3 learners. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 8(1), a546. https:// doi.org/10.4102/sajce.V8i1.546 - Duchesne, S. (2018). Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (6th ed.). Cengage. - Ormrod, J. (2016). Human Learning (5th ed.). Pearson Education. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Victor Martinelli |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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