Generating and Testing Hypotheses and Constructivist/Constructionist Learning

As a science teacher, I am very familiar of the process of generating and testing hypotheses. During this process predictions are made based on prior knowledge, these predictions are then tested and data is gathered and analyzed to determine if the original ideas are supported or not, and these ideas are then modified to accomodate the new knowledge gained.

Generating and testing hypotheses is an example of constructionist learning because knowledge is being built and remodeled. Dr. Orey describes constructionist learning as knowledge being assimilated and accomodated into schemas (Laureate, 2009). Hypotheses are generated based on the knowledge already present in the learner's personal schema. When the hypotheses are tested the new knowledge being gained may or may not fit into the schema and is accomodated by adding to that schema, adjusting that schema, or developing a new schema.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. DVD.

Virtual Field Trips, Concept Maps, and Cognitive Learning Theory

As described by Dr. Orey, cognitive learning theory has to do with how information is processed by and stored in the brain. For learning to occur information has to be taken into short term memory and ingrained into long term memory which requires practice and repetition. Information can be stored in long term memory as declarative information, procedural information, and episodic information. The strongest memories are procedural and episodic. (Laureate, 2009).

Virtual field trips and concept mapping tools are a few tools that can be used to increase learning. They require the learner to use the declarative information they have recieved in procedural and episodic learning rather than just learn it declaratively through repetition. Virtual field trips may not be as good as an actual field trip to experience and interact with the knowledge, but can be very useful when the logistics of taking an actual field trip can not be met. Virtual field trips can allow the learner to actually experience what is going on which applies to episodic learning. Creating concept maps are useful in helping the learner to interconnect the information they are learning thereby increasing the ways the information can be recalled. They also have to think about the information more critically and it becomes intertwined with the procedure of linking it in a concept map.


Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. DVD.

Behavioral Learning Theory

Dr. Orey describes behaviorism as being as certain behaviors being enforced through reward and others being discouraged through punishment (Laureate, 2009). As a teacher I would like my students to be intrinsically motivated by the reward of learning rather extrinsic motivation by being given a grade or prize for completing a learning activity. I have found this challenging as many of my students tend to be concerned about their grade, but not concerned so much about learning the material. It is hard to motivate them to complete an assignment for the learning aspect without awarding points for the assignment and have it contribute directly to their grade.

Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski make the generalization that students do not always realize the importance of effort in learning and recomend teaching this to students. They suggest doing this by having students keep track of the amount of effort they put into learning activities such as taking, organizing, and using class notes, class participation, and homework assignments as well as test scores, and charting the results so that they can see how their effort corresponds with their achievment. (2007).

The strategy of teaching students the importance of effort in their learning correlates with behavioral learning because the students learn that putting effort into the assigned learning activities provides the reward of learning and doing well on the test.


Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. DVD.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Denver, CO: McREL.