Learning theories and their importance in raising the quality of learning during the preschool stage: Sociobiology and Gestalt theory
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| Learning theories and their importance in raising the quality of learning during the preschool stage: Sociobiology and Gestalt theory |
Sociobiological theory:
Sociobiological theory recognizes that learners construct their learning socially and develop their skills and competencies only by comparing themselves and what they have achieved with their peers and those in their sociological environment, and trying to create a competitive atmosphere in order to prove themselves in their social milieu. This theory is considered one of the main theories in the field of education and provides an important theoretical framework for understanding how individuals learn and develop in the context of education. From the perspective of sociobiological theory: The construction of knowledge moves from the part to the whole, unlike Gestalt theory. According to sociobiological theory, knowledge is socially constructed by and for the learner by comparing their achievements to those of others. Within the framework of the peer group or the general environment in which the learner coexists.
Concepts of sociobiological theory:
The following are some of the key concepts in sociobiological theory in the field of education:
The concept of activity: represents the social context in which the child realizes his interaction with the educator and the Quran, it is the field shaped by the various cultural and social patterns of a society.
The concept of learning: A constitutive and activating moment of development, achieved through the activation of the child's internal processes and functions, which are only accessible in the context of communication with adults and peers. When the adult intervenes, the spark of learning that the learner is unable to initiate on their own is triggered. Learning is not achieved by the self alone and does not exist within the self, but the knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences are found in the external environment.
The concept of zone of proximal development: The difference between the level of processing of a situation under the supervision of a teacher and the level of processing achieved by the student on his own.
The concept of the human being: An active being who actively participates in the creation of his/her own existence and self-determination and contributes to his/her own development, with the ability to acquire the means that he/she uses at each stage of development to influence himself/herself and the outside world.
Principles of Sociobiological Theory:
1- Human beings are social by nature, and therefore learning in a group setting is much better than individual learning
2- Learning is based on the learner's cognitive conflict
3- Knowledge is socially constructed by building knowledge based on social interaction
4- Although sociobiological theory encourages working and learning in a group setting (in a social setting), it also recognizes that the learner throughout his/her educational path constructs his/her own learning, provided that it is within the framework of interaction with the sociological environment.
5- The learner's learning in the social environment takes place through communication with adults, adults, peers, and other learners.
Posture for an activity:
Building the Big Picture Objective: To teach children how to see the big picture by combining small parts. Steps
1- Choose a large picture or a complex painting. This can be a representation of a subject, a scene from nature, or even a picture from a children's storybook.
2- Cut the large picture into several small parts. You can use scissors or hand cutters to do this.
3- The educator gives each child a small part of the picture and makes them look at that part and pushes them to try to distinguish different details.
4- Ask the children to think about whether they can guess what the big picture is based on the small part they have.
5- While the children are thinking, discuss some guiding questions such as “What is the overall theme of the picture?” and “Can the small parts help you understand the big picture?”
6- After that, let the children come together to assemble the small picture parts to create the big picture.
This activity helps children develop their reasoning and logical thinking skills and move from seeing the part to the whole, which is important in developing their knowledge and logical thinking.
Gestalt theory:
It is a theory that believes that learning is based on starting from the whole to the part, by deconstructing the general content of the studied material into parts, trying to understand each part separately within the framework of the general content, and trying to link all those parts and understand the nature of the relationship between them.
Concepts of Gestalt theory:
The concepts of Gestalt theory that I mentioned are basic concepts in psychology and education, and this theory focuses on understanding psychological and educational phenomena in a comprehensive and detailed manner, focusing on macroforms and interrelationships between elements:
Gestalt: is a German term meaning “image” or “form,” and in psychology it expresses a focus on the whole rather than the part, emphasizing that the whole is more than just a collection of separate parts.
Clairvoyance: It means an analytical understanding of all the parts that make up the phenomenon to be understood, through which the learner can understand the relationships and interrelationships between the different parts.
Structure: it consists of elements that are linked by internal laws that functionally govern them, and it is the total form that appears through the interconnectedness and interaction of its constituent elements.
Perception: It refers to familiarity with all parts of the structure or educational situation, through which a comprehensive understanding of phenomena and concepts is achieved.
Organization: It means knowing the organizational formulas that govern the Gestalt structure, i.e. the order and arrangement that makes the elements interact and relate to each other.
Reorganization: The construction of learning requires restructuring and organizing the educational act, in order to overcome ambiguities and contradictions and achieve interaction and comprehensive understanding.
Transfer: This term is used when the educator presents the learner with concepts and knowledge related to a particular activity, and then presents him with situations similar to what was presented in the activity, for the child to solve and test his understanding of the activity.
Intrinsic motivation: Intrinsic motivation means the existence of an internal self-motivation that drives the learner to want to learn and develop, which is the basic motivation for effective and continuous learning. These are the concepts of Gestalt theory that contribute to understanding the learning process and the constructive interaction between the different components of psychological and educational phenomena.
Principles of Gestalt theory:
The principles of Gestalt theory, attributed to the French educationalist Sylvain Gestalt, focus on foresight and cognition in the learning process.
These principles are outlined below:
Clairvoyance: Clairvoyance is the moment of analytical reflection in which the learner reaches deep understanding. This means that learning is not simply memorizing information and concepts superficially, but requires a deep and analytical understanding of concepts and their various dimensions.
The learner interacts with the situation: The learner engages with the learning situation and the content presented in an active and interactive manner. This is characterized by utilizing the context, authority, data, and instruction provided by the educator before trying to reach a solution or understanding.
Gestalt is the basis for learning to read: Gestalt (phonics) is one of the fundamentals of learning to read. Sound is essential in the formation of written language, and phonological understanding helps to develop written knowledge and understanding of words and sentences.
Learning is related to self-perception and learning attitude: Self-perception and learning attitude are one of the influential factors in the learning process. Self-learning can play a major role in achieving better understanding and deeper comprehension of content.
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts: This principle means that the whole holds more meaning than the sum of its parts. Concepts and ideas are formed through the interaction of their constituent elements rather than simply adding them up separately.
Learning depends on perception and reorganization: The learning process is based on receiving information, reorganizing it, and integrating it with previous knowledge.
This process takes place in two stages:
Receiving the information and then interpreting it according to the individual's prior knowledge. These are some of the principles of Gestalt theory that emphasize the importance of deep understanding and clairvoyance in the learning process. These principles are used in the context of education and to improve teaching and learning processes.
The pedagogical application of Gestalt theory:
The application of Gestalt theory in pedagogy is centered on directing the educational process towards achieving deep understanding and insight for children, and developing their analytical and reasoning skills. This theory also focuses on activating the role of the learner in the learning process and motivating them to be active and immersed in their learning experience. The following are some of the pedagogical applications of Gestalt theory:
Utilizing clairvoyance: Learning activities should be designed in a way that encourages children's clairvoyance and directs their thinking towards deeper understanding. Open-ended questions, mental challenges, and group discussions can be used to stimulate children's critical and analytical thinking.
Utilize interaction and context: It is preferable to present educational content in the context of real-life situations that require children to think and interact with the information. Examples, stories, and practical experiences can be used to make the content more understandable and applicable.
Developing phonemic awareness in learning to read: In learning to read, phonics can be applied by teaching the basic sounds of letters and training children to synthesize words based on phonetic sounds. This can contribute to the development of their reading skills.
Reinforcement and self-direction: Encourage children to be self-directed learners and make them responsible for guiding their own learning. They can be given opportunities to choose the topics they want to explore and search for information independently, and this contributes to the development of their initiative and independence.
Activate previous knowledge: It is recommended to link new information to children's previous knowledge, and they can be encouraged to conduct retrieval and review of previous information and integrate it with new knowledge.
Encourage discussion and interaction: Class discussions and group activities can be used to stimulate interaction between children and the exchange of opinions and ideas, which contributes to broadening children's horizons and developing their abilities to cooperate and think critically. In short, applications of Gestalt theory seek to make the learning process focus on deep understanding, interaction, and critical thinking, leading to a more effective and enjoyable learning experience for children.
Conclusion:
Learning theories play a crucial role in early childhood education due to the importance of this period in children's mental, social, emotional and physical development. Their importance is evident in:
1. Understanding individual needs: Learning theories help educators understand the needs of each individual child. Educators can use these theories to provide learning experiences that are appropriate for each child's level.
2. Developing learning skills Learning theories contribute to designing learning activities that help children develop language, math, social and fine motor skills.
3. Promote deep understanding Learning theories encourage the creation of learning experiences that encourage deep understanding and critical thinking rather than the mere memorization of information.
4. Promote autonomy Theories contribute to the development of children's self-directed learning strategies, making them more independent and able to set their own learning goals.
5. Promote social interaction Learning theories help in understanding how children interact with each other and educators and help create a positive and socially supportive learning environment.
6. Promote character development: Learning theories help develop children's self-confidence and interpersonal skills and enhance their personality development.
7. Promoting learning through play Some learning theories contribute to guiding the use of play as an effective educational tool, as children can learn through interaction with educational games and activities.
8. Developing assessment practices: Learning theories help develop effective methods for assessing children's progress and understanding their level of learning.
In general, learning theories play a pivotal role in developing a suitable learning environment for children in the primary education stage, which helps in achieving a comprehensive and healthy development for them in various aspects of life. These theories are used in an integrated way in early education to promote learning and develop a variety of skills in children. Educational activities and experiences are presented in stimulating and inspiring ways to encourage children's curiosity and foster their desire to explore and learn.