Cognitivism as a Learning Theory

In the world of education, the experts seem to tend to put a label on everything. While cognitivism is a good scientific explanation to how we learn, the other learning theories are valid as well. I don't think there is a blanket explanation for human learning. I think we all function using a combination if learning theories.
With regard to behaviorism, I do believe we respond to rewards and incentives, but what separates humans from animals is that at some point, our free will kicks in. When I ovserve my puppy, he always responds to rewards. When I observe my students, thay may or may not resopnd, depending on what the person sitting next to them is doing.
While it is great to have theories and explanations, we should not be stuck to them. Humans are much too complex for that. It is the combination of all the theories that makes our potential for growth endless. With young children, it may be necessary to use more behaviorist strategies to get them to respond, but as they grow and evolve, we cannot be locked into believing in only one learning theory.

I responded to Natalie Moore
http://nataliedmoore.blogspot.com/2010/06/cognitivism-as-learning-theory.html?showComment=1278095037629_AIe9_BGyh423D2STvmQ1Wf9PzzdBENCFtGR1sy3r8ooSDv_wvIMNp-TR7FEKAqUfm0yUb4YrfBWgkma9QpvV4mQ-iNJW_jqOGO42vxkaplgg51YRJcg0OEUy-cnYoR2npLM8RohXM51fn3-zT8DR95oVx_B0HCkkmIlbFCdVjNAAh9aujtxTBIIDtzGRqsdseGfjQLsQW8pcbVrWWcaU8QyhBIAZ4k0_hvpBwq3agmfuSCIJEtAzysK9zfHaZpK4PYfzSxZaofhXDoo4ibFA4VRuke7tYIJ9zNqEluedV7HYcMIKluyqMuEUzO93xY56PHXXSA8pmJ9qM7j4rCwWkStqYFtsl9qnV8okmnyxGEkmzxbhO0D15ayrZrA_g8erx4tbQ_TsSyyynmOOz2rprvLyyX9eXTOmdEKDfS1lN7Ly_ANOWB63DayKc_uEGiC1hdKPiOloyL5OsFpIWXLtmkcF41q7Y1ZltIk1O1l_E9T1DF7NypMBEXDdsZtJZJyPFM_oQUDi3yd5CeHtI0lMojvK9hQcFTP4Hyxkx6K7UJCoiNCiuCU7P93iDBGsinoWubrdIpGmIB2Z3EiTnPqPOqT-M5LduornD4fbUhp60sXIXzHqatvJEKgj9QhO-Z1dxzm6BBBOsStGNv3FVXg9lcaYH0LJMKPWNtO2i_JsxWnETXvWSmamndPVwyVwUbEQ69zzX2M_MxTf5-xwiBLdsVBSph9oXQXc-FOLtpqFjS-L1cl_FQjtvQBHJCFUjS6Ec9dWH3W9wpd87oALWGlv9DD_H0i-cVUCEw#c1926880839631408091

and

Duane Coloeman
http://jadasi.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/educ-7105-module-2-post/#comment-19href="http://">http://jadasi.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/educ-7105-module-2-post/#comment-19

Siemen's "Metaphors of Educators"

Siemens (2008) makes metaphors of teachers to master artists, network administrator, concierge and curator. As master artist, the teacher is there to guide, and students learn from each other as well as from the expertise of the master artist. As network administrator, the teacher is able to help students make connections when learning. As concierge, the teacher leads or guides the student to resources they may not have known existed. The curator creates an environment where individual learning can take place.

I think the curatorial teacher is best in a digital classroom. The curatorial teacher sets the stage for learning to take place. Learners are now comfortable with using technology, but can download information faster that they can interpret and use it. The curatorial teacher must make sense of all of the tools that are readily available to learners and create an environment for authentic problem solving.


Creating comfortable interactions between students and the instructor is one of the most important aspects of the online classroom. This can be done through blogs, chat rooms, wikis, email, peer-based learning, a discussion area, and an FAQ area.

There are many tools available to nurture authentic, collaborative problem sovling such as iPods, wikis, smartphones, and learning communities. These can promote interaction and effective group assignments.