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PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING LESSON 2

1. Introduction

I hope you find lesson 1 interesting. To complement your understanding

and appreciation of the complexities yet pleasing world of teaching, this
second lesson presents and discusses the different principles of learning.

There are various principles on how learning is facilitated. These

principles enable the teacher to handle and teach the students
effectively. In this regard, the teacher must understand some of the
basic principles of learning.

Lesson 2 focuses on the following subject matters:

 Learning Defined
 Three Domains of Learning
 Principles of Learning
 Active response or active learning
 Exercise and Repetition
 Association
 Timing
 Effect
 Motivation
 Apperception
 Transfer
 Readiness
 Set
 Individual Differences
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 Contrast
 Recency

Objectives

The lesson on the Principles of Learning will not only help you
identify the different principles of learning but as well assist you
in giving examples of situations where these principles of learning
are applied. In due course, you will find out the indispensable
contributions of these principles to the effectiveness of the
teaching and learning process.

As you go through with Lesson 2 and performing the enrichment

activities and exercises, let your actual experiences guide you in
attaining the objectives of the lesson. Do not hesitate to share
your ideas to best describe the principle/s being discussed.

You are expected to complete studying the concepts of the lesson

in an hour. Greater emphasis is given to the completion of the
enrichment activities and exercises for you to fully grasp the sense
of the principles. These parts require relatively longer period of
time since some components are dependent on actual
circumstances. Therefore, your mentor will decide the time that
you need to devote on these.

So, get yourself ready and make the most out of the experiences

Lesson 2 can offers. (“,) Enjoy learning!

2. Presentation
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“Learning is the essence of the teaching’s success”

William Kelly

Learning Defined

Learning has been defined in various ways. Several authorities

give the following definitions of this term:
 A process inferred from relatively stable changes in behavior
that result through practice or interaction with an adaptation
to the environment (Goodview and Klaus Meier, 1975).

 The development of new associations as a result of experience

(Good and Brophy, 1977).

 The modification of an organism’s behavior as a result of

maturation and environmental experiences (Garrison and
Magoon,1972).

 Learning maybe defined as the acquisition, retention, and

application of knowledge, skills, attitudes, ways of thinking or
some other types of new response. Learning, there is more
than simple acquisition. A student who promptly forgets some
knowledge or skill, which he has briefly possessed, cannot be
said to be have learned it in any sense which would be
significant to a teacher. Similarly, one who is unable to use the
material, which he has retained in new situations, has not
learned that material (Kolesnik, 1963).
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 It is an episode in which a motivated individual attempts to

adapt his behavior so as to succeed in a situation, which he
perceives as requiring action to attain a goal (Pressey,
Robinson and Havocks, 1959).

 Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that can

be explained in terms of practice or experience. The learning
process itself cannot be directly observed, but the learner’s
performance can be observed and recorded, and from this we
can infer the presence or absence of learning (Aquino, 1988).

 Changing one’s potential for seeing, thinking, feeling and doing

through experience partly perceptual, partly intellectual, partly
emotional, and partly motor (Morse and Wingo, 1969).

Regardless of what definitions have been formulated about

learning, the essence of learning revolves around the concept of
change in human behavior (Bustos and Espiritu, 1996). This
change can be a new or modified knowledge, abilities, skills,
habits and values.

Three Domains of Learning

Cognitive domain of learning focuses on the development of

concepts, ideas and insights (development of knowledge).
Psychomotor domain of learning involves the development of
skills.
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Affective domain of learning involves the development of desirable

attitudes, values and appreciation.

Principles of Learning

A new learning experience or a combination of learning

experiences maybe acquired by the learner as a result of his active
involvement in any learning activity. Learning may take place in
the absence of a teacher, but good teaching helps enhance the
learning process more effectively and more efficiently. Whenever
learning takes place under the influence of good teaching, the
number and quality of the new learning experiences acquired by
the learner are influenced by:
a. extent and intensity of the involvement of the learner in the
learning activity
b. methods of teaching utilized
c. personality of the teacher

Below are the various Principles of Learning. Initiate classroom sharing if

you are familiar with the situation where each principle is applied.

1. An effective way to change the behavior of the student is to

have them participate actively in doing what is to be learned. This
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is often called as the principle of Active response or active

learning.

Implication: Learning by doing is more effective than direct

methods.
Caution: Just doing something or keeping busy by trial and error
in no way guarantees the acquisition of learning experience.

2. A learning activity participated in many times tend to be

remembered longer and to be called easier. This is usually referred
as the principle of Practice or the principle of
Exercise/Repetition.

Implication: Practice does not in itself make perfect. It does

increase efficiency and eliminate some wasteful motion.

Caution: Routine drill or repetition for the sake of repetition may

often be meaningless and can impair efficiency.

What may a teacher do in responding to this law?

a. provide more practice test, exercises, and drills
b. do not monopolize the discussion, provide more students’
activities

3. Experiences that occur together tend to recur together. This is

referred to as the principle of Association.
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Implication: To bring about behavioral changes may require more

than just pointing out the advantages of a new technique. It may
also be necessary to break the spell of the old.

Caution: The teacher must be constantly alert to what his students

are actually learning, e.g., dislike school because of boring
repetition, or to be lazy because there is no reward for initiative.

4. Learning takes place more readily when a fact or a skill is taught

either at the time or just before the time when it can be used with
some serviceable way. This is the principle of Timing.

Implication: The teacher must anticipate the learner’s needs and

present new material at the most desirable time possible. He must
decide when the learner will need it and present it somewhat in
advance.

Caution: Avoid teaching technical information long before the

learner would need it in relation to certain skills he needs to learn.

5. Satisfaction promotes learning. This is usually referred to a s

the principle of Effect.

Implication: Teach and work with the learner in such a way that
what is learned or accomplished brings about the greatest possible
degree of learner satisfaction.

What may a teacher do in responding to this principle?

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a. make the school atmosphere conducive to learning with the

teacher’s liveliness and cheerfulness, innovative and creative
teaching, being approachable
b. make the classroom homelike
c. make the school plant and its facilities adequate

6. The ease of learning varies directly with the meaningfulness of

the materials presented. This is referred to as the principle of
Motivation.

Implication: Share teaching objectives with students in order to

make the learning activity meaningful to them.

Caution: Avoid squirrel cage activities, i.e., repetitive but

meaningless activity.

7. Learners perceive the new in terms of the old. This is the

principle of Apperception.

Implication: Teach the unknown in terms of the known.

8. A person learns through transfer to the extent that the ability

acquired in one situation will help in another. This is referred to a
s the principle of Transfer.

Implication: Try to find elements in the learner’s repertory similar

to what you are presenting now and tie the two together whenever
possible.
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9. The more fully a person is in readiness to act in a certain way,

the more satisfying, it will be to act, and more annoying if
prevented. This is the principle of Readiness.

What may a teacher do in responding to this law?

a. motivate students using properly done audio-visual materials
b. give life-like situations and concrete examples
c. provide sufficient drills, exercises and practice sets

10. Past experiences keep individuals from using objects in

different ways. This is referred to as the principle of Set.

Implication. Teachers must recognize that presenting new or

different situations alone does not always change the learner’s
behavior. His attitude may be too firmly fixed to allow him to
accept change and may have to be changed first.

11. No two individuals are exactly alike. People vary in their ability
to benefit from any one teaching method or technique. This is the
principle of Individual Differences.

Implication: The teacher should develop skill in handling and using

a variety of methods, technique and materials in order to serve a
heterogeneous group. Variety is the spice of learning.

12. We tend to remember best those things that are in sharp

contrast to one another. This is the principle of Contrast.
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Implication: The teacher should make or collect a series of charts,

pictures and other visual aids which show easily recognized
differences.

13. The more recent the experiences, the more readily it can be
recalled. This is the principle of Recency.
Implication: Capitalize on recent events, which are vivid in the
mind of the learners – events that will create a greater desire to
learn more about your subject matter.

Enrichment Activities

The activities below will test your ability to apply the

Let us examine principles discussed by examining an example lesson plan.
this.
Study them well and be critical enough to probe the
contents of the lesson plans.
1. Obtain a copy of Operation Handbook of the 2002
Basic Education Curriculum in any subject area.
a. Analyze the prototype lesson plans provided in the
Handbook. Go over the different parts of the lesson plans.
b. Find out which among the principles of learning have been used in
preparing the various parts of the lesson plans.

c. Make a list of these principles.

2. Suggest learning activities that would be more appropriate or

applicable than the learning activities found and listed in the
prototype lesson plans. Your suggestions should be based on
the concepts of the principles of learning presented.
3. Summary
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The presented principles of learning can guide us achieve effective

and efficient delivery of our intended learning outcomes.
Identifying one principle greatly depends on the nature of our
students and the subject matter. Allowing for the use of these
principles facilitate pleasurable teaching and learning, both for
teachers and students. Application of one principle alone may not
be sufficient to attain the objectives of the lesson, and
subsequently help students understand our topic. A combination
of the various principles is better than solely capitalizing on one.

4. Exercise
Direction: Choose the principle of learning being described by the
following statements. Encircle the letter of your answer. If you
have the full grasp of the lesson, you can complete this exercise
for at most 10 minutes.

1. The use of flashcard to enable pupils to master addition applies

the law of :
a. readiness c. effect
b. motivation d. exercise
2. Which of the following is a good incentive that the teacher can
use effectively to motivate students?
a. grades c. honor roll
b. praise d. all of the above
3. A teacher who capitalizes on recent events that are vivid on the
minds of the learners makes use of the principle of _____
a. association c. recency
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b. motivation d. apperception
4. A teacher who gives praises to students who made worthy
contributions to the class recognizes the principle of ______
a. effect c. individual differences
b. timing d. set
5. A teacher applies the principle of _____ when students are asked
about their experiences related to the lesson
a. apperception c. effect
b. transfer d. timing
6. Reviewing the definition of triangles and its parts before teaching
students solve for its area shows the principle of ____
a. apperception c. association
b. individual differences d. timing
7. Giving of problems sets in Mathematics shows the application of
the principle of __
a. effect c. timing
b. readiness d. exercise
8. Reading research news about young scientists’ contribution in
the development of Science and technology before pupils do
their experiment shows that the teacher uses the principle of
____
a. association c. recency
b. motivation d. apperception

9. A teacher who shows a piece of paper before and after burning

so pupils can compare its characteristics in appearance uses the
principle of____
a. association c. effect
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b. contrast d. set
10. Choosing teaching methods appropriate for heterogeneous
group of pupils shows the application of the principle of ____
a. association c. individual differences
b. exercise d. timing
11. Presenting new situations alone does not change the learner’s
behavior because their behavior might be fixed to allow
change. This shows the principle of ___:
a. association c. effect
b. contrast d. set
12. “Strike while the iron is hot” is the adage applicable for the
principle of_:
a. readiness c. apperception
b. effect d. timing