Theories of Teaching and Learning

Running head: THEORIES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
THEORIES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

THEORIES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING1
Introduction
The learning processes as have been defined by Connolly (2016) refer to the process of
gaining knowledge and information on a given subject or area of knowledge. The processes
might be completed both internally and externally. The internal learning processes involve the
reflection on the part of the concerned student regarding the subject while the external processes
involve the experiences that are gathered by the student in the due course of time (Carlson,
2015). The learning processes develop an alignment with the theories of contemporary education
in order to help the teachers and the educators develop techniques to improve the knowledge
base of the concerned students.
The following essay highlights the impact of humanist approaches and the behaviourist
approaches on the learning processes of the students. The essay opens with the identification of
both the approaches and the ways in which they define learning. The essay thereafter discussed
the various benefits and the challenges that are faced by the followers of the humanist
approaches. The essay proceeds to discuss the benefits and the challenges of the behaviourist
approaches. The essay finally reaches a conclusion with the discussion on the impacts of the
approaches to the teaching practices.
Identify humanism and behaviourism and how it defines learning
Humanism refers to the thought systems that are highly concerned with the human
reasoning and experience rather than highlighting the spiritual aspects of life. Humanists
generally refer to the philosophical school of thought that highlights the uniqueness of people
and the other factors that have a high contribution to the development of the humanity among the
concerned people. The humanist theories were explained by Maslow in the model on the

THEORIES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING2
hierarchy of the human needs. The model suggested that the basic physiological needs of the
children should be met in order to deal with the enhancement in the overall development of the
knowledge base of the students (Pepperel, 2003). The implementation of the humanist theories
within the given classrooms will help in the overall development of the positivity among the
children and thus help them in encouraging the various factors that are related to the overall
development of the educational and learning capabilities of the concerned students (Snaza &
Weaver, 2015). The implementation of the humanist approaches within the classroom helps the
students in developing their understanding as well as their appreciation of the various affective
features of the human achievements.
The practice of behaviourism, on the other hand, highlights the fact that the learning
processes maintain a “cause and effect” mechanism within the given classroom. The behaviourist
approaches that are undertaken by the educators help in the overall development of the
implementation of the various external factors that demand a response from the students as well.
The students who have been studying within a behaviourist environment tend to possess
increased success rates in terms of the factors that they have been studying (Berk, 2000). The
implementation of the behaviourist theories and aspects have often led to the assistance in the
learning due to the increase in the repetition of the successful attempts on the part of the students.
The increase in the success rates among the students might be attributed to the overall
development of the issues that are highlighted within the overall development of the knowledge
base of the students (Churchill et al., 2019). The application of the behaviourist theories within
the classroom might lead to the permanent and the observable changes among the given students
which might result from the proper influences that are highlighted by the external factors like the
experiences and the instructions that are presented to the students at large.

THEORIES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING3
Benefits and limitations of Humanism
The humanist approaches towards the education is known to have a huge array of benefits
for the students within the classroom. The major benefits of the implementation of the humanist
approaches towards the learning relate to the recognition on the part of the educators regarding
the uniqueness of each and every human being. The humanist approaches towards the learners
help in supporting the instructions that are provided on an individual basis (Harasim, 2017). The
humanist approaches help in the overall recognition of the positivity that is demonstrated by the
student in terms of the self-esteem and the self-concept that has been existent to be the proper
objective for the education. The humanist approaches towards the education helps in the overall
highlighting of the various instruction methods along with the several strategies that would lead
to the implementation of the widespread strategies in order to highlight the teacher’s role to be
equivalent with the roles of the facilitators (Cohen & Waite-Stupiansky, 2017). This further
helps in the increase in the engagement of the students in the various decision-making activities
within the given educational institution. This helps in the development of the positivity within
the school environment as well.
On the other hand, the humanist approaches towards the learning methods are known to
have a greater number of limitations as well. The major limitations regarding the humanist
approaches to the education refer to the high amount of focus on the affective nature of the
development. The humanist approaches fail to implement a greater focus on the quantifiable and
the objective aspects of the learning as is imparted to the students within a given classroom. The
implementation of the humanist approaches within the classroom highlights the subjective
descriptions regarding the given matters (Azambuja, Grimoni & Coelho, 2017). The
incorporation of the humanist approaches to the given classroom settings tend to highlight a poor