Learning Theories

There are several different learning theories that have developed over time to explain how students learn best. I’ve learned about Behaviorism, Information Processing theory, Constructivism, and more. As I was going through these theories, behaviorism stood out to me. As a middle school teacher, there are often behavior situations at school, which led me to wonder how I can best manage these symptoms. As I researched this theory and went more in depth in operant conditioning, I created a helpful infographic to summarize the key aspects of behaviorism and operant conditioning.

"Operant Conditioning Poster" by Emily Vailliencourt

I had previously learned about behaviorism in some of my undergraduate classes, but now I am able to show it in my own classroom. I also present other theories, such as Constructionism. Constructionism is a learning theory that focuses on the process of making. It believes that students learn best through this creation process. See this video below on how I incorporate both constructionism and operant conditioning in my own classroom. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxBmC4dtWeE

While I naturally leaned towards behaviorism and operant conditioning, there were many other theories that I could connect to my classroom. Constructivism, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Socio-Cultural Theory, and Informational Processing Theory all have places in my planning process. I have developed a checklist to help me remember key aspects of each, so that as I am planning lessons, I can represent each in my classroom.

"Learning Theory Checklist" by Emily Vailliencourt

I agree with many of these theories and believe that each has a way it can be seen in a classroom. While I do not think there is one best way, I do think that teachers can explore these various learning theories to see what best fits themselves and their own students.

Vailliencourt, E. (2025, July 9). CEP 800. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxBmC4dtWeE&t=2s