Reflections (Learning Readiness) PDF

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Reflections on the chapter...

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Learning Readiness Edward L. Thorndike had connected learning with stimuli and responses. One of the experiment that he had conducted is a cat where it was trapped in a puzzle box. The stimulus is the puzzle box whereas the response is the cat figuring the way to get out from that puzzle box. There is only one way for that cat to get out which is by pushing a lever. After multiple trials and errors, the cat will figure the way to get out from that box. The cat will repeat the successful behaviour (pushing the lever) when it was trapped again. This is one of the proof for learning will change behaviour. Hence, intelligence is the ability to form connections between stimuli and responses. Thorndike had explained his learning theory using 3 laws (Law of readiness, law of exercises and law of effect). Law of readiness explains the condition of learners before learning. They must be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for the lesson. Learners should read or study the topics before the lesson to keep them prepared for the lesson. If the learners are well-prepared for the lesson, they can learn, understand and absorb the knowledge quickly. Law of Exercise is one of the laws for learning theory. There is no doubt saying that exercises are fundamental in a learning process. Thorndike had mentioned that learning is a repetition process. Therefore, teachers should assign homework that is suitable for their students at every lesson. For instance, grammar exercises were being assigned after the grammar lesson in classroom. This is to help students to recall back what they had learnt in school earlier. Hence, exercises and practices will increase the efficiency and durability in learning. Law of effect is another law for learning theory. Thorndike stated that an organism will react if there is a stimulus or situation affect them. In classroom, every teachers’ action will indirectly affect the behaviour of students. For instance, a teacher who is hardworking in writing comments about students’ homework will affect the students to be motivated in doing homework. However, a teacher who is lazy in checking students’ homework will affect students not to do their homework. From Piaget’s perspective, he had defined learning as a readiness approach. A student cannot learn something until they had matured. This is because they had not reach their biological maturation. Piaget had classified 4 stages of developmental theory. Student at the aged of 5 (pre-operational stage) is not suitable to have a group discussion as they had just started to learn the language. However, teenagers at the age of 17 (formal operational stage) is suitable to have group discussion with friends. This is because they can think critically and view things from different perspectives....