Learnin

g
Theories
How Adults Learn Deeply
 LEARNING THEORIES

Reinforcement Social
Theory Learning Goal Theories Need Theories
Theory

Expectancy Adult Learning Information

Theory Theory Processing
Theory
 1. REINFORCEMENT THEORY
Individuals are motivated to PERFORM or AVOID BEHAVIOURS
because of past outcomes of the behaviour.
Trainers need to identify what outcomes learners find most positive
or negaitve, and then link those outcomes to acquiring new
knowledge and skills
1.Positive Reinforcement 2. Negative reinforcement
Adding a desirable outcome following Removing an unpleasant outcome
desirable behaviour following desirable behaviour.

3. Punishment (positive 4. Extinction (negative

punishment)
ADDING an unpleasant outcome punishment)
REMOVING a desirable outcome
following undesirable behaviour. following undesirable behaviour.
1. REINFORCEMENT THEORY
Positive Reinforcement Negative reinforcement
Elsa praises the participant or gives If everyone arrives on time after
a small reward every time they take the break, Elsa shortens the
part in activities. introductory session, which some
may find boring.

Punishment Extinction
If participants are late, Elsa might Elsa ignores the participants who
limit their chance to contribute to are late, so that over the day,
an activity, discouraging lateness. lateness may decrease if
participants realise they do not
receive a reaction.
2. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
People learn by observing other people (models)
who they believe are credible & knowledge

Learning results from either:

(1) directly experiencing the consequences of using that behaviour, or
(2) the process of observing others and seeing the consequences of their
behaviour

Four Processes are involved in learning:

2. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
(a) Attention (b) Retention
Elsa shows a video of a Participants take notes of the
customer service expert expert’s tone, problem-solving
steps, and body language used

(c) Motor Reproduction (d) Motivational processes

Participants practice the same Participants feel motivated to
customer interaction apply what they learned as they
techniques receive positive feedback
2. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Self-efficacy is critical!
Self-efficacy reflects an individual’s belief that he/she can
successfully learn knowledge and skills

Can be increased through:

• Verbal persuasion
• Logical verification
• Modeling
• Past accomplishments
3. GOAL THEORIES
Goals influence a person’s behaviour by directing energy and
attention, sustaining effort over time, and motivating the person to
develop strategies for goal attainment.

Specific, challenging goals result in better performance than vague,

unchallenging goals.

LEARNING ORIENTATION PERFORMANCE ORIENTATION

• Trying one’s ability or competence • Desire to look good in comparison to
in a task others
• People with a learning orientation • People with a performance
view mistakes as useful for learning orientation avoid mistakes as they
do not want to appear foolish

What do you think would be the preferred orientation?

3. GOAL THEORIES
PROMOTING A LEARNING ORIENTATION:

Set goals Provide

around constructive
experimentatio feedback
n

Deemphasise Create
competition community of
learning
4. NEED THEORIES
Helps to explain the value that a person places on
certain outcomes

Maslow’s hierarchy of
Needs:
• Growth Needs
• Relatedness Needs
• Physiological Needs
4. NEED THEORIES
Alderfer’s theory:
Similar to Maslow’s theory, but if higher-level needs are not satisfied,
individuals may go back to lower-level needs.
(a) Existence Needs (basic material and
physiological)
• Elsa ensures all participants have comfortable seating, adequate breaks and
refreshments.

(b) Relatedness Needs (relationship and sense of

belonging)
• Elsa should create opportunities for participants to connect by encouraging
group discussions.

(c) Growth Needs (personal development and self-

actualisation)
• Elsa provides challenging activities, personalised feedback and chances
for skill development with each participant.
5. EXPECTANCY THEORIES
Suggests that a person’s behaviour is based on three
factors:
1. Expectancies: Link between trying to perform a
behaviour and actually performing well
2.Instrumentality: Belief that performing a given
behaviour is associated with a particular outcome
3.Valence: Value that a person places on an outcome
6. ADULT LEARNING THEORY
Based on several assumptions:

• Adults have the need to know “why”

• Adults have to be self-directed
• Adults bring more work-related experiences to the learning situation
• Adults enter a learning experience with a problem-centered approach
• Adults are extrinsically and intrinsically motivated
6. ADULT LEARNING THEORY
Implications when utilising in training:

• Mutual planning and collaboration

• Use learner experiences for examples and applications
• Develop instruction based on learners’ interests and competencies
• Provide opportunities for applicatin
• Ensure training is problem-centered
6. ADULT LEARNING THEORY
How Elsa will utilise Adult Learning Theory in her
workshop:
• Connect new content to participants’ prior knowledge and work experience
• Focus on practical, real-world applications relevant to the job
• Encourage active participation through discussions and problem-solving
• Respect participants’ need for self-direction by offering choices in activities
or topics
7. INFORMATION PROCESSING
THEORY
Based on internal processes
• Information processing theory proposes that information taken by the
learner undergoes several transformations in the brain
• Message is received by the senses → registered → stored in short-term
memory → stored in long-term memory → a response to the message is
organised
Activity: Guess the theory
Participants should be split up into four different groups. Each group
should then guess which theory fits best for each scenario given.

5 minutes will be provided for each group, and will be discussed

afterwards
SCENARIO 1: SCENARIO 2: SCENARIO 3:
Maria watches her Lindiwe, an experienced During training,
experienced coworker professional, joins a employees receive
demonstrate how to use workshop where the immediate praise and
the new software step-by- trainer connects new small rewards each time
step. Then, she practices concepts to her existing they correctly apply a
the task herself, trying to knowledge and real-life safety procedure. If they
imitate exactly what she work challenges. The don’t follow the
observed. She feels trainer encourages her to procedure, the trainer
motivated to learn share her own experiences reminds them of the
because she sees how and apply learning importance and
successfully her coworker immediately, making the consequences of not
completes the task. session relevant and following it.
 Summary:
Goal setting theory Expectancy theory

Specific, challenging A person’s behaviour is

goals result in better based on expectancies,
performance than instrumentality, and
vague, unchallenging valence.
goals.

Need Theories Information Processing

Theory

Helps to explain the Information taken by the

value that a person participant undergoes
places on certain several transformations
outcomes. in the brain.