Theory of teaching

Theories of Teaching
Introduction

Kerlinger(1965) has defined the terms theory of teaching:

“ A theory of teaching is a set of interrelated constructs, definitions, propositions which
present a systematic view of teaching by specifying relations among variables with the purpose of
explaining and predicting”.

Under this definition main emphasis has been given on the relationship among teaching
variables. The purpose of relationship is to understand, predict and control teaching tasks.

Burner (1964) defines the theory of teaching as the explanation of “general methodology of
teaching”.

B.O. Smith (1969) gives a statement as a definition of theory of teaching.
“ The teacher who is not theoretically trained will interpret events and objects in terms of
comminutions concepts that have come from the experience of the race permeated without model
ideas about human behaviour.

This statement indicates the nature of theory of teaching. A theory of teaching answers three
questions: how do teachers behave, why do they behave as they perform and with what effect. It
applies for all teachers, for all students and for all situations in which reaching occurs.

It considers the teacher-behaviour, the cause and student’s learning effect. It explains, predicts
and controls the ways in which the teacher-behaviours affects the learning of students. A theory
of teaching must answer the questions of the teaching for efficient learning.

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Need for a theory of teaching

A teaching theory has the following advantages:

1. Teaching theory explains the relationship between teaching and learning and indentifies
common factors.

2. Teaching theory gives the knowledge about the assumptions of teaching activities which
provide guideline for organizing teaching

3. The instructional designs can be developed with the help of theory of teaching.

4. Teaching theory provides the scientific basis for planning, organizing, leading and
evaluation the teaching.

5. The classroom teaching problems may be studied scientifically through the knowledge of
teaching theory.

6. The pupil-teachers can develop teaching skills and competency by employing the
knowledge given by theory of teaching.

7. Teaching objectives may be successfully achieved by the use of teaching theory.

8. The effective teachers enable produced with the use of teaching theory.

9. N.L. Gage suggests that theories of teaching may be used to increase the understanding,
prediction and control of teaching.

Types of teaching theories

Teaching theories may be broadly classified into three categories:

(1) Formal theory (philosophical theory) of teaching.

(2) Descriptive theory of teaching and

(3) Normative theory of teaching.

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(1) Formal Theory of teaching (Philosophical Theory) of teaching

The theory which is based upon certain logic, certain metaphysical, epistemological
assumptions and propositions is known as formal theory of teaching. The following are the four
philosophical theories of teaching:

(a) Meutic Theory of Teaching

(b) The communication Theory of Teaching

(c) The Molding Theory of Teaching, and

(d) The mutual Inquiry Theory of teaching

(2) Descriptive Theory of Teaching

The theory which is based upon empirical evidence and observation is called descriptive
theory. The purpose of descriptive theory is to predict the relationship and effectiveness of
variables of teaching. Gardon and Bruner have formulated such theories of teaching:

(a) Instruction theory of teaching and

(b) Prescriptive theory of teaching

(3) Normative Theory of teaching

The normative theory of teaching may be developed because it is difficult to control the
human subjects in experimental situation. The learning theories have been developed under
controlled conditions by conducting experiments and animals. The normative theory explains the
relationship among teaching variables on the basis of observations in normal teaching condition.

This category has four theories of teaching:

(a) The cognitive theory of teaching

(b) Theory of teacher-behaviour

(c) Psychological theory of teaching and

(d) The general theory of teaching

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Formal Theory of Teaching

These theories are based upon metaphysical and epistemological propositions. There are
earlier theories which reflects the current social practices.

Meutic Theory of Teaching

This theory conceives that teaching process helps to recollect or unfold that knowledge with
questioning techniques. The teacher brings his knowledge at conscious level of this child. The
focus of this theory is on self realization. The socratic’s method is an essential for this theory.
The heredity plays an important role in teaching process.

(a) The communication theory of Teaching

This theory of teaching based upon assumptions that the teacher possesses all knowledge and
information which student does not possess. The most appropriate way for the student is to learn
this knowledge that the teacher presents, explains, demonstrates and performs in the classroom.
This theory further assumes that the child is like a clean state, the teacher can imprint upon it
anything through his mode of communications. Therefore, it is designed as the communication
practical theory of teaching.

(b) The moulding theory of teaching

John dewey is the advocate of this moulding theory of teaching confine to impart the
knowledge to the students. The third theory has the focus on shape, form and mould of the
students behavior. The basic assumption about the human nature which this theory takes in
consideration is that human personality is formed, shaped and moulded by their environment.

(c) The mutual inquiry theory

The main assumption of this theory about the nature of knowledge is that the whole body or
recorded facts as ‘information’ knowledge which in schools and outside the schools is generally
substituted for inquiry. True knowledge is inquiry, used to apply efficient methods and relevant
information for the solution problems.

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This theory of teaching is clearly applicable to research and art. This theory assumes that each
individual has the capacity to discover new knowledge with mutual inquiry. It implies that a
teacher has a model in his mind to use in specific situation and student himself selects the model
for mutual inquiry.

Descriptive theory of teaching

Descriptive theory of teaching is based upon certain propositions and certain observations.

(a) Theories of Instructions

A theory of instruction consists of a set of propositions stating the relationship between, on
the one hand, measures the outcome of education and on the other hand, measure both the
conditions to which the learner is exposed and variables representing characteristics of the
learner. There are three models assigned to the three theories of instruction.

(1) Gagne’s hierarchical theory of Instruction

(2) Atkinson’s Decision Theoretic Analysis for optimizing learning

(3) Bruner’s Cognitive Developmental Theory of Instruction

(1) Gagne’s hierarchical theory of Instruction

Robert M, Gagne has termed from theories of learning to the practical task of training or
instructional theory. He has proposed eight kinds of learning: Signal, stimulus-response, chaining,
verbal association, multiple discrimination, concept learning, rule learning and problem solving.
He identified five learning outcome associated with types of learning they are as follow: Verbal
information, Intellectual skills, cognitive strategy, motor skills and attitude.

Gagne while emphasizing the need for a proper theory of instruction proposed that such a
theory of instruction must be based on the hierarchical structure of the events of learning. What
goes on inside the learners mind during the teaching learning process may be termed as internal
events. This events must be fully taken in consideration while planning the corresponding

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instructional procedures. This learning events from the angle of a learner along with the
corresponding instructional events is presented as follows:

Learning event Corresponding instructional events

Reception Gaining attention

Expectancy Information learners of the objective

Retrieval Stimulation recall or prior learning

Selective Perception Presenting the stimulus

Semantic encoding Providing learning guidance

Responding Eliciting performance

Reinforcement Providing feedback

Retrieval Assessing performance

Generalization Enhancing retention and transfer

Therefore an instructional plan may thus be properly choked by following the sequences of
learning events.

(2) Atkinson’s Decision-theoretic Analysis for Optimizing Learning.

Richart C. Atkinson came to instructional psychology from the interest in mathematical
learning theory which he applied to computer-assisted instruction (CAI).

Atkinson Proposed four characteristics which must be satisfied with a precise derivation of an
“Optimal Instructional Strategy”.

(a) Model of the learning process should be involved

(b) It should involve specified instructional actions

(c) The instructional objectives should be specified in behavioral terms.

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(d) Each instructional objective can be measured by Burner advocates that a theory of
instruction is designing measurement scale or questions.

This model is, in fact, a special case of Optimal Control Theory, as it has been developed in
the mathematical and engineering field.

(3) Bruner’s Cognitive Developmental Theory of Instruction.

Burner advocates that a theory of instruction is prescriptive in that it proposes rules for
achieving knowledge of skills and provides techniques evaluating learning outcomes. It is also
normative in that it sets goals to be achieved and deal with conditions for meeting then.

‘A Theory of instruction’ in short is concerned with how what one wished to teach can best be
learned, with improving rather than describing learning.

This is not to say that learning and developmental theories are irrelevant for theory of
instruction. In fact, a theory of instruction must be concerned with both learning and development
and must be congruent with those theories of learning and development to which it subscribes.
Burner is insistent on the empirical steps necessary before the theory can prescribe the practice.

Burner has specified four features that a theory of instruction must involve: Predisposition to
learn, structure of knowledge, sequence of instruction and reinforcement.

Bruner has specified four features that a theory of instruction must involve: Predisposition to
learn, structure of knowledge, sequence of instruction and reinforcement.

• Predisposition to learn – A theory of instruction must be concerned with the
experiences and context that will tend to make the child willing and able to learn when
he enters the school

• Structure of knowledge - A theory of instruction should specify the ways in which
body of knowledge should be structured so that it can be most readily grasped by the
learner.

• Sequence of instruction – A theory of instruction should specify the most effective
sequences to present the material
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• Reinforcement – A theory of instruction should specify the nature and pacing of
rewards, moving from extrinsic rewards of intrinsic one.

Each of this points require elaborating with respect of the individual difference among
students at a given age, structure of knowledge with a topic to be taught, flexibility of sequencing,
rate of learning, interests and so on. “Any subject can be taught effecting in some intellectual
honest for any student at any stage of development”.

(b) Prescriptive theory of teaching

E. Stones and Morries have attempted to explain the nature of teaching with the help of three
types of related variables:

The first phase includes the teacher in the analysis of the teaching problems and teaching tests
before teaching takes place. It has two types of tasks one is the analysis of teaching content and
second is the analysis of the nature of the student’s learning.

In the second Phase decision are made about the interrelationship of the variables deemed
appropriate to teaching objectives.

The third phase concerns with evaluating the effectiveness and workability of phase two in
relaxing the objective and this consists of techniques of examination in which varibales have been
interrelated in phase second.

Normative theory of teaching

The learning theories have been formulated by designing experiment in controlled situations,
therefore they have less generalizability. Teaching theory should have high generalizability
because it concerns with human behavior. More rigorous control cannot be imposed by designing
experiments on human subjects. Therefore we need normative theory of teaching.

a) The cognitive theory of teaching

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N.L. Gage suggest that one theory of teaching cannot serve the purpose of education. There
should be more than one theory of teaching because teaching may be analysed in four ways:

Types of teacher’s activity – A teacher has to lay several roles in teaching. Teaching
consists of many kinds of activity such as philosopher (information Given. Adviser,
counselor, motivator, demonstrator, curriculum planner and evaluator.

Types of education objectives – Bloom has classified three types of objectives:
Cognitive, Affective and Pschomotor. Tolman has given things to be learned, field
cognition mode, drive discrimination field expectation and motor patterns.

Types of learning theories – teaching might proceed on the basis of different families of
learning theory; philosophical theories of learning (mental discipline, unfoldment,
approbation). Psychological theories of learning: S_R family, Reinforcement theory and
Insight learning theory. Each family suggests different views of teaching process.

Types of components of learning – Neal Miller suggests four componenets of learning,
drive, cue, response and reward. The each component requires the different types of
teaching acticvities.

b) Theory of teacher behavior

D.G. Ryan has tried to explain the concept of teacher-behaviour and formulated a theory of
teacher-behaviour. M. Meux and B.O. Smith have defined the term teacher-behaviour

“Teacher behavior consists of those acts that the teacher performs typically in the classroom
in order to induce-learning”.

Theory of teacher behaviour also explains the relationship of variables, It is based upon two
postulates.

Teacher behaviour is social in nature - Teacher performs his tasks in group. Teacher
behavior is concerned with the class-room verbal and non-verbal interaction. In the process of
interaction, teacher and students both participate. The initiation and response activities are to be
performed by teacher or students. They both influence each other. Therefore it is considered as
social behavior.
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Teacher behavior is relative - Teacher’s classroom activities are based upon social
situations. Teacher’s activities are the product of social conditions and are related to the cultural
settings in which teacher performs the teaching task. Teacher- Behaviour is good or bad, effective
and ineffective, it can be judged with reference to a particular culture’s value system and set of
objectives. Therefore teacher behavior is a relative concept.

c) The Psychological theory of teaching

This theory considers teaching a sort contractual relationship between the teacher and the
pupils. The relationship consists of certain activities to be performed by the teacher such as :
analyzing teaching task, determining learning goals, identifying entering behavior and selecting
teaching strategy. The teacher formulates teaching tasks by his own experiences and insight. He
makes judgment about the pupil’s stage of development. The teacher locates his positioning the
cognitive map.

Teaching has very high values. The value helps others to grow and learn to give one best from
which others benefit, but from which one does not benefit oneself to do good without expecting
anything in return and so on.

d) General Theory of teaching

S.C.T. Clarke has formulated a general theory of teaching. It assumes that teaching is process
which is designed and performed to produce change in behavior of students. Teaching activities
can be very diverse and vary also at different levels of teaching and objectives. All these
combinations are possible in teaching process. This theory limits the teaching activities to those
which are acceptable by a democratic society.

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Conclusion

The available literature on this topic reveals that there is no theory of teaching at all. There
are only models or paradigms of teaching. Teaching theory is prescriptive. Teachers and pupils
are the major variables of teaching theory. It is narrow and specific. It is based upon learning
theory, learning conditions and learning components. While learning theory are formulated by
conducting experiments on animals teaching theory is developed by dealing with human subjects
in normal situations. It is concerned with effective learning and development of pupils.

References
1. Sharma. R.K. “Technological foundation of education”, Theories of teaching.
2. Mangal. S.K. “Advanced Educational Psychology”, Nature and theories of learning. PHI
learning Private Limited. Pg.235 – 236.

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Theory of teaching

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