A learning theory helps people understand the process of learning.  Usually a learning theory goes hand and hand with psychology and education.  Three main standpoints of these type of theories are behaviorism, cognitive information processing, constructivism and instructivism. 

Constructivism analyzes learning as a process where the person who is learning actively constructs or builds new ideas or concepts based upon their current or past knowledge.  According to one psychologist, “learning involves constructing one’s own knowledge from one’s own experiences.”  This learning theory is made by internalizing thoughts and concepts, rules, and also general principles that can be practical to real world context.  With constructivism, the teacher is as able to act as a facilitator with the students to encourage them to discover principles for themselves and to construct knowledge by working to solve realistic problems.  There are great benefits to this type of constructional process.  1) The students are able to work together to explain and organize their ideas so they can share them with others, 2) it gives them opportunities to elaborate on what they have learned, 3) the student is more exposed to the views of others around them, and 4) it enables them to discover flaws and inconsistencies. 

The cognitive learning theory has had many influential theorists such as Jean Piaget and David Ausubel.  These theorists along with other theorists were highly concerned with the changes in a students understanding that resulted from learning and with the fundamental importance of the environment.  The other type of learning theory that is very important in today’s society is the behaviorism theory.  Behaviorism is said to be a result of operant condition. Operant refers to the way in which a behavior operates on the environment. 

There are many different types of learning theories.  These ones in particular are the most popular and most influential.

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