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Gestalt Theory

 

(It is a picture of a dog)

 

 

The lesson on learning theories opened up whole new worlds for me.  It made me think about how we approach theories on learning in the classroom.  Often times I think that we look closely on how to get information into the mind and not closely enough on how it stay within the mind once it has gained entry.  This lesson made me rethink how I taught in lieu of how the brain works.  Also, I came to understand something about myself:  I organize my thoughts and knowledge in a Gestalt fashion.

 

Mod 2: Learning Theories - Gestalt Theory

Gestalt Theory

Dylan Bain – EDPL 215

  • How does learning happen according to the theory you selected?
    • Learning occurs as the learner clusters knowledge together.  The learner will group knowledge by many different qualifications including: proximity (i.e. location in shape in the physical or location in a book for the abstract), similarity (how similar things and concepts are), closure (how things come together to complete a picture or concept) etc.  As the leaner continues to group information, an overall picture of the concept becomes clearer.
  • What do teachers do? 
    • Teachers using Gestalt theory must pay special attention to how information is presented so that learners will group them effectively.  Gestalt Theory generally works well with constructivist teaching as both rely on the learner building knowledge on prior knowledge and constructing a new knowledge base.  The teacher also takes on the role of a facilitator in that they lead the student to knowledge and aid in their mental organization rather than dole out facts.
  • What do students do? 
    • Student must examine information and group it in a manner that fit with their understanding.  Their primary job is to organize the data into meaningful and useful patterns.  In Piaget’s Developmental Learning Process, he speaks of students rapidly assimilating knowledge and integrating it into existing knowledge-structures, thus moving the learning into a higher cognitive state.  Some learning theorists and developmental psychologists have referred to this movement as a “gestalt.”
  • How is learning assessed according to the theory you selected? 
    • Assessing Gestalt learning can be tricky to say the least.  The teacher must be able to identify that information has been learned, assimilated and organized.  I could not find anything that directly discussed Gestalt theory and assessment so I will infer things from what I did find.  I would say that the best way to assess Gestalt learning would be through essay in which the student must outline their thought processes in determining a solution.  In this way, the teacher will be able to see how the student has organized and used the information they have obtained throughout the class.
  • In what kind of situations might the theory be most applicable? 
    • As a math and history teacher, I would use this theory heavily throughout my classes.  In math, everything builds on prior concepts.  Whether the students are drawing the connections for themselves or the connections are being drawn for them by the teacher, the student must be able to understand the interaction between concepts to fully understand and utilize mathematics.  History is wrought with reoccurring events.  Being able to group them effectively will enable students to examine history on a grand scale.  They will be able to see how cultures are very much alike and have frequently taken similar paths for similar reasons.  Reflecting on the teaching that I have done so far, I have used Gestalt theory quite a bit, even if I really didn’t know it.
  • Does the theory you selected most closely resemble behaviorism, cognitivism or constructivism?  What lead you to this conclusion? 
    • Gestalt theory is very much related to constructivism.  In fact, I think that Gestalt theory is merely a refinement of constructivism.  I base this idea on the fact that both theories rely on new knowledge’s interaction with prior knowledge, how the learner integrates the new knowledge into their mental structure and the role of the teacher.
  • What are the criticisms of the theory you selected?
    • There are two main criticisms that I found.  The first is that the theory is descriptive rather than explanative.  That is to say that the theory is more about how to describe a perception rather than explain the understanding of it.  The second is that it is not wholly student-based.  That is to say that the teacher is the center of knowledge organization in how they present material or utilize a textbook.  The second is more of a criticism of Gestalt teaching methods.
  • Is the theory you selected well suited to guiding educational technology use? Why?
    • As has been stated in this class many times, it depends on how technology is deployed.  Gestalt theory and technology can make a wonderful couple just as it can with constructivism provided that the student is given the freedom to fully explore and test the topics being examined.  The main pitfall that I see with using technology with Gestalt theory is that technology has a tendency to be high-organized in the front end and the learner is in danger of just adapting the technology’s organization rather than formulating their own.
  • List the resources you consulted for your posting.  (Citation format isn't important as long as anyone who wants to use of your resources can figure out how to get to it.)
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