EDU 510 Advanced Learning Theories
This is an advanced learning and instructional theory, process, and structure course that introduces and reintroduces educators to the basic foundational theories, principles, and modern thought of human learning and cognition. This course will also provide for professional educative practice and application of these concepts for all learners in the academic community (birth to adult). This course also presents and compares contemporary theories of learning and addresses their application to learning. There are multiple theoretical perspectives in this course that include: behaviorism, cognitive learning processes, information processing, cognitive development, and social cognitive learning. These foundational concepts have been applied to more modern thought through the process and structure of instructional and learning practices in today's schools that have not yet been recognized as a theory per se. Modern theory, structures, and processes that will be investigated from current educational environments in this class will include such topics as: brain-based research, multiple intelligences, learning styles, cooperative learning, adult learning processes, and systems thinking. Class learning methods will emphasize cooperative learning through collaborative inquiry teams as well as individual assignments to achieve individual and collective proficiency over stated learning outcomes. Application of these learning processes are focused not only on individual learner, but also as they apply to the role of an instructional leader in the position of a principal and/or curriculum leader role.