Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs - Assignment Example

Running head: UNDERSTANDING OF LEARNING 27th October Task Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Maslow (1943) argues that when the needs of an individual are fulfilled, people seek to fulfill the next one. The most widespread version of Maslow hierarchy of needs which was also the earliest depicted five motivational needs which include physiological needs, safety, love, self-esteem and growth needs. One of the notable aspects that make it easier to criticize the issues of motivational theory other than to remedy them is due to lack of sound data that would enhance comparison. According to Maslow’s hierarchy, the so called physiological needs act as the starting point of motivation theory. With the increased research, the notion of physiological needs has undergone revision by including concept of homeostasis and noting that appetites indicates actual needs of the body. Despite the need to fulfill the needs to fulfill the next need as shown by Maslow, it is clear that physiological needs are major motivating factor than any other. Even though adults are the covered by the motivation theory, safety needs are more depicted by infants. Maslow (1943) argues that an average child prefers safe, orderly, predictable and organized world. Additionally, such a child does not expect dangerous and unmanageable things to happen to him or her. Another aspect covered by Maslow and which has impact on performance of individual is need. If safety and physiological needs are properly gratified, Maslow indicates that love and belonging needs will emerge and the whole cycle will repeat itself. The esteem needs on the other hand are portrayed by Maslow as pertaining to high evaluation of individuals, self-respect, and self-esteem. Self-esteem in this case covers that which is based upon real capacity, respect for other members of the society and achievement. Adler (1938) and Maslow (1943) and their followers stresses that esteem needs can be subdivided into two subsidiary sets that include desire for strength and desire for reputation or prestige. However, (Freud, 1937) and other psychoanalaysts argue that the sets do not exist. While satisfaction of self-esteem leads to the feelings of worth, self-confidence, capability and Maslow maintains that thwarting of the needs results into feeling of weakness and inferiority. Even if all the needs as discussed above are met, Maslow (1943) notes that a new restlessness and discontent will emerge unless an individual is doing what he or she is good at. Self-actualization needs arise, and according to Goldstein (1937), it refers to ability of a person to become actualized in what he is potentially. The motivation theory indicates freedom to speak, freedom of expression, freedom to defend, and freedom to do as one wishes as major prerequisites for satisfaction of basic needs. Task 2 Franklin’s statement According to Howard Gardener, MI theory entails eight or nine types of intelligence. These include musical, spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalists, and existential intelligence (Gardener, 1972). MI theory is depicted by Howard as a more flexible type of teaching and learning based on its acknowledgement that children have different learning skills. Additionally, the theory improves pupils’ inclusion and self-esteem. For example, pupils who think themselves as poor learners can be surprised when they notice how bright they are while making music or interacting with others. However, on his critical view of MI theory, John White indicates that government agencies and schools have gone for MI theory without evaluating its credentials. Franklin (2006) argues that ‘pupils develop, learn and can flourish. Labelling can only serve to annihilate this process. From personal point of view pupils parents can identify the intelligence of their children and eventually they can develop such intelligence by supporting them to explore them. Labelling of pupils as particular type of learners can act as a hindrance for them to identify and explore various learning skills and areas. Daniel Willingham on the other hand, indicates that there exists a problem in claiming of independence among the eight intelligences. In addition, Daniel criticizes MI theory for not showing the correlation between intellectual tasks, which further portrays its ineffectiveness as argued by John White. However, with the positive changes in MI theory, it will have strong implication to growth of education system is the criticism that relates to it are addressed by further research. Franklin (2006) argues that every child has a preferred learning style, arguing that this is a popular misconception with origins in a misunderstanding of Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory. Honestly, I personally do not have a specific visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learning style. By engaging myself with various learning experiences, I am able to learn a new thing differently and thus I have no specific style that I can claim to adopt. Task 3 Teachers TV Problem Solving 1.As teachers dealing with young children, the two teachers in Teachers TV Problem Solving video aims at making learning enjoyable and easier. This has been achieved by use of technology and attractive white boards which is vital in changing the perception of the children and during solving of the problems (Cannon, 1932). Through involving the children in the teaching process, for example by asking the question such as, hi kids, I have a problem that needs solving. Do you think you can help me? The teachers are providing participation and motivation impact on the children learning process. During their teaching process, the teachers emulate contingent teaching whereby they assist the children in highlighting the key mathematical words as a way of making them to understand the language. 2. This problem-solving approach to learning differs from a behaviourist approach in a number of ways. First, children are actively involved in the learning process and the two parties freely intermingle. The systematic method of solving the problem has stronger impact on the learners, unlike in behaviourist approach where some learners may feel left out or demotivated. The level of participation instituted by the teachers allow the children to make feedback and be part of the whole process an aspect that make the approach more enjoyable. 3.The involvement of the two teachers during the teaching process creates an opportunity for children participation in the class. According to Pali Nahal, the leading teacher, the use of white black boards changes the perception of the children thus making it a foundation through which they construct knowledge. The provision of question and answer time creates a chance to children participate in the learning process besides being an evaluation strategy for the teachers. Task 4 Contingent teaching By engaging with individuals who are expert in their fields, children are able to learn new things and cleaver tactics of undertaking their task, thus making learning to proceed. Wood (1988) argues that “expertise structures the process of perception and memorization and this makes thinking and acting fast, smooth , accurate and sensitive to error, novelty and unusual events”. Wood argument thus implies that when a child is helped to address an issue, he is being given a ground in which he can begin to perceive regularities and come up with a structure in his experience. Thus the aspect of learning is noted. However, if there is no guidance or actions from others, children are faced with uncertainties and do not know what to do. Wood (1988) also means that giving instructions to children in essential since it provides a clear picture of what the child must attend to. Learning starts at this point and by reminding the children, we exploit their past experiences. Coming up with actions such as assisting the child to structure his activities, provides them with skills to perform things that they could not do alone until they become experts in their areas. Additionally, Wood denotes that instructors or teachers should help children to break down complex tasks into manageable and smaller problems thus assisting them to detect patterns and regularities during their activities. After the age of seven, Wood indicates that most children can do various tasks on their own following series of demonstrations. In order to make contingent teaching to have impact on the learning process of children, Wood maintains that instructions and actions must be geared in line with their changing level of competence. Only when this condition is achieved, that children can be taught and learning can take place. Task 5 Neuroscience in the classroom An understanding of brain development is a useful teaching aspect that teachers should not overlook. On her research in the working of the five year old brain, Claudia Hammond evaluates how latest developments in neuroscience might have an application in the classroom. For educators to get better results from their learners teachers should be properly prepared with the knowledge of the workings of the students’ brain. Such teachers can not only help the children to strengthen the minds of their children but also it is a way of bridging the gap that exists from past performance. One area that is vital for educationists relates to brain’s neuroplasticity. This involves understanding of how the students’ minds respond to stimulation including the application of memory networks and their impact on learning process. For example, teachers should notice how stress affects neuroplasticity. There exists so much brain fiction out there. Thus, it is the duty of teachers to separate the brain fact from those fictions. For example, seeing neuroimaging scans of learners during the states of stress and frustration provides powerful insights into the importance of differentiation of instruction and classroom private. Through understanding the role of prefrontal cortex, teachers are in a position to deal with boredom and other obstacles that alienates students from instructions (Eisenhart and DeHaan, 2005). Due to lack of information access to prefrontal cortex which is used to construct memory, learning is not retained. This makes the lower brain’s reactive behavior to be in control, making the students and teachers to believe that the situation cannot improve. However, when teachers acquire knowhow on brain responses, they are more aware of how they can improve brain processing from the learners. Task 6 Gandhi and active Citizenship Active engagement of school approach within the local community has become of the strategies of creating strong positive relationship between educationists and public. Through establishing a programme such as Comic Relief, citizenship lessons that will have strong impact on communities would be attained. The NGOs are in a better position to identify the needs of the local communities including the marginalized areas. This implies that schools should come up with lessons and curriculum that are in line with the needs of the communities. As noted by Marguerite Heath, citizenship teaching and regular valuation of the needs of children especially in third world countries and college learners is a key approach that schools can use to improve the living standards of the local. Schools should also be involved in designing primary citizenship resources. For example, lessons that touch on planning and resource management will have positive implications on the way the public manages public goods. Through exploring the needs of local people as well as undertaking quantitative and qualitative research, schools will also easily identify social and economic needs of the communities and then initiating programs that aim at assisting the society. References Adler, A. 1938. Social interest. London: Faber & Faber. Cannon, B. 1932. Wisdom of the body. New York: Norton. Eisenhart, M., & DeHaan, L. 2005. Doctoral preparation of scientifically based educational researchers. Educational Researcher, 34(4): 3-13. Franklin, S. 2006. VAKing out learning styles-why the notion of ‘learning style’ is unhelpful to teachers. Education 3-13 vol. 34, No. 1, March 2006, pp. 81-87. Freud, A. 1937. The ego and the mechanisms of defense. London: Hogarth. Gardener, H. 1972. The Quest for Mind. London: Coventure Goldstein, K. 1939. The organism. New York: American Book Co. Maslow, A .1943. A Theory of Human Motivation, Psychological Review 50 (4): 370-396). Teachers TV: KS2 Citizenship - Global Issues Available from. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVgrEsHJOo4 Teachers TV: Problem Solving 1 Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcIiYaCncN0 Wood, D. 1988. What is effective instruction. How Children think and learn. Read More