Kara Sears
Learning is an active process that requires freedom of choice, action, and the ability to bear the results of one's actions. Researchers in educational psychology have identified several principles that govern how individuals receive, process, and retain knowledge, otherwise known as the laws of learning. These laws provide insight into how our brains absorb and retain information, and they can be leveraged to create more effective learning experiences. The six laws of learning are: The Law of Readiness, The Law of Intensity, The Law of Recency, The Law of Exercise, The Law of Requirement, and The Law of Effect.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Law of Readiness | Cultivating the right mindset and prerequisites before starting to learn |
| Law of Intensity | Dynamic and engaging learning experiences |
| Law of Recency | Revisiting and reinforcing learning through repetition |
| Law of Exercise | Repetition and review for enhanced learning |
| Law of Requirement | Having a starting point or root |
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What You'll Learn
- Law of Readiness: Students must be ready to learn, with basic needs met and positive attitudes
- Law of Exercise: Repetition and review enhance learning
- Law of Effect: Learning should be fun, with feelings of engagement and enjoyment
- Law of Intensity: Dynamic, hands-on learning improves understanding
- Law of Recency: Emphasises the importance of reinforcing learning through repetition
Law of Readiness: Students must be ready to learn, with basic needs met and positive attitudes
The Law of Readiness is one of the six laws of learning that instructional designers and educators should be aware of. This law underscores the importance of cultivating the right mindset and prerequisites before the learning journey begins. In other words, students must be ready to learn, both mentally and physically, with their basic needs met and positive attitudes in place.
The Law of Readiness recognises that learning is an active process that requires students to be physically and mentally prepared. This means ensuring that students have adequate rest, good health, and the necessary physical abilities to engage in the learning process. For example, if a student is exhausted, unwell, or distracted by outside worries or a crowded schedule, they may have little interest or capacity for learning. Thus, it is essential to address these basic needs first to create an optimal learning environment.
Positive attitudes and mindset play a crucial role in the Law of Readiness. Students who approach their learning journey with an open mind, a positive outlook, and a willingness to engage are more likely to be receptive to new information. Instructional designers can foster this mindset by creating anticipation and excitement before the course even begins. This can be achieved through pre-work activities, short introductory videos, or by clearly communicating the importance and expected outcomes of the course, thereby motivating students to meet the standards.
Additionally, freedom is an essential aspect of the Law of Readiness. Students need freedom of choice, freedom of action, and freedom to bear the results of their actions. This sense of autonomy and personal responsibility can enhance their interest and investment in learning. For instance, providing students with a choice of learning materials or methods can empower them to take ownership of their learning journey and create a more positive attitude towards learning.
In conclusion, the Law of Readiness emphasises that students must be physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for learning to occur effectively. By ensuring that basic needs are met, positive attitudes are fostered, and freedom is granted, educators can create an optimal environment for students to engage in the learning process with openness and enthusiasm. This law serves as a reminder that by addressing these fundamental prerequisites, we can maximise the potential for knowledge acquisition and retention.
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Law of Exercise: Repetition and review enhance learning
The Law of Exercise, one of the first three "Laws of Learning" developed by Edward Thorndike, states that repetition and review are essential for effective learning. This law emphasizes the importance of actively engaging with and recalling information, rather than passively consuming it.
Repetition plays a crucial role in constructive learning theory. According to Brooks and Brooks (1993), "deep understanding occurs when the presence of new information prompts the enhancement of cognitive structures, allowing us to rethink our prior ideas." Piaget also highlights the significance of repeated patterns of exercise, circular reactions, and gradual accommodation to external reality through repetition.
Ausubel's theory of meaningful learning heavily relies on repetition. He suggests that without repetition, specific items of meaningful experience tend to be forgotten over time. Repetition enhances the discriminability of new materials, increases clarity and stability, and facilitates transferability.
The benefits of repetition in learning are extensive. Firstly, it strengthens neural connections and enhances memory retention. Repeated review of previously learned material helps to form more neuron connections and facilitates the consolidation of memories, making it easier to retrieve information later. Secondly, repetition fosters positive emotions such as pleasure, satisfaction, and confidence. Students experience a sense of accomplishment and improved self-esteem when they can recall and master skills or concepts. Thirdly, repetition improves comprehension and deepens understanding. By relating new experiences to previous ones, students can develop a "style of problem-solving" that can be applied to various tasks.
Spaced repetition, a technique that involves strategic intervals between review sessions, is particularly effective. It enhances both short-term and long-term memory retention. A study by researchers at York University in Toronto found that students who took a review quiz eight days after a lecture performed significantly better on their exams compared to those who reviewed the material only a day after.
In conclusion, the Law of Exercise emphasizes the importance of repetition and review in enhancing learning outcomes. By actively engaging with and repeatedly recalling information, learners can strengthen neural connections, improve comprehension, foster positive emotions, and increase their ability to retain and apply knowledge over the long term.
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Law of Effect: Learning should be fun, with feelings of engagement and enjoyment
The Law of Effect is one of the six laws of learning, which are principles that provide insight into how our brains absorb and retain information. The Law of Effect states that learning should be fun and engaging, with feelings of enjoyment. This is linked to the principles of exercise, readiness and intensity.
Games are a great example of the Law of Effect in action, as they create riveting experiences for players through immersion and engagement. Games are fun, and although fun is hard to define, it involves feelings of engagement, satisfaction, pleasure and enjoyment.
The Law of Effect is important because it increases positive feelings towards the learning activity, which in turn improves motivation and flow. It is also linked to the Law of Intensity, which focuses on the power of dynamic and engaging learning experiences. These can include hands-on activities, real-world scenarios and demonstrations, as well as peer teaching and multimedia resources. All of these techniques enhance understanding by making abstract concepts more tangible and creating a supportive learning community.
The Law of Effect can be leveraged by creating a positive and enjoyable learning environment, and by incorporating dynamic and fun elements into the learning experience. This might include creating anticipation and excitement before the learning begins, and connecting the course with real life. It is also important to ensure that learners are ready to learn, by addressing their basic needs, and ensuring they have the freedom to learn in their own way and at their own pace.
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Law of Intensity: Dynamic, hands-on learning improves understanding
The Law of Intensity is one of the six laws of learning, which are principles that can help guide the creation of more effective learning experiences. The law of intensity states that dynamic and engaging learning experiences improve understanding.
To leverage the Law of Intensity, hands-on activities, real-world scenarios, and demonstrations should be incorporated into the learning approach. This can include activities such as games, which use immersion and engagement to create riveting experiences for players. These dynamic experiences enhance understanding by grounding abstract concepts in practical applications. For example, if you want to learn how to draw a person, you need to have the materials with which to draw, and you must know how to draw a point, a line, and a figure.
In addition to hands-on activities, peer teaching and multimedia resources can also be utilized to create a dynamic learning environment. Peer teaching encourages active participation and collaboration, reinforcing understanding and creating a supportive learning community. Multimedia resources such as videos, podcasts, and interactive simulations add variety to the learning journey, catering to different learning styles and enhancing overall comprehension.
The Law of Intensity is particularly relevant in today's fast-paced and dynamic business environment, where it is crucial to identify the skills that drive growth and success. By creating engaging and immersive learning experiences, organizations can improve knowledge retention and ensure that learning is immediately applicable, thus optimizing talent and resources.
Overall, the Law of Intensity emphasizes the importance of making learning an active and engaging process. By incorporating hands-on activities, real-world scenarios, and multimedia resources, instructors can improve understanding and create a more effective and enjoyable learning journey for their students.
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Law of Recency: Emphasises the importance of reinforcing learning through repetition
Learning is an active process, and there are several laws of learning that can help instructional designers create more effective courses. One of these laws is the Law of Recency, which emphasises the importance of reinforcing learning through repetition.
The Law of Recency is based on the idea that we tend to remember the most recent material covered. Therefore, it is essential to include chapter or unit reviews and build on previous knowledge. This allows learners to return to earlier material and connect it with newer information. Creating a review exercise that includes both old and new information can improve retention and ensure that all the material is remembered.
To make the Law of Recency even more effective, it is essential to create excitement in the learning process. This can be done by making the course dynamic and engaging, with hands-on activities, real-world scenarios, and demonstrations. Additionally, encouraging peer teaching and utilising multimedia resources can enhance the learning experience and make it more enjoyable.
It is also important to establish a strong foundation before introducing new material. This involves reviewing relevant background information to ensure a better understanding and retention of new concepts. Regular review sessions and summary exercises can also help to reinforce memory and strengthen the learner's grasp of the subject matter.
By following the Law of Recency and incorporating repetition and review, instructional designers can create more effective and engaging learning experiences that improve knowledge retention and enhance the overall learning journey.
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