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Journal entry number 1

1) a) Behaviorism

According to (Makoelle, 2014) behaviorism as a learning theory that can be defined
as the transformation of the learners’ behavior due external factors meaning that all

the new information that a learner attains can be learned from a teacher rather than
being innate Skinner (1904-1990) cited in (de Beer & Gravette, 2015). They go on to

explain that a learner can either respond to a stimuli either through positive
reinforcement or negative reinforcement for example if a learner is asked a question

in class and they answer it correctly the teacher will usually praise that learner for their

response which will encourage the learner to want to answer more questions. In terms
of teaching strategies this form of teaching is one that sees the teacher as the more

knowledgeable one while learners are passive receiver of knowledge (Makoelle,

2014). In a mathematic class the GHFBCB will tell the learners that when they are
factorizing they are simply changing an expression and turning into a product which

involves a more direct teaching approach.

Cognitive constructivism

Cognitive constructivism is a learner theory which explains that learners learn in systems
which become more developed as the learner becomes more exposed to the external

world Piaget (1896-198) cited in (de Beer & Gravette, 2015). They go on to explain that

everything that a learner acquires they either try to connect it to what they already know
or have experienced (assimilation) or they realize that something does not fit with what

they know and change their thinking (accommodation). Piaget developed four mental
stages being sensori-motor stage where learners from (0-2) develop their language and

learn through movement. The second stage is Pre-operational stage which is the stage
where learners see things as they are and do not really question what they have been

told. The third state is the concrete operational stage where here learners can think

logically and can compare and contrast also reverse their thinking while the last stage
which is formal operational stage thinking becomes more advance.

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