Introduction
Imagine that you are a very important FBI detective but your mission is to explore and discover how a child’s mind works. You must answer the questions of: How do children learn new things? Are their behaviors learned? How does development affect them in the classroom? The below lesson will guide you through how different psychologists have studied how children learn, think, and behave. By comparing the theories of cognitive learning, behaviorism, and social cognitive learning you will be bale to come to a conclusion with your detective case.
Task
To begin, you must get into preferred groups of three. Your group will do the following…
- Research the three learning theories listed in bold on the introduction page. I will provide links to three videos discussing the theories further.
- Create a one-pager using Canva that compares all three theories.
Process
- After you get into your groups of three, you must assign one theory to each person in the group.
- Watch the attached video that matches the theory you were assigned to in your group:
- After watching the video brainstorm with your group and begin working on your one pager.
- Make sure you include the following in your information…
- Key Theorists
- quick summary of theory
- how it affects students in the classroom
- Submit Canva One-Pager
Evaluation
| Criteria | Excellent (5 points) | Good (4 points) | Decent (3 points) | Needs work (2 points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Accuracy | All information is accurate. | Information mostly accurate, with exception of small, careless mistake. | Information is mostly incorrect and does not match the provided videos. | Does not match any of the theories we learned about. |
|
Depth of information on theories |
Thoroughly explained all three theories and answered all questions. | Explained all three theories, but lacked answering one of the questions. | Did not accurately discuss all three theories and missing key words when answering questions. | Did not explain any of the theories and did not answer any questions. |
| Mention of classroom application | Includes information about how the theories affect students inside the classroom. | Includes some information, but not enough and/or not accurate. | Only states information for one theory rather than for all three. | Does not include information about this topic or only briefly mentions it. |
| Teamwork with group | All three group members do equal amount of work and include everyone in creating the one-pager. | Works together for the most part, but one member didn’t do their job. | One person took over and didn’t allow the others to participate. | No one worked together and project was not completed. |
| Quality of one-pager | Includes all information, visuals, colorful, used every inch of space. | Includes information, but appears boring and too wordy. | Does not have enough information and doesn’t catch viewers attention. | Looks like it was thrown together in five minutes. |
Conclusion
Now that you have submitted your one-pager and have learned all about the three theories, answer them following questions for yourself…
- Which theory do you relate to the most or believe is the most accurate in your opinion?
- If you were a teacher, which theory would you address and try to include in your own classroom?
- Is it possible to address all three theories together, or must they always be separate?
Fun, Deeper Thinking Question for class…
- If you created your own development theory, what would it be?
Credits
YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSXyQL3ZfdU. Accessed 1 July 2025.
YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLpsVp7d34c. Accessed 1 July 2025.
YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhcgYgx7aAA. Accessed 1 July 2025.