, EDS3701 ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE DATE 8 MAY 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
Learning constitutes a core concept within both educational theory and psychological inquiry, as
it explains the processes through which individuals acquire, refine, and apply knowledge,
competencies, values, and attitudes. Modern perspectives reject the notion of learning as a
passive transfer of information, instead conceptualising it as an active, evolving process shaped
through continuous interaction between the individual and their environment.
Scholars such as Bandura (1977) emphasise that learning occurs not only through direct
experience but also through observation and social interaction, while Skinner (1953) foregrounds
the role of environmental contingencies in shaping behaviour. Within formal educational
contexts, a comprehensive understanding of learning theories is essential for enhancing
pedagogical effectiveness, improving classroom management, and supporting holistic learner
development.
2. QUESTION 2.1: DEFINITION OF LEARNING (3 MARKS)
Learning can be described as a relatively lasting transformation in an individual’s knowledge,
behaviour, skills, or attitudes that emerges as a result of experience, practice, or exposure to new
information (Mayer, 2008). Such change is distinguished from temporary behavioural
fluctuations or developments attributable to biological maturation.
From a cognitive perspective, learning entails the active processing, organisation, and storage of
information within mental structures, enabling individuals to make sense of their experiences
(Piaget, 1952). In contrast, behavioural perspectives define learning in terms of observable
DUE DATE 8 MAY 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
Learning constitutes a core concept within both educational theory and psychological inquiry, as
it explains the processes through which individuals acquire, refine, and apply knowledge,
competencies, values, and attitudes. Modern perspectives reject the notion of learning as a
passive transfer of information, instead conceptualising it as an active, evolving process shaped
through continuous interaction between the individual and their environment.
Scholars such as Bandura (1977) emphasise that learning occurs not only through direct
experience but also through observation and social interaction, while Skinner (1953) foregrounds
the role of environmental contingencies in shaping behaviour. Within formal educational
contexts, a comprehensive understanding of learning theories is essential for enhancing
pedagogical effectiveness, improving classroom management, and supporting holistic learner
development.
2. QUESTION 2.1: DEFINITION OF LEARNING (3 MARKS)
Learning can be described as a relatively lasting transformation in an individual’s knowledge,
behaviour, skills, or attitudes that emerges as a result of experience, practice, or exposure to new
information (Mayer, 2008). Such change is distinguished from temporary behavioural
fluctuations or developments attributable to biological maturation.
From a cognitive perspective, learning entails the active processing, organisation, and storage of
information within mental structures, enabling individuals to make sense of their experiences
(Piaget, 1952). In contrast, behavioural perspectives define learning in terms of observable
