Factors Affecting Learning
Maturation
“Maturation is a process of growth, where some powerful factors control developmental process of child. these factors are intrinsic rather than extrinsic” – A. Gesell
“Maturation includes any change with age in the conditions of learning which depends primarily upon organic growth factors rather than upon prior practice or experience” – J.A. McGoeth
“Maturation is a name for the growth process during which a structure or a function is more and more becoming adult that is, mature” – Thompson
“Maturation is a developmental process which a person from time to time, manifests different traits, the ‘blueprint’ of which have been carried in his cells from the time of his conception” – Biggle & Hunt
Motivation
The word motivation is derived from Latin word ‘movers’ meaning ‘to move’. It is the very heart of learning process or Sine que non, it destroys the homoeostasis until satisfaction or fulfillment.
“Learning is a function of motive-incentive condition” – Garrett
“Motivation is considered with the arousal of the interest in learning and to that extent is basis to learning” – L.D. Crow and A.Crow said in 1962
“Motivation is school learning involves arousing, persisting, sustaining and directing desirable behaviour” – B.F Skinner in 1974
“Motivation is the process of arousing , sustaining and regulating activity” – C.W. Good in 1973
“Motivation is the stimulation of actions towards a particular objective where previously there was little or no attraction to that goal” – Barnard 1980
“Motivation is a dynamic process initiating and directing behaviour, continuous but fluctuating in intensities, and aimed at satisfaction of the individuals’ needs” – Swift
To motivate students a teacher should focus on:
a. Appreciation and rewards: “Reward for learning should be such that after serving in introductory roles they lead students to learning actively outside the classroom” – Barnard
b. Establish need for success: “School work must be sufficeintly varied, so that every pupil has a chance to succeed at his level” – M. Brown
c. Cooperation and healthy competition: “Competition provides excellent opportunities for learning to adjust to social realities. Cooperation should also be emphasized more frequently because the outcomes of such activities are more closely in accord with the stated purposes of education” – Symond
d. Creating aspiration in learners: “The educational goals should be attainable and pupil should feel that they are able to achieve them” Barnard.
Attention
Dictionary of Psychology says about attention “Activity of a subject concentrated to a given moment on some real or ideal object (thing, event, image, discourse)
“Attention is conation, determined cognition.” -Stout
“Attention is the process of getting an object of thought clearly before the mind” – J.R. Ross
“Attention is merely conation or striving considered from the point of view of its effect on cognitive process” – McDougall
“Attention is mobile, because it is exploratory, it continually seeks something fresh for examination” – Wood Worth
** We can measure attention using Techistoscope, and the lack of attention using Masson Disc.
Interest
“Interest is latent attention” – Drever
“An interest may be defined as an individual’s behaviour tendency to be attracted towards a certain class or activities” – Lovell
“Interest is conative rather than cogtive: the emotions must be organised round the objects of interest” – Ross
“Interest is latent attention and attention is interest in action” – McDougal
Mental Abilities
Spearman’s Two Factor Theory: Charles Spearman in 1904 in American Journal of Psychology presented his article titled General Intelligence Objectively Determined and Measured. According to him behind cognitive activities there are two abilities: 1. General Mental Ability and 2. Special Mental Ability
Thurstone’s Group Factor Theory: Later scholars like L.L. Thurstone identified seven Independent Primary Factors behind cognitive activities: 1. Memory 2. Spatial perception 3. Numerical ability 4. Reasoning ability 5. verbal ability 6. Word Fluency 7. Perceptual ability
