You are proceeding on a road and a dog follows. you give it something to eat. Now whenever you happen to trasverse the road, the dog follows you. To take another example , a little girl is being indisposed , is taken to the doctor. the doctor injects the medcine and girl feels pain. When the little girl is taken to the doctor the next day , her indifference is no longer there because she starts screaming the moment doctor lays his hand on syringe.whe this change in reaction? She did not react in this mannner on the first occasion. The answer would be that she had learnt by experience that injections are painful. In this way learning brings or causes changes in her behaviour.
The following are some definitions of learning which should make it clear:
- Learning is change in behaviour: In J.p. Guilford’s opinion, “We may define the term very broadly by saying that learning is any change in behaviour , resulting from behaviour.”In thus definition a distinction between change in behaviour due to maturity and change in behaviour due to learning is not clear though both these activities occur simultaneously.
- Learning is an organisation of behaviour : According to Garrett,”Learning is that activity by virtue of which we organise our response with new habits.” Thus the elements of organisation in learning is very much important , Gilford,too, maintains that learning involves organisation of behaviour.Thus, in learning to ride a cycle we have to organise the activities of tuning of pedal, balancing the handle, etc. in order to be reasonably safe with vehicle . it is another matter that a person does not learn this organisation at the outset and that he may take much longer time to learn to balance the handle than the time he may take to learn to turn pedal. But his learning of the activity of cycling will be complete only when he accomplishes this organisation.
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Nature of Learning
1. Learning is Universal. Every creature that lives learns. Man learns most. The human nervous system is very complex, so are human reactions and so are human acquisition. Positive learning vital for children’s growth and development.
2. Learning is through Experience. Learning always involves some kind of experience, direct or indirect (vicarious).
3. Learning is from all Sides: Today learning is from all sides. Children learn from parents, teachers, environment, nature, media etc.
4. Learning is Continuous. It denotes the lifelong nature of learning. Every day new situations are faced and the individual has to bring essential changes in his style of behaviour adopted to tackle them. Learning is birth to death.
5. It results in Change in Behaviour. It is a change of behaviour influenced by previous behaviour. It is any activity that leaves a more or less permanent effect on later activity.
6. Learning is an Adjustment. Learning helps the individual to adjust himself adequately to the new situations. Most learning in children cons , in modifying, adapting, and developing their origina’ ire. In later life the individuals acquire new forms V viour.
