Domains of Learning

Domains of Learning

Learning is a process which leads to change in behavior, the learning process should have certain outcomes which can be observed and measured. There are 3 types of learning domains namely, cognitive, affective and psychomotor.

Cognitive Domain

The word ‘cognitive ‘arises from ‘cognition’ means ‘to know’ and knowing is an integral part of seeking knowledge. Learning process in the cognitive domain are asso- ciated with those mental operations which are used to manipulate information from the environment.

Thus the cognitive domain involves a number of activities varying from exposure to inform to its organization or processing in the learner’s mind.

Levels of learning of the cognitive domain

Knowledge: the first level of cognitive learning is knowledge. Possession of knowledge or information is the foundation from which all higher thinking grows.

Comprehension: the second level of learning is comprehension. At this level, those mental operations which help in understanding of facts, concepts, and generalization are included. This level incorporates the previous knowledge level.

The comprehension level may involve any of the following process

Translation- In this the known concept or definition is transferred by the student into his own words or phrases

Interpretation-In this the student tries to see interrelations among the various recognizable components of any information eg; data, facts, concepts etc.

Extrapolation-this involves some kinds of predictions or drawing conclusions keeping in mind the situations which are beyond those given to the student.

Application; Information’s becomes meaningful when it is applied to a new. Now a day there is an increasing emphasis on developing application abilities among the students. Students should be able to apply their knowledge of whatever they learn to real life situations.

Analysis; at this level of learning, the student can analyze principles, concepts, theories etc.

Synthesis: It involves arranging and combining the various part in such a way so as to form a pattern or structure which might not have been clearly perceptible earlier.

Evaluation: This level involves making of judgments which may be based either on the criteria of consistency / logic or may involve some comparison with standards or norms.

Affective Domain

The learning situation influences the feelings, interests, emotions and attitudes of the student. The learning in the affective domain includes changes in interest, attitudes, values, and feelings. all these behaviors ultimately lead to better adjustment abilities in the student in the society.

In the cognitive domain, the main organizing principle were from simple to complex, from concrete to abstract. In the affective domain which deals with attitudes, interests, and values. it is very difficult to work on these principles. The main organizing principle in the affective domain is the degree of internalization. The main organizing principles in the affective domains are;

a ) Receiving: This means the sensitivity of a student to certain stimulus pattern of stimuli and his willingness to receive or attend to them. Receiving consists of awareness of the stimuli, willingness to receive and selection attention

Responding: This level of learning goes beyond the receiving level. after giving attention or perceiving the stimulus or object, the student actively responds to the object

Valuing: This level of the affective domain implies perceiving a concept as having worth and consequentially receiving a consistent preference or commitment in behavior towards it.

Organization; For situation where more than one value is relevant,

Psychomotor Domain

This domain pertains to the manipulative or psychomotor skills which can be developed under the supervision or guidance of an expert or skilled person.

Characteristics

Responsive chains: Learning of skills involves a chain of motor responses ie one muscular movement leads to another muscular movement

Coordination: The coordination of perception and motor acts is essential in skill learning.

Response pattern: Skill learning involves organization of stimulus and response patterns.

Dave (1969) attempted to classify learning situations in the psychomotor domain into 5 categories Initiation, manipulation, precision, articulation, and neutralization

There are five stages of psychomotor learning: perception, set, guided response mechanisms, and complex overt response.

Perception: is the process of becoming aware of objects, qualities, or relations by way of sense of organs

Set: is a preparatory adjustment of readiness for a particular kind of action

Guided response: is the early step in the development of skills.it is the overt behavioral act of learner under the guidance of a teacher. Readiness is a prerequisite for this kind of response.

Mechanism: means that learned response has become habitual.At this level, the learn has achieved a certain confidence and the degree of skill to perform an act which is part of his reports of possible response to stimuli.

Complex overt response: will show that the learner can perform a complex motor act as he has attained a higher skill.