Part 1

Abraham Maslow
A)    Biography

      -Born 1908

      -Earned a M.A. from the University of Wisconsin in 1931

      -Earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1934

B) Major Contributions

             -In 1954, Maslow published Motivation and Personality, which gives

             understanding on how needs motivate.

                               -In 1968, he published Toward a Psychology of Being, which is about

                               self-actualizing people and how psychology causes them.

                               -In 1971, he published The Further Reaches of Human Nature, a book

                               about understanding the psychology of people and how human nature

                               effects various areas.

C) Impact Statement

             Maslow has impacted education by researching how humans respond

             psychologically. Through his research we can better understand why

             we do the things we do and how and why we learn.

Baxter Magolda
A)    Biography

-Earned a M.A. from Ohio State University in 1976

-Earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1983

B) Major Contributions

-In 1994, Magdola Published Knowing and Reasoning in College, which helps teachers to see the different ways that students learn making teaching more effective.

-In 2000, she published Teaching to Promote Intellectual and Personal Maturity Incorporating Students’ Worldviews and Identities into the Learning Process, which introduces faculty to how student’s think and how different dimensions of issues affect learning.

C) Impact Statement

Magolda has greatly affected education through her research which has helped to bridge the gap between student and teacher. Her theory brings understanding of how students learn.

Benjamin Bloom
A)    Biography

-Born 1913

-Earned a M.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1935

-Earned a Ph.D. from University of Chicago in 1945

B) Major Contributions

-In 1956, Bloom published Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, which improves the exchange of ideas and materials for persons involved with educational research and curriculum development.

-In 1985, he published Developing Talent in Young People, which was based on a study of how young people develop talents.

C) Impact statement

Blooms research and taxonomy on learning, teaching, identifying educational goals, and thinking helped education greatly by improving on the understanding of how to nurture the minds of the students through appropriate usage of materials and learning methods.

4.)    B.F. Skinner

Biography
-Born 1904

-Earned a M.A. from Harvard in 1930

-Earned a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1931

B) Major Contributions

-In 1965, Skinner published Science and Human Behavior, which describes in great detail the science of behavior and how if effects humans.

-In 1974, he published About Behaviorism, whish describes human behaviors and covers operant conditioning and issues with behavior that effect learning.

C) Impact Statement

Skinner has affected education through his research on behaviorism, operant conditioning, and reinforcements. His research gives understanding to why and how people behave, learn, and respond to situations.

5.)    Constance Kamii

A) Biography

-15 Year association with renowned psychologist Jean Piaget

-Earned B.A. from Pomona College in California

-Earned Ph.D. from the University of Michigan

B) Major Contribution

-In 1980 Kamii published Group Games in Early Education, which uses Piaget theories to help children learn, not just memorize, curriculum such as mathematics.

-In 1984 she published Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic, which helps teach children mathematics in a more constructive and effective manner with the use of Piaget theories.

C) Impact Statement

Kamii has affected education through educating teachers on ways of presenting information to students in a way that teaches them to learn and not memorize. Her main concentration has been on Mathematics.

6.)    David & Myra Sadkar

A) Biography

-Myra Born 1943

-They earned M.A. from Harvard University in 1965

-They earned ED.D. from University of Massachusetts in 1971

B) Major Contributions

-In 1995, together, they published Failing at Fairness: How our Schools Cheat Girls, which brings to light the differences in education provided male students versus female students

-In 2004, they published Teachers, Schools, and Society, which details the different gender bias issues found within our educational system.

C) Impact Statement

Together, they have affected education through drawing attention to the issues of gender bias present in our educational system. They have also helps create many educational grants and scholarships through their dedicated work.

7.)    David and Roger Johnson

A) Biography

-Roger Born 1938

-David Born 1940

                              -Roger earned ED.D from University of California at Berkley

                              -David earned ED.D from Columbia University in 1966

B) Major Contributions

-In 1988 they published Cooperative Learning, which describes how students need to be instructed on interaction together.

In 2000 they published Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, which helps to better explain successful grouping and interaction between students.

-Together, they coordinated the Cooperative Learning Center at the University of Minnesota.

C) Impact Statement

These two brothers have affected the education system by helping educators to better teach students how to interact together. They have also done hundreds of workshops on cooperative learning techniques.

8.)    Edward Thorndike

A) Biography

-Born 1874

-Earned Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1898

B) Major Contributions

-In 1905, Thorndike formalized the Law of Effect, which details his theory on experimental approaches being the way to understand learning.

-In 1911 he published Animal Intelligence, which is based on a study to interpret the connection between situation and response and the impact these situations have on learning.

C) Impact Statement

Thorndike’s research on human learning, education, and mental testing helped educators and students to better understand the learning process.

9.)    Eric Erickson

A) Biography

-Born 1902

-Graduated from Vienna Psychoanalytical Institute in 1933

B) Major Contributions

-In 1950, Erickson published Childhood and Society, which is an extension of Freudian psychoanalytic concepts of development.

-In 1968 he published Identity: Youth and Crisis, which is a compilation of many of his works on youth ranging in topic from creative confusion to individual struggles social order.

C) Impact Statement

Erickson has affected education through his extensive research of youth. His research helps educators to better understand the psychological make-up of the youth population.

10.) Friedrich Froebel

A) Biography

-Born 1782

-Studied for a short time at the University of Jena

-Studied for a short time at Frankfurt University in 1805

B) Major Contributions

-In 1816 he founded the Universal German Educational Institute where he taught educators about his methods.

-In 1837 he opened the world’s first kindergarten.

C) Impact Statement

Froebel effected education with his theory on education for children between the ages of 4-6. He also founded the first kindergarten center.

11.) Ivan Pavlov

A) Biography

-Born 1849

-Completed his Doctoral from Petersburg University in 1883

-Was appointed Director of the Institute of Experimental Medicines Department of Psychology in 1890

B) Major contributions

-In 1897 he published Lectures on the Works of The digestive Glands, which gave new understanding to how the body works and digests.

-In 1927 he published Conditioned Reflex, which studied responses to stimuli. This publication also introduced classical conditioning.

C) Impact Statement

Pavlov studied mainly in physiology and natural science. He effected education mostly with research that helped in understanding the human body and his theories of classical conditioning.

12.) Jean Piaget

A) Biography

-Born 1896

-Received Doctorate in Science at the University of Neuchatel in 1918

B) Major Contributions

-In 1940-50 he published Introduction to Genetic Epistemology, which means the study of the development of knowledge.

-In 1955 he opened the International Center for Genetic Epistemology, which was a center for the study and teaching of the development of knowledge.

C) Impact Statement

Piaget effected education through his study of children and his theories on cognitive development and genetic epistemology. His research improved understanding of thought process and learning.

13.) John Flavell

A) Biography

-Born 1928

-Earned a Ph.D. from Clark University in 1955

-Was elected to United States National Academy of Science in 1994

B) Major Contributions

-In 1955 he published Young Children’s Knowledge about Thinking, which describes in detail the way children think, understand, and learn

-In 1975 he published Development of Role-Taking and Communication Skills in Children, which help educators learn how to teach children certain skills.

C) Impact Statement

Flavell has done research into metacognition and the child’s way of thinking. His research helps educators to fund constructive ways of teaching through understanding how the child’s mind works.

14.) Patricia Cross & Tom Angelo

A) Biography

-Cross born 1926

-Cross earned Ph.D. from University of Illinois in 1958

-Angelo earned Ph.D. from Harvard Graduate school of Education

B) Major Contributions

-In 1993 they published Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, which helps teachers to determine what their students are learning and how well they are learning.

C) Impact Statement

The work done by these to individuals help to improve the quality of the classroom by giving teachers a guide to properly evaluation the progress and environment their students are in.

15.) Lawrence Kohlberg

A) Biography

-Born 1927

-Earned a B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1948

-Earned a Ph.D. from University of Chicago in 1958

B) Major Contributions

– In 1983 he published Moral Stages: A Current Formulation and a Response to Critics, which is about moral adequacy to explain the development of moral reasoning.

-In 1987 he published Child Psychology and Childhood Education: A Cognitive-developmental View, which explains the psychology of children and aid in developing tactics for educating children.

C) Impact Statement

Kohlberg’s theories on moral reasoning and moral education helped in understanding behavior and it gave some understanding to the connection between moral reasoning and learning.

16.) Lev Vygotsky

A) Biography

-Born 1896

-Attended college at the University of Moscow

B) Major Contributions

-In 1934 Thought and Language was published, which described the development of language and logical thinking in young children.

-In 1934 The Crisis in Psychology was published, which he explains critiques of the psychological trends on his time.

C) Impact Statement

His research and work helped improve early childhood development. He contended that intellectual development of children is a function of human communities, rather than of individuals.

17.) Maria Montessori

A) Biography

-Born 1870

-In 1892 received the Diploma De Licenza from University of Rome

-In 1896 received doctored becoming the first woman in Rome to graduate medical school

B) Major Contributions

-In 1911 she published The Montessori Method, which details her method of teaching youth and the appropriate methods to use.

-In 1937 she opened the Montessori Training Centre, which is a training center for teachers to learn according to her methods.

C) Impact Statement

Montessori’s theories taught educators about the ability of children to teach them selves when provided with the right environment. Her training facilities taught educators how to provide such environments.

18.) Rheta Devries

A) Biography

-Received Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1968

-Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at University of Iowa

B) Major Contributions

-In 1994 she published Moral Classrooms, Moral Children, which is a guide for creating constructive environments for children to learn in.

-In 2001 she published Developing Constructivist Early Childhood Curriculum, which is about finding curriculum that involves constructive activities to promote learning.

C) Impact Statement

Devries has effected education through the development of early childhood education curriculum that both influenced the field of early childhood mathematical instruction and attempts to accelerate the use of constructivist-based teaching in the classroom.

19.) Rita and Kenneth Dunn

A) Biography

-Rita received ED.D from New York University in 1982

-Kenneth & Rita received Education Press of America in 1982

B) Major Contributions

-In 1986 they published Teaching Students through Their Individual Learning Styles, which helps educators to identify each students learning style and apply it to educating.

-In 1992 they published Bringing Out the Giftedness in Your Child, which helps individuals and educators to see new approaches to teaching children based on learning styles.

C) Impact Statement

The research these two individuals did brought attention to the different types of learning styles that individuals can have. This realization made learning easier and more effective.

20.) Ruby Payne

A) Biography

-Earned B.A. from Goshen College

-Earned M.A. from Western Michigan University

-Earned Ph.D. from Loyola University

B) Major Contributions

-In 2005 she published A Framework for Understanding Poverty, which helps to explain the causes and effects of poverty on an economical level.

-In 2006 she published Working With Students, which is a guide for educators to use in making the class room one that is organized and well managed.

C) Impact Statement

Payne’s work and research had dealt with economical education and crossing sociological lines in education. Her research also provides information on organizing classrooms in a structured manner.

21.) Sara Smilansky

A) Biography

-Israeli Researcher

-Experience came from a study done of children in the U.S. and Israel

B) Major Contributions

-In 1989 she published Clay in the Classroom, which describes ways of developing cognitive and affective skills of learning in students.

-In 1990 she published Facilitating Play: A Medium for Promoting Cognitive, Socio-Emotional and Academic Development in Children, which describes how play and stimuli can effectively promote learning in children.

C) Impact Statement

Smilansky’s studies and research help educators to better understand how role-play and sociodramatic play can develop cognitive and learning skills.

22.) Robert Sternberg

A) Biography

-Born 1949

-Earned Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1975

-Is currently IBM Professor of Psychology and Education

B) Major Contributions

-In 1999 he published Thinking Styles, which talks about the different styles and strategies of learning that apply to individuals.

-In 2003 he published Wisdom, Intelligence, and Creativity Synthesized, which describes what wisdom, intelligence, and creativity are. It also explains how they are linked and create learning.

C) Impact Statement

Sternberg’s theories on intelligence give understanding of mental abilities like vocabulary, comprehension, memory, and problem solving. His theories provide information on how to learn and teach.

Part 2

            While studying these theorists and theories I have learned so much about teaching. I now consider many more issues then I did before. Now, when considering my philosophy on teaching, I consider learning styles, environment, and constructive curriculum.

            I have learnt that by combining the appropriate learning style, environment, and curriculum to teaching, educating students will be more constructive and effective. By taking into account the theories of the above theorist’s, educators can now achieve a higher level of learning for all students.

            While studying these theories I asked myself many questions. Can I see the theory being used in the educational process today? Can there really be so many different ways of teaching? Does the environment really affect the level of learning that is achieved? Is there any such thing as a non-teachable student? If a student is non-teachable then is it that the student has failed or is it that the teacher has failed? All of the questions that I asked were answered in one form or another while reading the theories on education.

            It seems to me that, for the most part, all of the theories I have learnt about are, at least in part, applied to today’s educational system. As we gain understanding, education changes and progresses. It progresses because of the application of theories to the educational process. One example of this is the application and recognition of different learning styles. There are many programs within the educational system to accommodate the different learning styles that are encountered in education.

            Another thing that I have learnt through this process is that all children are teachable. The task to overcome with a student that is difficult to teach is for the educator to gain understanding of the psychology of the student. Once the educator understands the student they can identify the unique learning style for the student. With a learning style and environment that is appropriate for the student the educator and the educated will be successful.

            When I create my child-center environment I will concentrate on providing a structured and appropriate learning environment. When determining the type of environment I will take into account the age of the students and the learning styles I will be accommodating within the center. Once I have effectively developed the environment I will concentrate on providing constructive tools and curriculum for my students.

            Jean Piaget is the theorist that interested me the most. His theories taught me, in great detail, about all of the issues involved in educating effectively. Many of the other theorists used his theories as inspiration in developing their own theories and most of their theories were very logical and effective.

            John Flavell is another theorist that interests me because his work brings understanding to how the young mind works. In understanding the mind of my students I will be able to relate more to them. I feel that this will aid me in providing a successful learning experience for my students.

            Studying the different theories that I have studied has equipped me with many tools. I now know that understanding of youth, and providing a structured learning environment is very important to succeeding as an educator. I am confident that the knowledge I have gained will help me to make a child-centered environment.