Learning Theories, Instructional Design, and Soap

Learning has been defined as a long-term change in knowledge—mental representations or associations—that arise from various types of experiences. Depending on the approach, the experience can be external or internal:

• The empiricist approach to learning posits that learning must come from extrinsic experiences: things you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. Empiricism does not concern itself with internal reasoning. This approach is sometimes also referred to as objectivism.

• The rationalist approach allows for internal logical and reasoning processes to build on the organism's knowledge. Rationalism does not concern itself with sensory input. This approach is sometimes also referred to as constructivism.