1. Humanistic
Theory of
Learning
By: Adora A. Barnachea
IM 219 – Principles and Teachniques of Adult Learning
Dr. Carmen Garlan 2nd Sem. 2009 - 2010
Miriam College, Q.C.

2. Humanism
• Humanism, a paradigm that emerged
in the 1960s, focuses on the human
freedom, dignity, and potential.
• A central assumption of humanism,
according to Huitt (2001), is that
people act with intentionality and
values. This is in contrast to the
behaviorist notion of operant
conditioning (which argues that all
behavior is the result of the
application of consequences) and the
cognitive psychologist belief that the
discovering knowledge or constructing
meaning is central to learning
• Humanists also believe that it is
necessary to study the person as a
whole, especially as an individual
grows and develops over the lifespan.
It follows that the study of the self,
motivation, and goals are areas of
particular interest.

3. • The humanistic theory of
learning involves the concept of
learning through watching the
behavior of others and what
results from that behavior.
However, learning does not have
to involve a behavior change.
Learning comes about as a result
of observation (Barrett, 2006).

4. • The teacher's role, according to
the humanistic theory, is to be a
role model. The teacher is to
model appropriate behavior and
make an effort not to replicate
inappropriate behavior. A
teacher is also expected to
provide a reason and motivation
for each task, teach general
learning skills, foster group
work, and if possible, give a
choice of tasks to the students
(Huitt, 2001).

5. • The role of the student is to
explore and observe. Students
can use self-evaluation
techniques to monitor and
observe their own behaviors and
make necessary changes.
Students also need to take
responsibility for their own
learning and keep their goals
realistic.

6. • If a teacher were to use a
humanistic approach to teach a
unit in multiplication she would
have the students work in
collaborative groups. There,
students can closely observe the
behavior of peers and evaluate
their own progress. A teacher
could also let the students
brainstorm and discuss how they
think they would best learn
multiplication as a class (Huitt,
2001).

7. Humanistic Orientations
to Learning
Humanistic "theories" of
learning tend to be highly
value-driven and hence
more like prescriptions
(about what ought to
happen) rather than
descriptions (of what does
happen).

8. • They emphasise the "natural
desire" of everyone to learn.
Whether this natural desire is to
learn whatever it is you are
teaching, however, is not clear.
• It follows from this, they
maintain, that learners need to
be empowered and to have
control over the learning
process.
• So the teacher relinquishes a
great deal of authority and
becomes a facilitator.

9. • In short, the basic concern
in this orientation is for the
human potential for growth.

10. Figures in Humanistic
models of Learning
Key Proponents of Humanism
• Abraham Maslow
• Carl Rogers
• Malcolm Knowles (adult
education and andragogy)
Other Proponents:
• David Kolb
• Jack Mezirow
• Paolo Freire

11. Abraham Maslow
(1908 – 1970)
Ø Considered the Father of Humanistic
Psychology;
Ø Maslow's theory is based on the notion
that experience is the primary
phenomenon in the study of human
learning and behavior.
Ø He placed emphasis on choice,
creativity, values, self-realization, all
distinctively human qualities, and
believed that meaningfulness and
subjectivity were more important
than objectivity.
Ø He believed that development of
human potential, dignity and worth
are ultimate concerns.

12. • Maslow rejected behaviorist views and
Freud's theories on the basis of their
reductionistic approaches. He felt
Freud's view of human nature was
negative, and he valued goodness,
nobility and reason. Also, Freud
concentrated on the mentally ill, and
Maslow was interested in healthy
human psychology
• He is famous for proposing that human
motivation is based on a hierarchy of
needs. The four levels (lower-order
needs) are considered physiological
needs, while the top level is
considered growth needs. The lower
level needs need to be satisfied
before higher-order needs can
influence behavior.

13. Self-actualization – morality, creativity, problem
solving, etc.
Esteem – includes confidence, self-esteem,
achievement, respect, etc.
Belongingness – includes love, friendship, intimacy,
family, etc.
Safety – includes security of environment,
employment, resources, health, property, etc.
Physiological – includes air, food, water, sex, sleep,
other factors towards homeostasis, etc.

14. Ø From Maslow's perspective, the drive
to learn is intrinsic. The purpose of
learning is to bring about self-actualization,
and the goals of
educators should include this process.
Learning contributes to psychological
health.
Ø Maslow proposed other goals of
learning, including discovery of one's
vocation or destiny; knowledge of
values; realization of life as precious,
acquisition of peak experiences, sense
of accomplishment, satisfaction of
psychological needs, awareness of
beauty and wonder in life, impulse
control, developing choice, and
grappling with the critical existential
problems of life.

15. Ø Maslow's theory of learning
highlighted the differences between
experiential knowledge and spectator
knowledge. He regarded spectator, or
scientific, knowledge to be inferior to
experiential.
Ø Properties of experiential learning
include:
• immersion in the experience without
awareness of the flow of time
• momentarily not being self-conscious
• transcending time, place, history, and
society by being beyond and
unaffected by them
• merging with that which is being
experienced
• being innocently receptive, as a child,
uncritical

16. • suspending temporarily evaluation of
the experience in terms of its
importance or unimportance
• lack of inhibition, subsiding of
selfishness, fear, defensiveness
• experience unfolds naturally without
striving or effort
• suspending criticism, validation, and
evaluation of the experience
• trusting experience by passively
letting it happen; letting go of
preconceived notions
• disengaging from logical, analytical,
and rational activities

17. Carl Rogers
(1902 – 1987)
Experiential Learning
Ø Principally known as the founder of
person-centred psychotherapy and
almost the inventor of counselling,
also a leading figure in the
development of humanistic
approaches to education.
Ø He was discouraged by the emphasis
on cognitivism in education. He
believed this was responsible for the
loss of excitement and enthusiasm for
learning.
Ø Rogers' point of view emphasized the
inclusion of feelings and emotions in
education.

18. Ø He believed that education and
therapy shared similar goals of
personal change and self-knowing. He
was interested in learning that leads
to personal growth and development,
as was Maslow.
Ø He believed that the highest levels of
significant learning included personal
involvement at both the affective and
cognitive levels, were self-initiated,
were so pervasive they could change
attitudes, behavior, and in some
cases, even the personality of the
learner. Learnings needed to be
evaluated by the learner and take on
meaning as part of the total
experience.

19. Ø He saw the following elements as
being involved in significant or
experiential learning.
• It has a quality of personal
involvement—the whole person in
both feeling and cognitive aspects
being in the learning event.
• It is self-initiated. Even when the
impetus or stimulus comes from the
outside, the sense of discovers of
reaching out, of grasping and
comprehending, comes from within.
• It is pervasive. It makes a difference
in the behaviour, the attitudes,
perhaps even the personality of the
learner.

20. • It is evaluated by the learner. She
knows whether it is meeting her need,
whether it leads toward what she
wants to know, whether it illuminates
the dark area of ignorance she is
experiencing. The locus of evaluation,
we might say, resides definitely in the
learner.
• Its essence is meaning. When such
learning takes place, the element of
meaning to the learner is built into
the whole experience.

21. Ø Rogers outlined attitudes which
characterized a true facilitator of
learning:
1. Realness - the instructor should not
present a "front" or "facade" but
should strive to be aware of his/her
own feelings and to communicate
them in the classroom context. The
instructor should present genuineness,
and engage in direct personal
encounters with the learner.
2. Prizing the Learner - This
characteristic includes acceptance
and trust of each individual student.
The instructor must be able to accept
the fear, hesitation, apathy, and goals
of the learner.

22. 3. Empathic Understanding - The
instructor can understand the
student's reactions from the inside.
Carl Rogers warned that a non-judgmental
teacher is sure to arouse
suspicion in older students and
adults, because they have been
"conned" so many times. The wise
teacher is aware of this and can
accept their initial distrust and
apprehension as new relationships
between teacher and students are
built.

23. Summary
• Humanism is a paradigm/
philosophy/pedagogical
approach that believes learning
is viewed as a personal act to
fulfil one’s potential.
• In Humanistic Perspective,
emotions and affect play a role
in learning
• Key terms in this theory are self-actualization,
teacher as
facilitator, and affect