Ausubel's Meaningful Verbal Learning (Subsumption Theory)

Introduction

• Presenter: Christine Lina Agdepa
• Topic: Ausubel's Meaningful Verbal Learning (Subsumption Theory)

Background of the Theory

• Criticism of Traditional Teaching:
  • Educational psychology critiques expository teaching methods.
  • Teachers are seen as primary information providers; students are passive learners.
• Ausubel's Response:
  • Proposed improvements through the use of advanced organizers.
  • Emphasizes active learning and meaningful engagement.

Key Concepts of Ausubel's Theory

• Verbal Learning:
  • Effective for learners aged 11-12 and above.
• Cognitive Association:
  • Students associate new knowledge with existing concepts in their minds.
  • Avoids rote memorization; encourages manipulation of ideas.

David Paul Ausubel

• Biographical Information:
  • Born: October 25, 1918, Brooklyn, New York
  • Died: July 9, 2008
  • Education:
    • Bachelor’s in Psychology from University of Pennsylvania
    • PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University (1950)
  • Career:
    • Faculty at multiple universities.
    • Retired in 1973, later practiced psychiatry.
• Influences:
  • Influenced by Jan Piaget's conceptual schemes and theories involving schemas.

Core Principles of Ausubel's Theory

1. Cognitive Structure:
   • Learning influenced by the clarity and organization of existing knowledge.
   • Present knowledge includes facts, concepts, theories, etc.
2. Advanced Organizers:
   • Tools that provide an overview and context for new information.
   • Encourage active participation and connection to prior knowledge.
3. Subsumption:
   • New knowledge is integrated with old knowledge hierarchically.
   • Effective learning occurs by relating the new to the known.

Processes of Meaningful Learning

• Four Types of Subsumption:
  1. Derivative Subsumption:
     • New information as an example of previously learned concepts.
  2. Correlative Subsumption:
     • Adding details to existing concepts; higher-order thinking.
  3. Superordinate Learning:
     • Recognizing concepts that encompass previously learned items.
  4. Combinatorial Learning:
     • Combining old and new knowledge for deeper understanding.

Types of Advanced Organizers

1. Expository:
   • Introduces and explains new content.
2. Narrative:
   • Uses storytelling to engage learners and present essential ideas.
3. Scheming:
   • Previews important information through selective reading.
4. Graphic Organizers:
   • Visually represent relationships and key concepts (e.g., T-charts, concept maps).

Application of Ausubel's Principles

• Progressive Differentiation:
  • Present general ideas first; elaborate details progressively.
• Integration of New and Old Information:
  • Use comparisons and references to connect new ideas with prior knowledge.

Conclusion

• Main Idea:
  • Learning is influenced by existing knowledge structures.
  • The integration of new information into these structures leads to meaningful learning.
• Final Quote:
  • "The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows."

Acknowledgments

• Thank you for listening!
• God bless us all.