The Effect of a ‘Learning Theories’ Unit on Students’ Attitudes Toward Learning

Abstract

People can improve themselves cognitively, professionally, academically, and in terms of their quality of life by continuous learning. Teachers, who are charged with bringing up new members of society, have to be aware of the importance of developing the ability to learn. This study examined how their knowledge of learning theories affected the attitudes of teacher candidates toward learning. For this purpose, students were given a scale of attitudes toward learning, as a pre-test and a post-test after introduction to the subject of learning theories. Data obtained from 150 participants were processed in SPSS 15.0; paired samples t-tests, independents samples t-tests and correlation tests were conducted. The results suggested that individuals with better understandings of the learning process are better at perceiving the nature of learning, more open to learning, have higher expectations about what they will get from learning and exhibit less anxiety in relation to learning.