Gestalt Theory
Gestalt Theory
Gestalt theory believes that learning is based on moving from the whole to the part, by taking apart the general content of the studied material, and trying to understand each part separately within the framework of the general content, and then trying to link all those parts and understand the nature of the relationship between them
Learning means reorganization of knowledge, where learning depends on understanding the relationships that constitute the problem or the educational situation by reorganizing them to indicate its meaning
Learning is a complete acquaintance with the internal relations: Learning cannot be considered just a link between unrelated elements, but rather a full awareness of the internal relationships of the thing to be learned, and the essence of learning is to identify the internal laws that govern the subject of learning
Pioneers of Gestalt Theory
Max Wertheimer
Kurt Koffka
Wolfgang kohler
The Monkey and the Box Experiment
Kohler placed some monkeys inside a cage where the ceiling is high, he then starved the monkeys and hung a bundle of bananas in the ceiling of the cage using a rope. He waited and watched, as soon as the monkeys saw the bananas, they tried to reach them by jumping, and after many unsuccessful attemppts, the monkeys tried to perceive the situation and they noticed the existing boxes. They realized the relationship between the boxes and the bananas, so they reorganized the scattered boxes by stacking one on top of the other. All this allowed monkeys to climb up the boxes and reach thebananas
Laws of Learning
Law of Figure-ground: This law is the basis of the process of cognition, as the perceptual field of a phenomenon is divided into two parts. The important part is the form which is the unified part and the center of attention. The second part is the ground which is the rest of the field that acts as a harmonious and widespread background on which the form emerges in the environment
Law of Similarity: It means that similar or equal elements tend to be grouped together and that similar elements are easier to teach than dissimilar elements. This does not happen as a result of linking the elements, but as a result of the interaction between them
Law of Proximity: It means that the elements tend to form perceptual groups according to their subjects in the place so that the convergent elements are easier to gather. This law is true of temporal convergence as well. The sounds that are heard close to each other, we tend to perceive them as a whole
Law of closure: Closed spaces tend to form cognitive units more easily than open spaces, and the person seeks to close the incomplete forms to reach a state of cognitive stability. These forms, although they are not closed, but the learner perceives them as a square and a triangle in order to remove the state of completeness and give it the status of stability
Law of Continuity: This means the organization in perception and tendency to occur in such a way that the straight line continues as a straight line and the part of the circle continues as a circle
Law of inclusiveness: The greater the number of stimuli in one form, the more it helps expand the mental awareness. The mind pays attention to the apparent form more than the buried form, or to the large size more than the small form
Principles of Learning
Insight is a requirement for learning
Learning depends on sensory perception
Learning is the process of understanding and perceiving
Understanding and realizing insight presupposes restructuring
Learning is lnked to results
Awareness of situations leads to building knowledge
Key concepts
Gestalt: A whole, form, or structure, and also we can say that it is an integrated whole, meaning that the number of particles is an integral form
Insight: the moment of deliberative analytical perception that brings the learner to gain understanding in terms of understanding all dimensions and knowing the interrelationships between parts
Perception: Knowing all the components of the educational structure or situation, and through it understanding and insight are achieved
Reorganization: Learning is based on restructuring and organization which goes towards transcending forms of ambiguity and contradictions to be replaced by real insight and understanding
