The motivation of learners can only be understood by applying motivational theories and domains of development. Students have different learning capabilities depending on their IQ levels. However, teachers primarily motivate learners through positive and negative reinforcement. Once a learner’s personality is acknowledged, it’s, therefore, more comfortable to foster efficient and active learning. Psychodynamic theory by Freud provides learning mechanisms that stimulate students learning approach. Difficulties faced in education and outcome will also be addressed in detail.
Psychodynamic theory.
Sigmund Freud developed it. It emphasized the unconscious psychological processes of people. For example, fears and wishes that face learners. Students lack the motivation to experience anxiety in their learning processes. It’s attributed to a lack of confidence in the content they are learning. Learners become less concerned in studies leading to poor performance. The theory applies innovative ideas in understanding the learning strategies of children. For example, objective relation perspective and neuro psychoanalysis. The aspects help in shaping the character of the learners and understanding their personality. It allows learners I understanding themselves.
Mechanisms involved in the theory
The primary of the learner’s unconscious occurs without an understanding of the learners. Most activities of the learners occur unknowingly majority of student’s mental activities occur unconsciousness. For example, feelings, memories, and motives. The theory analyzes the benefits of early experiences in learners’ early childhood events that contribute to shaping the personalities of learners into adulthood. Their childhood stages should be understood before setting out the best learning approaches that will suit the entire learning session. According to the theory, early occurrences in learner’s life affect them even in adulthood, and they occur unconsciously. According to blatt& levy (2003), they argued that if an experience changed the consciousness of a child in early stages, it would predominantly remain for the rest of the child’s life. For example, if learners lost one of their parents, the condition may affect their mental wellbeing and, eventually, the learning process.
Psychic casualty is another mechanism embraced in theory. The approach explains that feelings, motives, and behavior does not happen randomly in people. Therefore, teachers should understand learner’s behavior and judge them accordingly. Elliott (2002) argued that such occurrences happen due to a combination of psychological processes and identifiable biological processes. The reaction of students might be inborn or due to mental attributes. For example, students’ IQ can be attributed to natural processes. Children may inherit the genius aspect of their parents. Such qualities become inborn. In another context, the poor performance of children can be attributed to stress factors. Family settings may contribute to the learning capabilities of the students.
Freud provided a topographic model in the understanding brain. He argued that the mind consists of conscious, preconscious, and unconscious parts. The conscious part contains information about the current situation of the leaner. For example, a conscious part of a classroom setting can be learning interactions. If there is an active learning process, students can understand the learning outcomes. Teachers should use precisely teaching aids and employ suitable learning approaches that suit everyone. Learning should be enjoyable and motivating. Teachers should reward learners by congratulating them when they answer questions correctly. However, if they wrong a question, they should motivate them through consulting their friends without intimidating hem.
The Preconscious embraces the memorability approach. The content learned in the classroom can be transferred in the conscious part and stored in the long term memory. Teachers should promote Preconscious in learning. If the classroom setting is engaging, learners tend to understand and remember content with ease. Teachers should support humor during the learning session. For example, students can remember the concept learned in a classroom if it was well-tailored. Asking and answering question play vital role in a learning session. It’s easier to remember the corrected statement by the teacher. Positive interaction improves motivation in learning. Discussions among students improve learning performance. Therefore information can be moved from the conscious to Preconscious and vice versa.
Freud suggested that the unconscious part of the brain contains anxiety-producing materials such as aggressiveness. The Preconscious part is used by learners as a tool of protection when learners are not satisfied. For example, in a boring classroom, disruptions mostly occur, such as noise-making and movements of chairs. Teachers should be conscious of the learning session to ensure each student participates in the process. An interactive classroom makes students alert. Teachers should use both teacher-centered and student-centered approach. More often, teaching should be learner-centered for the maximum motivation of the learners. Teachers should understand the Ego and defense perspective of learners.
Ego and Defenses
Ego and defenses are primary features in understating the logical and rational behavior of learners. They are unconscious mental strategies used by both students and teachers when threatened. The ego leads to distortion of sound learning. Ego defenses are portrayed in several ways. Repression involves removing upsetting factors from the conscious part of the unconscious brain. For example, a teacher may have stress factors that affect active learning. In stimulating active learning, teachers should use a regression method by removing the stress factor from the conscious part to promote a conducive learning environment.
Denial is another ego defense that occurs in the learning session. It happens when students are faced with a particular event, and they don’t let the distraction to other people. For example, a teacher may notice distracted learners in a classroom setting or poor performance in a particular student. When the teacher enquires for further explanations, they claim they are game. To foster active learning for such students, teachers should consider guidance and counseling sessions for such students. They may also encourage learners to share their difficult moments with their immediate friends and let the situations go.
Psychodynamic hypothesis
The following three assumptions provide a better understanding of managing the learning process. Theory stimulates active learning if well applied. First, the unconscious process influences learner’s behavior. Motives and feelings which occur involuntary shape the learning process. It affects contemporary cognitive and social psychology. Teachers should acknowledge unexpected reactions in the classroom and judge them adequately without being bias. Advice should be fostered to an affected student in a harmonious way for rectification.
Second, the use of ego defenses helps in identifying psychological adjustment and physical health. Students differ in how they express Ego defense. Teachers should encourage learners to embrace rationalization and sublimation to overcome ego defense instead of adopting reaction and denial. Denial affects the physical health of learners because suffering can be detrimental. Teachers are, therefore, advised to provide guidance and counseling for such students in enhancing active learning. Third, mental representation of self and others act as a blueprint for a relationship among learners. According to Silverstein (2007), he argued that mental images of the parents affect the future relationship of learners. Students expect the same treatment from teachers like their parents. Students spent most of their youthful stages with teachers. Therefore teachers should foster a good relationship to facilitate active learning. The Teacher-learner relationship determines performance and level of motivation. Good relationships lead to increased student motivation and consequently promote a healthy learning atmosphere.
Developmental stages of learners.
Understanding developmental stages help in fostering education. Some learning behaviors may be attributed to stages that should be acknowledged. The majority of learners in secondary and tertiary institutions are in puberty stages. Stages of development correlate with domains of development. Domains of development include:
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Social development
- Personality development
Domains of development play a vital role in learning especially cognitive development and personality development. The cognitive part explains the consciousness of the learner. Active learning is characterized by confidence. Confident learners may perform better because they have confidence in education. According to Freud, social, and personality development in the oral stage determine attachment and separation from the mother. If there was no good weaning process, it might affect the personality of the student. Student’s personalities vary in students. Each student portrays characters attributed in their oral stages. Therefore teachers should identify different personalities of learners in a learning environment. If the characters do not conform to learning approaches, teachers should advise them. Proper advice will eventually stimulate learning.
Difficulties in learning and their outcomes
The learning process is faced with difficulties that affect learning. First, preventive conflict can disrupt learning sessions. Teachers should be careful when creating humor since they can be easily misinterpreted. Teachers should also correct wrong and weak answers without discouraging students. Careful phrasing of questions avoids defensive answers. Second, class arguments affect the earning environment. Disputes may arise in defending responses by students. Teachers should remain relaxed and respectful to preserve learners’ trust for teachers. Third, student dominance derails learning. Teachers should seek private time and talk to the student. Fourth, silence in the classroom leads to demonstrations or initiating a debate to make learning enjoyable. Fifth, students’ excuses cause laxity in education. Teachers should employ a standard penalty for late assignments. Other difficulties include grade complaints, attention difficulties, and learning disabilities.
In conclusion, the learning process is a comprehensive process that involves different stakeholders. Learning I shaped by domains of development. Psychodynamic theory is applicable in maintaining active learning. Freud discussed different approaches that can be applied in fostering learning. Analyzing features of the model facilitates important segments for learning. The theory focused on conscious, preconscious, and unconscious parts of the brain that stimulate learning. The approach applies to the learning environment. There is a setback that affects learning, and their outcomes derail proper classroom management.