U B EL S

I D A U S ORY
DAV T ION T H E
IM I L A
ASS Group 10
Wenceslao, Lilia
Yabut, Pauliana
Yap, Benedict
Zacarias, Yenna
Zamora, Zianella
Objectives
To be able to understand the concept of
Assimilation Theory of David Ausubel

To be able to use this theory in practical use

and learning

To be able to create new effective teaching

methods based on this theory
Introduction
The Assimilation Theory of learning is a
cognitive learning theory developed by David
Ausubel in the 1960s and widely applied to
the area of meaningful verbal learning or
meaningful learning. Piaget agrees on this
theory and heavily influences this theory.
Who is David Ausubel?
David Paul Ausubel (October 25, 1918 July
9, 2008) was an American psychologist. His
most significant contribution to the fields of
Educational Psychology, Cognitive Science,
and Science Education Learning was on the
development and research on advance
organizers in 1960.
The Assimilation Theory
Assimilation theory, a cognitive learning
theory developed by psychologist David
Ausubel, holds that people learn best when
they can link, or assimilate, new information
with previous knowledge.
The Assimilation Theory
In this way, learning becomes meaningful as
learners construct their own understandings of
new information, making it more likely that it
will be retained.
Three Learning Processes
of David Ausubel
There are three learning processes in David
Ausubels Theory:

Subordinate learning

Superordinate learning

Combinatorial learning
Subordinate Learning
There are two kinds of Subordinate Learning:
Derivative Subsumption and Correlative
Subsumption

Derivative Subsumption New information is

linked to idea A and is referred as an
extension of A. Idea A remains unchanged but
new examples are considered relevant.
Correlative Subsumption New information is
linked to idea A and becomes part of idea A.
This information can extend idea A or change
or modify it into a new idea.
Superordinate learning
In superordinate learning, established ideas
a1, a2, and a3 are recognized as more specific
examples of new idea A and become linked to
A. Superordinate idea A is defined by a new
set of critical attributes that encompass the
subordinate ideas.
Combinatorial learning
In combinatorial learning new idea A is seen
as related to existing ideas B, C, and D but is
neither more inclusive nor more specific than
ideas B, C, and D. In this case, new idea A is
seen to have some criterial attributes in
common with preexisting ideas.
Instructional
Implications of
Ausubels Theory
There are three implications of Ausubels
Theory:

Advance Organizer

Comparative Organizer

Progressive Differentation
Advance Organizer
Understanding the general ideas first before
studying the specific examples
Comparative Organizer
Allows the learner to see the similarities and
differences of two related ideas.
Progressive
Differentiation
The purpose of this is to increase the stability
and clarity of anchoring ideas. The idea here is
to discuss different interrelated ides by
discussing their main parts first. As the learner
continues to progress, the subtopics are then
discussed as something to support the three
main ideas.

Role of the Learner
Ausubel clearly indicates that his theory
applies only to reception (expository) learning
in school settings. He distinguishes reception
learning from rote and discovery learning; the
former because it doesn't involve assimilation
(i.e., meaningful materials) and the latter
because the learner must discover information
through problem solving.
Role of the Teacher
Ausubels Theory does not address broad
prescriptions for learning andtherefore
provides no specifications for the role of the
teacher.However, he outlines three variables
that influence meaningful verbal learning: (1)
the availability of relevant andinclusive
subsuming concepts, (2)the degree that
subsumers can bediscriminated, and (3) the
stability and clarity of subsumingconcepts.
Schema Theory
Schema plays a huge role in the Assimilation
Theory. The Assimilation Theory states that
the learner will learn different ideas by
incorporating previous or permanent
knowledge encrypted in their minds.
What is Schema?
Schema is considered to be the foundation for
knowledge. It is a background knowledge and
serves as a basis for learners to progrss.
Schema Modification
Schema can be modified by 3 different ways:

Accretion

Tuning

Restructuring
Accretion
New information is remembered in the context
of an existing schema, without altering that
schema. For example, suppose you go to a
bookstore, and everything you experience
there is consistent with your expectations for
a bookstore "experience."
Tuning
New information or experience cannot be fully
accommodated under an existing schema, so
the schema evolves to become more
consistent with experience. For example,
when you first encountered a bookstore with a
coffee bar, you probably had to modify your
bookstore schema to accommodate this
experience.
Restructuring
When new information cannot be
accommodated merely by tuning an existing
schema, it results in the creation of new
schema. For example, your experience with
World Wide Web-based bookstores may be so
different from your experience with
conventional ones that you are forced to
create a new schema.
What are mental
models?
Mental models goes beyond schema theory to
include perceptions of task demands and task
performances. Mental models researchers are
interested in how people perform tasks and
solve problems in school settings and in the
real world
Strengths and
Weaknesses
The strength of the Assimilation Theory is that
it helps the learners enhance their critical
thinking and widen their schema. They wont
easily forget these ideas since they have
already incorporated these ideas with previous
knowledge.
The weakness of this theory, however, is that
the schema of a learner is too wide to be
incorporated with many different specific
ideas. Barnes and Clawson tried to disprove
this theory by saying that there are no
evidence that relative schema can be acquired
and incorporated to new ideas just by making
up worded sentences and codes.
 3 Phases of Instructional Implications of

Ausubels Model of Learning

Advance Organizer
- Must clarify the goal of the lesson.
- Present the organizer to learners.
- Relate the presented organizer to learners.
Presentation of Learning Task or Material
- Make the organization explicit.
- Make the logical order of the organizer understandable.
Strengthening Cognitive Organization
- Engage learners in meaningful learning activities.
- Promote active reception learning
- Relate new information to advance organizer
Assesment

Assimilation theory in the

assessment of students showed that
students will have an easier time
learning new subjects by relating
and connecting new information with
what they have previously studied
Curriculum
Assimilation theory is best used for courses
that comes with many pre-requisite
subjects, most especially those in the field
of science. Each previous subjects will be
used to enforce and be the foundation for
more advanced programs. Its method has
been used and tested, showing a
remarkable result. The theory is designed
for learners at the young age of 11 or 12
Activity
Question #1

62(1+2)= ?
a. 9
b. 1
c. 8
 B
Use MDAS rule
Question #2

It is the communication information

about knowledge, skills and values
that acquire the intellectual and
practical methods to function in
society.
A. Teaching
B. Health
C. Education
 C.
Education
Question #3

A is the father of B.
B is not the son of A.
Hows that possible?

B is the _a____e_
Daughter
Question #4

A rooster laid an egg

on top of the barn roof.
Which way did it roll?
 It didnt roll
because roosters
are not laying eggs.
Question #5
How can you add eight 8s
to get the number 1000?
A. 88+88+888+8
B. 888+8+8+8+8+8
C. 888+88+8+8+8
D. 88+88+88+88
C
Question #6

This theory is also

known as
Meaningful
Learning
Assimilation
Theory
-END-