Applying the Humanistic Learning Theory: Effects on the Experience and Learning Pattern Related to the Prevention of Child Obesity

摘要

‘Children not interested to learn,’ ‘easily feel bored of learning’ and ‘having difficulty in understanding complex health knowledge’ are among issues in childhood education. This paper discusses the effect of applying the humanistic learning theoryon experiences and learning patterns of children. The strategy of the “child friendly” concept, which is guided by the concept in Carl Rogers’s learning theory, is applied in the children’s learning environment that involves 68 children from ages 3 to 6 years and implementedover a period of 32 weeks in a nursery school. The “child friendly” environment refers to a learning environment, which comprises learning notes and activities with special characteristics that are well liked by and suitable for children as well as providing a learning environmentthat attracts the interest of children towards learning health issues. The data on children’s experiences and learning patterns were collected from video recordings, observations and anecdotal records throughout the implementation of the program and analysed using ATLAS.ti. The findingsshowed that the “child friendly” concept strategy that was guided by the humanistic learning theory applied in the children’s learning environment had a positive effect on experiences and learning patterns that ‘elated’ (94.29%), ‘excited’ (90.02%),was ‘accepted’ (98.59%), and ‘appreciated’ (95.71%) by the children. In conclusion, the findings support the “child friendly” concept that was guided by the humanistic learning theory and used in the teaching-learning process of children from ages 3 to 6years in order to determine experiences and learning patterns such as ‘elation,’ ‘excitement,’ ‘acceptance’ and ‘appreciation.’ This subsequently enhanced children’s motivation to continue learning without feeling bored.