The Humanistic Theory of Carl Rogers Research Paper

The Humanistic Theory of Carl Rogers - Research Paper Example Both Maslow and Rogers believed that feelings and emotions should be a part of education, identifying two different types of learning namely cognitive and experience. Cognitive involves memorization, acquisition of vocabulary, formulas, and the like while experience is the application as a result of learning. With his extensive experience as a psychotherapist, Rogers applied the concept of humanistic approach in the education process and developed the method of teaching central to the learner. Along with this line, he formulated a hypothesis that a person can facilitate another person’s learning but cannot directly teach another individual. This point to the importance of what the student does but not that of a teacher. Another hypothesis of the theory is the relevancy of the learning to the students wherein the student only learns things which enhances the self. Rogers also identified that the learning environment should be free of threats but rather friendly teaching environ ment for learning to take place (Zimring, 1999). Today, the humanistic theory is used in the different educational settings to include adult learning and training and is found to be successful. However, in situations where its application becomes a failure, the attitude of the administrators and teachers interfere with its effectiveness. Description of Humanistic Theory Carl Rogers learning theory considers several elements in learning. One is the relevance of the education to the learner. In the excerpt from the study conducted by Blanton (1998), she found out that students are motivated to learn if they know the learning activity benefits them. Students who understand the purpose of any educational activity learns better and could retain the information. Comparatively, students who do not find teaching related to their purpose are not motivated to go on with their studies. Relevance is very important in adult learning because their intention of pursuing their education is towards self-actualization either in their work or for personal enhancement of their knowledge and skill. The capability to learn however has to be supported with the provision of the right environment if the person is to bring out his full potentials. The humanistic theory also identified the involvement of feelings, ideas, and intention to come into play. This element points that the individual has to be taught including all factors influencing learning and not only a part of it. With this, the traditional teacher-centered style of teaching is shifted to the learner for him to be involved in his learning process to acquire the first-hand experience. To humanistic view, this is more significant than the mastery of academic contents since the learner will not only benefit at the present but uses the acquired and retained knowledge and skill in the future. This theory also focuses on learning which is self-initiated to achieve personal fulfillment. The student has to develop the ability to t ake charge of his learning without relying so much on others to him what he needs to know every time. Students have to take upon themselves the responsibility to look for information and learn it.