Question

Is the Information-Processing Theory one that requires the learner to be ACTIVE or PASSIVE in terms of acquiring information?

Answer 1

The learner needs to be ACTIVE.

The Information-Processing Theory analyzes the different processes that take place in the human mind and which lead to learning. These processes are mainly related with the storage, encoding and retrieval of information. It describes the different memory units, as each of them contributes to the completion of some of those processes: first information is received through the senses, the working memory manipulates it (processing,encoding) to be finally stored in the long-term memory unit.

The individual actively contributes to the sucessful completion of those processes. For example, it is possible to acquire tecniques to encode and to purpousefully use them to improve the learning performance.