David P. Ausubel
David Paul Ausubel’s theory of “subsumption refers to putting any item into a larger, more comprehensive category. Subsumption theory is a theory that connects new skills or ideas into the larger scope of past experiences. (wps.ablongman.com)” In his theory Ausubel employs advance organizers that connect the previously established information to newly established information. These advanced organizers operate as bridges for information that stimulates prior information already stored into schemas; the schemas are simply enhanced to a degree beyond what they where. In Ausubel’s book “Educational Psychology”, the theorist differentiates between two kinds of subsumption that occur in the course of meaningful learning and retentintion. “Derivative subsumption takes place when learning material is understood as a specific example of an established concept in cognitive structure, or is supportive or illustrative of a general proposition. The more common type of subsumption is correlative subsumption. “The new learning material in this case is an extension, elaboration, modification, or qualification of previous learned propositions (Ausubel).”
The process of applying Ausubel’s theory to the classroom is very simple, for he designed this theory to be executed within a classroom setting. The teacher is to give the focus of the lesson and its relevancy; the teacher’s job here is to activate any of the student’s prior knowledge. The instructor wants the students to tap into their past education, experiences, and notions in order to use this as a bedrock to build new information upon. If the teacher is doing a lesson on “the objectification of women in literature” the instructor would present a myriad of excamples of women in literature to engage any prior knowlege the students may have. The instructor would then want to introduce some form of text that the students are familiar with to further connect the lesson to the student’s prior knowledge and build upon it. Lastly, the instructor should restate the focus of the lesson and revisit the advance organizers that were presented. The instructor should seek to engage the students as much as possible in discussion. What the teacher is striving for is a juxtaposition of new and old information, a circumstance as Ausubel would note that is ripe with potential for learning.
References
Auaubel, D. (1963). The Psychology of Meaningful Verbal Learning. New York:
Grune & Stratton.
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