Editing Learning theory (education) (section)

====Locke====
{{Main|John Locke}}
[[John Locke]] (1632–1704) offered an answer to Plato's question as well.  Locke offered the "blank slate" theory where humans are born into the world with no innate knowledge and are ready to be written on and influenced by the environment.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Brain|first1=Christine|title=Understanding Child Psychology|last2=Mukherji|first2=Penny|date=2005|publisher=Nelson Thornes|isbn=0-7487-9084-5|location=Cheltenham|pages=56–57}}</ref> The thinker maintained that knowledge and ideas originate from two sources, which are sensation and reflection. The former provides insights regarding external objects (including their properties) while the latter provides the ideas about one's mental faculties (volition and understanding).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dearden|first=R. F.|title=Theory and Practice in Education (RLE Edu K)|date=2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-69722-4|location=Oxon|pages=71}}</ref> In the theory of [[empiricism]], these sources are direct experience and observation.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sherman|first=Patrice|title=John Locke: Philosopher of the Enlightenment|date=2012|publisher=Teacher Created Materials|isbn=978-1-4333-5014-6|location=Huntington Beach, CA|pages=26}}</ref> Locke, like [[David Hume]], is considered an empiricist because he locates the source of human knowledge in the empirical world.

Locke recognized that something had to be present, however.  This something, to Locke, seemed to be "mental powers".  Locke viewed these powers as a biological ability the baby is born with, similar to how a baby knows how to biologically function when born.  So as soon as the baby enters the world, it immediately has experiences with its surroundings and all of those experiences are being transcribed to the baby's "slate".  All of the experiences then eventually culminate into complex and abstract ideas.  This theory can still help teachers understand their students' learning today.<ref name="Phillips2009" />