Davranışçı, Bilişsel ve Yapılandırmacı Kuramların Dijital Öğrenme Ortamlarına Yansıması: Kuramsal Bir Karşılaştırma

ABSTRACT Digital learning environments (LMSs, mobile learning, online courses, MOOCs, adaptive systems, learning analytics, and AI-powered tools) have made instructional design not only a technical but also a theoretical problem: “Which learning assumption is more functional in which digital context and for which goals?” This theoretical review comparatively analyzes three main learning approaches—behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism—through the dimensions of instructional design, interaction, feedback, assessment, and ethics/governance as reflected in digital learning environments. The study argues that (i) behaviorism offers a strong framework for applications such as measurable goals, frequent reinforcement, microlearning, and gamification in digital environments; however, when used alone, it increases the risk of superficial learning, over-reliance on external motivation, and “click economy”; (ii) the cognitive approach provides explanatory and design-oriented principles, particularly in core problems of digital learning such as cognitive load, multimedia design, attention management, and self-regulation; (iii) It aims to show that constructivism is the approach that best utilizes the interactive potential of digital environments in online collaboration, negotiation of meaning, project/product-based learning, and community-based pedagogies (e.g., Community of Inquiry). In the discussion section, it is argued that these three theories are not “alternatives to each other”; rather, they can be combined in a “layered/hybrid” design architecture, taking into account learning objectives, student readiness, content type, and contextual constraints. Finally, the study proposes theory-selection mappings based on target type (knowledge, skills, higher-order thinking, attitudes), process evidence in digital assessment, ethical use of learning analytics, and human-centered governance principles in the age of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for instructional designers and educators. Keywords: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Digital Learning, Online Education, Cognitive Load, Multimedia Learning.