Cognitivist learning theory focuses on how people actively construct knowledge through thinking rather than passively receiving it. It differs from behaviorism in that it emphasizes the role of cognitive processes like problem solving, memory, and language processing in learning. Key contributors to cognitivism include Paivio, who proposed dual coding theory about verbal and visual representations; Gagne, who described different types of learning building on each other; Gardner, who proposed multiple intelligences used in learning; and Bloom, who created Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive levels. Cognitivism supports using interactive tools to engage students in applying and analyzing concepts rather than just recalling facts.