Within education, the importance of creativity is recognized as an essential 21st-century skill. Based on this premise, the first aim of this article is to provide a theoretical integration through the development of a framework based on the principles of complex dynamic systems theory, which describes and explains children's creativity. This…

This review considers research related to mathematics education and cooperative learning, and it discusses how teachers might assist students in cooperative groups to provide equitable opportunities to learn. In this context, equity is defined as the fair distribution of opportunities to learn, and the argument is that identity-related processes…

The authors analyze and compare three models of innovative knowledge communities: Nonaka and Takeuchi's model of knowledge-creation, Engestrom's model of expansive learning, and Bereiter's model of knowledge building. Despite basic differences, these models have pertinent features in common: Most fundamentally, they emphasize dynamic processes for…

Research literature is examined for evidence suggesting that, in complex meaningful learning, the learner passes through a series of stages or phases during which the learning process and the variables influencing it change systematically. Phase theories are reviewed; the initial, intermediate, and terminal phases of learning are discussed. (TJH)

The assumption that learning is the internalization of externally available knowledge is criticized as undermining the creative and multisource nature of learning. Learning is defined as the creative reconceptualization of internal knowledge. Two sources of internal self-regulation are proposed: one regulating the sequential and one coordinating…

Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement, but this impact can be either positive or negative. Its power is frequently mentioned in articles about learning and teaching, but surprisingly few recent studies have systematically investigated its meaning. This article provides a conceptual analysis of feedback and…

The multisource approach to learning, based on the approach of F. C. Bartlett (1932), is discussed as an introduction to five articles on the approach. The assumptions of simplification by isolation and by integration; and the emphases on the various processes, as opposed to structures, of learning are discussed. (TJH)

The central role of interest in determining selection and persistence in processing information is discussed. The effect of individual and text-based interest on cognitive functioning and facilitation of learning, the role of interest in allocation of attention, the associated psychological and physiological processes, and related neurocognitive…

Research on reading comprehension and its teaching is reviewed. A theoretical basis is presented for conceptualizing the reading comprehension curriculum as a set of five strategies. Research on teaching facilitates a new view of instruction, focusing on the negotiation of meaning among students and teachers through teachers' instructional…

Certain misunderstandings in science, mathematics, and computer programing reflect analogous underlying difficulties. These misunderstandings are examined through four knowledge levels: (1) content; (2) problem-solving; (3) epistemic; and (4) inquiry. Analysis of several examples shows that misunderstandings have causes at multiple levels, and…

Theoretical and research literature on learning from books, television, computers, and multimedia environments is examined. The media are distinguished by cognitively relevant characteristics of their technologies, symbol systems, and processing capabilities. The relative cognitive effects of learning with different media--particularly those…

Meta-analytic techniques tested the effect on learning of the interaction of prior achievement with instructional support. This review of nine studies indicates that differences in prior achievement levels can be reduced through instructional treatment. Results support the use of meta-analyses for other investigations of aptitude-treatment…

Recent research in science education examines learning from four foci: (1) concept learning; (2) developmental; (3) differential; and (4) problem-solving. These perspectives provide a framework for identifying mechanisms of change in knowledge/thinking processes. In-depth coverage of several science topics may benefit students more than fleeting…

Describes G. Kelly's repertory grid and autobiography, their application in educational research, how they might be applied to research into teacher thinking and student thinking about the process of teaching and learning, and ways they can be combined to raise teachers' and students' constructs to focal awareness. (RLC)

Literature on social responsibility and academic achievement is reviewed. It is suggested that socially responsible behavior can influence achievement by (1) promoting positive interactions with teachers and peers; and (2) constraining and enhancing the learning process by encouraging students to be compliant and responsible. (SLD)