The field of children's learning was thriving when the Merrill-Palmer Quarterly was launched; the field later went into eclipse and now is in the midst of a resurgence. This commentary examines reasons for these trends, and describes the emerging field of children's learning. In particular, the new field is seen as differing from the old in its…

The purpose of this article is to identify some necessary conditions of learning. To learn something, the learner must discern what is to be learned (the object of learning). Discerning the object of learning amounts to discerning its critical aspects. To discern an aspect, the learner must experience potential alternatives, that is, variation in…

Developments within education, psychology and the neurosciences have shed a great deal of light on how we learn while, at the same time, confirming for us all that learning is a profoundly complex process and far from understood. Against this background, and in this position article, we consider the recent rise in interest in the concept of…

This paper develops a framework for understanding the relationships between approaches to learning adopted by students in the context of higher education and the culture of the country they were brought up in. The paper, after examining the more widely used Kolb's learning styles, opts for another categorisation, namely the so called learning…

This paper describes dissertation research using cognitive psychology in the design of museum exhibit labels in an effort to increase learning and memory in museum visitors. Three studies focused on factors affecting whether or not using a question (instead of a statement) as a title on a museum exhibit label would increase the visitor's memory of…

A cognitive processing model was adopted by the task force developing the National Association of Secondary School Principals' (NASSP) Learning Style Profile (LSP). The LSP contains 23 independent scales representing four higher order factors: cognitive skills; perceptual responses; study preferences; and instructional preferences. The subscales…

Different types of learning styles among sophisticated second language learners are described. Excerpts are presented of interviews with four adults who were gifted in acquiring command of foreign languages. Each of the respondents used a different approach to second language learning but considered that approach to be the one naturally…

The dimensions of any instructional program generally center around three variables: objectives, methods and time. Provides quadrants that include alternative instructional designs appropriate for the various sub-groups of students within the given population of a school or classroom. (Author/RK)

This article provides an overview of how people learn and strategies that can be taught to individuals to improve their levels of academic achievement. Several examples from recent case studies illustrate cognitive controls and profiles as well as the procedures and materials employed in augmentation and transfer training. (MT)

The relationship between complexity of learning strategy and performance of paired associate learning of 29 verbally gifted students (9-14 years old) was investigated. A comparison of strategies with those reported by nongifted students did not disclose qualitative differences. Gifted subjects did demonstrate great speed in acquiring and retaining…

Highlighting research findings on retention of information and learning styles, the authors apply the principles to a workshop for adult educators on teaching strategies and techniques. (SK)

Distinguishes between the collaborative learning process and a collaborative learning group. Lists conditions basic to the development of effective collaborative learning groups through training programs: (1) knowledgeable trainer, (2) participant commitment, (3) open communication, and (4) appropriate normative controls. (JOW)

An important contribution of cognitive style research is to make teachers aware of the cognitive style differences of their students and the resultant implications for teaching and learning. (JD)

Announces the findings of a study which appeared in the June, 1979 issue of "Perceptual and Motor Skills." According to the study, introverted children learn more through observation than do extroverted children and extroverts respond more to social, person-oriented stimuli. (Author/SA)

Scientific developments during the last few decades offer a radical new way of looking at learning--one that appears to have enormous potential for helping teachers bring about major gains in students' achievement. (DS)