Examines the concept of the cognitively active learner and discusses the following categories of learning strategies: rehearsal, elaboration, organization, comprehension monitoring, and affective. (NKA)

Presents three types of simple events knowledge models: (1) a simple list of events; (2) a list of cause-effect sequences; and (3) a list of events that describe a problem and its solution. (SR)

Defines and describes the processes by which students acquire new knowledge: accretion, tuning, and restructuring. Relates these processes to knowledge models presented in earlier columns. Discusses extension activities. (RS)

Considers event phenomena and how such phenomena might be understood in terms of process knowledge models. Presents the step and stage process knowledge model, the classification process knowledge model, and the conditional process knowledge model. (SR)

Discusses helping students understand cases and classes through knowledge modeling. Discusses classification and human cognition, and classification and pictorial knowledge models. Provides classroom extension activities. (SR)

Describes some recent studies which establish that meaningful learning can be promoted by a certain type of questioning activity, called elaborative interrogation, that leads students to activate prior knowledge and tie it to the new information. (SR)

Describes a highly effective reading program that focuses on learning strategies and the thinking process. (RB)

Describes 10 categories of inferences and proposes a three-step procedure for teaching students to make inferences while reading. (HOD)

Describes five strategies that foster independent learning of content area vocabulary. (MKM)

Reviews assumptions about learners, learning, and the learning environment in an information age economy. Argues that one approach to encourage literacy and lifelong learning is to bring students' natural learning abilities (especially problem solving) into the school environment. (RS)

Describes how a high school English teacher helped her students learn about background knowledge, organization, metacognition, discussion, and writing by experimentally investigating their own learning. Notes that this approach helped students feel more ownership in their work and in their own knowledge about learning. (SR)

Reviews research findings on transfer of learning and indicates that current research (especially metacognition) holds considerable promise for a more complete understanding of the mechanisms of transfer. (NKA)

Considers the use of graphic aids with regard to readers' ability to integrate graphic with written information. Points out students' need for instructional activities that develop skills such as inference through information coordination of the graphic aid, text, and prior knowledge. Presents the three stages of the GIL. (JK)

Proposes four guidelines to help educators evaluate vocabulary instruction: (1) instruction should help students relate new vocabulary to their background knowledge, (2) instruction should help students develop elaborated word knowledge, (3) instruction should provide for active student involvement, and (4) instruction should develop students'…

Explains semantic feature analysis, a technique that helps students learn a new vocabulary by seeing how words are alike and how they are different. (HOD)