This seven chapter book offers guidance to elementary and secondary teachers on how to help students develop strategic study skills. Chapter 1 summarizes current knowledge about information-processing theory, the teacher's role in facilitating learning, and the necessity for changes in instructional techniques across grade levels. Chapter 2…

Jack Mezirow's theory of transformative learning has evolved into a description of how learners learn by integrating new knowledge with their existing knowledge, beliefs, and experiences. Centrality of experience, critical reflection, and rational discourse are three common themes in Mezirow's theory, which is based on psychoanalytic theory and…

This study examined whether halo error--the masking of college gains by general gains in intellectual development--influenced students' ratings of their learning and development during college. A total of 1,084 first-time freshmen at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) completed the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) during the…

This conference proceedings includes two plenary lectures by Celia Hoyles and David Henderson. Papers from working groups deal with teacher growth, dynamic algebra, and the role of proof in post-secondary education. Topic sessions from the conference examine problems, puzzles, and games; the relationships among parents, children, and mathematics;…

Experiential or work-based learning has been touted as imperative for the development of students and their preparation for the workplace. However, work-based learning does not always occur or occur to a significant extent merely because a student is in the workplace. What matters is the nature of the student's participation in workplace…

This paper proposes a theory that can account for differences between everyday and formal mathematics knowledge and a set of processes by which informal knowledge is transformed into formal mathematics. After an introduction, the paper is developed in five sections. The first section lays out the nature of informal, everyday mathematics knowledge.…

Interest is examined in relation to its role in the learning process. A broadly based model of learning is presented, and implications of the model for the educational context are considered. In the framework presented, learning involves the perception, interpretation, and storage of information about the environment under particular motivational…

Using cognitive science as a lens, this report identifies serious problems with most learning situations, maps the design principles for more effective learning, and shows how these principles relate to four policies and programs: integrating academic and vocational education, work-based apprenticeship, tech prep and 2+2, and cooperative…

Writings in the field of human development and learning in the adult years can be integrated into a simple theory. A theory is defined as a policy, hypothesis, or set of principles used or proposed as a basis for action. The adult years are defined as a time in which one makes choices with a degree of maturity and wisdom and assumes responsibility…

Given the current and widespread practical interest in mathematical understanding, particularly with respect to higher order thinking skills, curriculum reform advocates in many countries cite the need for teaching mathematics with understanding. However, the characterization of understanding in ways that highlight its growth, as well as the…

A study investigated use of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) for relating learner attitude toward engagement in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learning behaviors, perceived social support for engagement in those behaviors, and behavioral intention. TRA proposes a sequence of dependencies underlying behavior. The model also relates attitude…

Theories of learning and instruction usually are grounded in psychological and epistemological assumptions. However, these theories ignore the child in relation to his or her cultural and institutional context and ignore the schoolteacher from the social context that regulates the process of transmission and acquisition of knowledge and skills.…

A study involving 97 students (79 females and 18 males) at New York City Technical College was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of desensitization in reducing test anxiety and improving grade point averages (GPAs). The study compared the GPAs of students who completed workshops using the desensitization hierarchy developed by R. Strieby…

The Office of Educational Research and Improvement's new National Center for Research on Teacher Learning expects to include at least four elements: to accommodate public expectations for schools, to incorporate a theory of the teacher as a learner, to incorporate a theory of the teacher's task, and to build on a theory of the unique features of…

A collection of six essays focuses on second language instruction for adult learners. In "Modern Languages and the Adult Student" (David Smith), the motivations of adults taking evening classes are examined and the ways in which language teachers need to adjust to this population are discussed. "Language Learning Theories and Their Implications…