Background: Learning conceptions may be studied as specific implicit theories based on theory of mind. Previous studies suggest that a developmental shift from a direct implicit theory of learning to an interpretative one occurs during childhood. Here we explore the development of children's autobiographies of learning to write by adopting this…

Sociocultural theory has challenged existing notions of cognitive development by suggesting that psychological functioning is specific to its social context and is dependent on the mastery of culturally defined modes of speaking, thinking, and acting. This book provides a representative sample of work on the social and cultural foundations of…

The aim of this paper is to develop a dynamic view of training and professional development of teachers, focusing particularly on the training of less effective and innovative teachers and on the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and teacher learning. Teachers' self-efficacy is regarded as the extent to which teachers expect they can…

This paper describes the difficulties that two prospective teachers experienced in student teaching assignments in two city schools; both judged outstanding by the faculty from where they were about to graduate. It examines the ways in which these experiences eroded the student teachers' convictions that they could teach all children in ways that…

This brief report describes the Rosetta Stone Language Library, a set of multimedia second language instructional materials. These materials emphasize comprehension of spoken language as the first step to acquiring fluency, sometimes referred to as the "comprehension approach" or "natural approach." The materials are designed…

The conference provided a forum for practitioners and researchers to discuss practices, concepts, evaluation and research studies in order to improve practice in adult education. Included are the following: "Realizing the Potential for Grounded Theory in Adult Education" (Babchuk et al.); "Behind the Smoke and Mirrors of Reorganization" (Benson);…

This report reviews the literature on learning theories and frameworks applicable to instruction of undergraduate college students. An introductory section provides an overview and discusses the importance of learning frameworks. The first half of the volume addresses various theoretical frameworks in detail. These include: motivation theories,…

Instruction based on learning styles has received little attention in the recent reform efforts in mathematics education. The purpose of this book is to address the improvement of mathematics instruction through sensitivity to learning styles. The introduction discusses the scope and rationale of the book. Chapter 2 documents the need for…

This study examined the relative importance of curricular, classroom, and out-of-class experiences on learning related attitudes and values of freshman college students after taking into account certain precollege characteristics of new students, including initial levels of interest in learning. Specifically, the study looked at students' formal…

This training packet on the adult learner is 1 of 10 developed by the Study of Adult Basic Education (ABE)/English as a Second Language (ESL) Training Approaches Project to assist ABE instructors, both professionals and volunteers. The packet is intended to stand alone and encompasses a three-session workshop series with activities scheduled for…

There are various learning styles, each with its own characteristics. Some researchers have associated the different styles with specific brain hemispheres. In the past teachers generally have taught with one type of learning style in mind, with much emphasis placed on the outcomes of learning. Increased attention should be paid to the individual…

The Threshold Project focuses on the language and learning difficulties that children in Southern African schools experience when they change from their mother tongue to English as a medium of instruction in their fifth year of schooling. This report discusses Threshold Project research relating to the nature of pupils' cognitive capacities and…

This book offers an instructional model demonstrating how teachers can apply educational psychology in the classroom, with emphasis on the teacher as decision maker. The book is divided into four parts, and covers the following major topics and issues: Part 1 contains four chapters dealing with development and individual differences and discusses…

This publication, the first in a series on theory, innovation, and practice in andragogy, is a reproduction of two papers first published in 1971 by Coolie Verner and Catherine V. Davison. The first paper in this booklet explores psychological factors in adult learning and instruction, while the second discusses physiological factors. In the five…

This monograph describes the origins of the learning cycle, related research, and how future research might be conducted to further the understanding of theories of instruction. A wide range of information is synthesized, producing a coherent framework for better understanding the theory of the learning cycle. The monograph identifies various…