There is commonly-held belief that some people learn better than others because they are born that way. However, research indicates that many people who learn better are simply more strategic: they use effective strategies and techniques to improve their learning. Further, these strategies and techniques can be taught to students. Thus, understanding how we learn enriches our lives and the lives of others. Written by leading experts on learning, this book situates this topic within the broader context of educational psychology research and brings it to a wider audience. With chapters on how the mind works, evidence-based recommendations about how to enhance learning from both the perspective of students and teachers, and clear explanations of key learning concepts and ideas, this short volume is designed for any education course that includes learning in the curriculum. It is indispensable for pre- and in-service teachers and student researchers alike.

This Handbook reviews a wealth of research in cognitive and educational psychology that investigates how to enhance learning and instruction to aid students struggling to learn and to advise teachers on how best to support student learning. The Handbook includes features that inform readers about how to improve instruction and student achievement based on scientific evidence across different domains, including science, mathematics, reading and writing. Each chapter supplies a description of the learning goal, a balanced presentation of the current evidence about the efficacy of various approaches to obtaining that learning goal, and a discussion of important future directions for research in this area. It is the ideal resource for researchers continuing their study of this field or for those only now beginning to explore how to improve student achievement.

Wide aspects of a university education address design: the conceptualization, planning and implementation of man-made artifacts. All areas of engineering, parts of computer science and of course architecture and industrial design all claim to teach design. Yet the education of design tends ot follow tacit practices, without explicit assumptions, goals and processes. This book is premised on the belief that design education based on a cognitive science approach can lead to significant improvements in the effectiveness of university design courses and to the future capabilities of practicing designers. This applies to all professional areas of design. The book grew out of publications and a workshop focusing on design education. This volume attempts to outline a framework upon which new efforts in design education might be based. The book includes chapters dealing with six broad aspects of the study of design education: • Methodologies for undertaking studies of design learning • Longitudinal assessment of design learning • Methods and cases for assessing beginners, experts and special populations • Studies of important component processes • Structure of design knowledge • Design cognition in the classroom

This book addresses the point of intersection between cognition, metacognition, and culture in learning and teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). We explore theoretical background and cutting-edge research about how various forms of cognitive and metacognitive instruction may enhance learning and thinking in STEM classrooms from K-12 to university and in different cultures and countries. Over the past several years, STEM education research has witnessed rapid growth, attracting considerable interest among scholars and educators. The book provides an updated collection of studies about cognition, metacognition and culture in the four STEM domains. The field of research, cognition and metacognition in STEM education still suffers from ambiguity in meanings of key concepts that various researchers use. This book is organized according to a unique manner: Each chapter features one of the four STEM domains and one of the three themes—cognition, metacognition, and culture—and defines key concepts. This matrix-type organization opens a new path to knowledge in STEM education and facilitates its understanding. The discussion at the end of the book integrates these definitions for analyzing and mapping the STEM education research. Chapter 4 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com

This text addresses the problem of how our past or current learning influences, is generalised and is applied or adapted to similar or new situations. It illustrates how transfer of learning can be promoted in the classroom and everyday life.

This volume is a comprehensive guide to state-of-the-art research on thinking, cognitive instruction, social values, and reform. Cognitive instruction for at-risk students is discussed in great detail along with a thorough examination of the teaching of thinking skills from the viewpoint of educational values and school culture. The issues of thinking, learning, and cognitive instruction are linked to the educational reform movement from numerous perspectives. Specifically, the reader can better anticipate which aspects of research on thinking will conflict with existing paradigms and which aspects of schooling will be most resistant to change.

Designed to present some of the current research on student motivation, cognition, and learning, this book serves as a festschrift for Wilbert J. McKeachie who has been a leading figure in college teaching and learning. The contributions to this volume were written by former students, colleagues and friends. A common focus on a general or social cognitive view of learning is shared throughout the volume, but there are significant differences in the perspectives the researchers bring to bear on the issues. They provide an excellent cross-section of current thinking and research on general cognitive topics such as students' knowledge structures, cognitive and self-regulated learning strategies, as well as reasoning, problem solving, and critical thinking. Social cognitive and motivational topics are also well represented, including self-worth theory and expectancy-value models. More importantly, an explicit attempt is made to link cognitive and motivational constructs theoretically and empirically. This area of research is one of the most important and promising areas of future research in educational psychology. Finally, most of the chapters address instructional implications, but several explicitly discuss instructional issues related to the improvement of college students' motivation and cognition.