Issues that must be addressed to develop a cognitive multisource learning theory for educational research are addressed. It is proposed that a constitutive problem for educational learning theory is the explanation of difficult learning. A unit of analysis, called a "contextual module," is applied to this problem. (TJH)

It is argued that recent findings in the study of learning and cognitive science have established a basis for a psychology of learning taking culture into account. Two aspects beyond those discussed are the construction of culture itself and how conceptual models influence the physical reality of culture. (SLD)

Describes a basic development model for an intelligent tutoring system that includes the interface, the expert and learner models, and the pedagogical model. Possibilities for more extensive integration of cognitive learning theories into computer-based instruction (CBI) are illustrated, and two examples of CBI designed from this perspective are…

Two theories of learning (Vermunt's learning conceptions and Baxter Magolda's ways of knowing and patterns of reasoning) are compared using a general perspective and a gender perspective, with the aim of combining and extending them. Comparison suggests a number of relationships between theories on a conceptual level, but these could not be…

The author responds to a comparison of her learning conceptions theory with another theory, applauding the effort to link theories of learning and gender. Complexities of relationships among epistemic structures, patterns within structures, and learning activities are highlighted, as well as dilemmas in assessing multiple layers of learning.…

Offers a resolution to the debate between constructivists and realists regarding the epistemological status of human knowledge. Presents evidence in the form of three case studies and one experimental study. Concludes that knowledge acquisition involves a pattern idea generation and test that, when cast in the form of a verbal argument, follows an…

Over the past decade, design experimentation has become an increasingly accepted mode of research appropriate for the theoretical and empirical study of learning amidst complex educational interventions as they are enacted in everyday settings. There is still a significant lack of clarity surrounding methodological and epistemological features of…

The current perspective of autonomous learning defines it as the agentive exhibition of resourcefulness, initiative, and persistence in self-directed learning. As a form of human agency, it has been argued in the literature that this perspective should be consistent with Bandura's (1986) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). The purpose of this article…

The literature of antonymy, though disjointed and inconclusive, has found that opposition is important to development, learning, psychological health, and creativity. To investigate the role of dialectics in cognitive processes and human learning, four empirical studies were undertaken. In study one, to investigate the dialectic process in…

Regardless of ambiguous feelings about using microcomputers in schools, it is likely that education will remain substantially the same with their widespread use. The microcomputer will modify the way some skills are taught, but the need to teach the skills will remain. Most contemporary critiques of using microcomputers in the classroom are…

Relates Feuerstein's theory of cognitive modifiability and mediated learning experience to Native American educational issues, including loss of cultural identity, and low academic performance, self-concept, and motivation. Suggests that sound cognitive instruction linked to Indian cultural heritage stimulates motivation and promotes the survival…

Scientists feel that progress in artificial intelligence and the availability of thousands of experimental results make this the right time to build and test theories on how people think and learn, using the computer to model minds. (MSE)

Reviews theories and research findings on intrinsic motivation for young children and suggests ways for parents and educators to facilitate children's development in this area. (Author/BJD)

An enactivist model of cognition proposes that thinking occurs through interaction, not in individual minds. As experiences in an inner-city elementary school suggest, an enactivist approach blurs lines between knower and known, teacher and student, and teaching and learning are better understood as mutual, evolving practices. (SK)

Part 1 of a three-part article analyzing radical constructivism (as one interpretation of Piaget) and the socio-cultural perspective (as one interpretation of Vygotsky), including major principles, primary contributions to mathematics education, and potential limitations. Introduces an integration of the two theories through a feminist…