Points out that technology education in New Zealand provides an opportunity for societal issues to have equal space with technological capability and knowledge. There is a need for a teaching approach to engage in liberating technological literacy. (Contains 19 references.) (DDR)

The notion of competence has received sustained and ongoing critical attention. Despite this, many important matters remain unclear. This article argues that much of the confusion can be traced to both proponents and opponents of competence variously sharing highly questionable assumptions about learning that revolve around viewing it as a…

This dissertation is embedded in a deconstruction of the field of Mathematics Education in order to reconstitute the mathematics student as a generative mathematical learner. The purpose of the dissertation is to understand how generative adolescent mathematical learners (GAMLs) maneuver through their mathematics courses while maintaining such a…

Social epistemology is an effort to combine the philosophical theories of science that have stressed normative approaches to knowledge with sociological theories which are weak on offering guidance on how knowledge policy should be conducted. The practice of multiculturalism provides a useful application of social epistemological intervention,…

Research on learning styles has shown that students learn better when teachers plan class learning activities to fit students' learning styles. This paper describes three "ways of knowing" and discusses the role they play in "knowing the culture" of a school. The first part relates ways of knowing to the usual three domains of learning--cognitive,…

The essays in this book form a dialogue between instructional developers and learning theorists about the implications of constructivism for instructional design practice. Following an introduction entitled "Constructivism: New Implications for Instructional Technology" (Thomas M. Duffy and David H. Jonassen), the papers are divided into…

This paper offers a critique of elaboration theory (ET) based on recent cognitive research and offers suggestions for updating the model to reflect new knowledge. It begins by summarizing the basic strategies of this model for sequencing and organizing courses of instruction: (1) organizing structure; (2) simple-to-complex sequence; (3) sequencing…

This paper discusses two related areas in which recent advancements in cognitive science and educational technology may affect instructional design theory. These are: (1) the analysis of information-to-be-learned; and (2) the linkage of learning theory to instructional prescriptions. The first area proposes extensions to current methods of…

This review of the findings of recent cognitive science research pertaining to learning and teaching focuses on how science and mathematics are being taught, analyzes how the presence of the computer demonstrates a need for radical rethinking of both the theory and the practice of learning, and points out that if educators fail to consider the…

This paper focuses on the notion of human learners as being structure-determined. Alternate views of educational phenomena and educational research of G. Cziko (1989), D. Bohm and F. D. Peat (1987), H. Maturana and F. Varela (1980, 1987), and S. E. Pirie and T. Kieren (1989, 1990) are considered. A mathematical theory of chaos, random…

Cognitive science is briefly reviewed, and its implications for instructional design are discussed. The application of cognitive science to instruction requires knowledge of cognitive science, the subject content taught, and the system in which the instruction is imbedded. The central concept of cognitive science is mental representation--the…

This paper reviews self-efficacy research with special emphasis on students in school. Bandura's emphasis on domain-specific assessment is useful for understanding student learning and fits well with current research on instructional processes. A self-efficacy model of student learning is presented, comprising entry characteristics, self-efficacy…

Addresses the importance of recognizing the prior knowledge and misconceptions of science educators. Provides perspectives on the nature of knowledge, conceptions of learning, nature of science and of teaching, and the relationship between general principles of learning and teaching. (ML)

Describes development of a generative schema based on the concept of change for inclusion in instructional materials for a college physics course to help students integrate all of the physics content. Psychological basis for these materials is discussed, a design approach is described, and questions are posed for further investigation. (MBR)

Traces history of instructional technology, including Skinner's work, Gagne's task analytic approach, and contemporary efforts associated with the cognitive revolution. It is suggested that an understanding of cognitive development improves earlier approaches by adapting them directly to students' cognitive development levels. Recent instructional…