How Learning Works

328 Pages·2014·2.33 MB·English

by  Ambrose, Susan A.

(Continued from front fl ap)
Praise for How Learning Works
foster it. This vital resource is grounded Ambrose
in learning theory and based on research
“ How Learning Works is the perfect title for this excellent book. Drawing upon new Bridges
evidence, while being easy to understand and
research in psychology, education, and cognitive science, the authors have demystifi ed DiPietro
apply to college teaching.
a complex topic into clear explanations of seven powerful learning principles. Full of
Lovett
great ideas and practical suggestions, all based on solid research evidence, this book
Norman
is essential reading for instructors at all levels who wish to improve their students’
Susan A. Ambrose is associate provost for
learning.”
education, director of the Eberly Center
— Barbara Gross Davis, assistant vice chancellor for educational development, University of
for Teaching Excellence, and teaching California, Berkeley, and author, Tools for Teaching SH
Any conversation about effective teaching
professor in the Department of History at e
vO must begin with a consideration of how
Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, e
“ This book is a must-read for every instructor, new or experienced. Although I have been n students learn. However, instructors may fi nd
Pennsylvania. teaching for almost thirty years, as I read this book I found myself resonating with many RW a gap between resources that focus on the
e
of its ideas, and I discovered new ways of thinking about teaching.” s technical research on learning and those that
Michael W. Bridges is director of faculty e
— Eugenia T. Paulus, professor of chemistry, North Hennepin Community College, and 2008 U.S. a provide practical classroom strategies. How
development at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital Community Colleges Professor of the Year from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of rcL Learning Works provides the bridge for such
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education hE a gap.
-
BA
Michele DiPietro is associate director for as In this volume, the authors introduce seven
graduate programs at the Eberly Center and “ Tinhaacnckes ysoiub lCe atorn thegoisee Mofe ullso wnh foor a mrea nkoint gle aacrcneisnsgib slcei ewnhtiastt sh.a Yso purre fvoicouuss loyn b teheen e ssence edR general principles of learning, distilled from
instructor in the Department of Statistics at PN the research literature as well as from
of learning combined with concrete examples of the daily challenges of teaching and
Carnegie Mellon. clear tactical strategies for faculty to consider is a welcome work. I will recommend this rin twenty-seven years of experience working
book to all my colleagues.” cIN one-on-one with college faculty. They have
Marsha C. Lovett is associate director for ip drawn on research from a breadth of perspec-
— Catherine M. Casserly, senior partner, The Carnegie Foundation for the
l
faculty development at the Eberly Center Advancement of Teaching esG 7 tives (cognitive, developmental, and social
and associate teaching professor in the f psychology; educational research; anthro-
Department of Psychology at Carnegie or pology; demographics; and organizational
Mellon. “ As you read about each of the seven basic learning principles in this book, you will SW Research-Based Principles behavior) to identify a set of key principles
fi nd advice that is grounded in learning theory, based on research evidence, relevant to m
underlying learning—from how effective
Marie K. Norman is a teaching consultant college teaching, and easy to understand. The authors have extensive knowledge and arO organization enhances retrieval and use
experience in applying the science of learning to college teaching, and they graciously t
and research associate at the Eberly Center T for Smart Teaching of information to what impacts motivation.
and adjunct professor of anthropology at share it with you in this organized and readable book.” eaR These principles provide instructors with an
— From the Foreword by Richard E. Mayer, professor of psychology, University of California, Santa
Carnegie Mellon. cK understanding of student learning that can
Barbara; coauthor, e-Learning and the Science of Instruction; and author, Multimedia Learning h
help them see why certain teaching approach-
inS
es are or are not supporting student learning,
The Eberly Center for Teaching g
generate or refi ne teaching approaches and
Excellence at Carnegie Mellon University
strategies that more effectively foster student
was created in 1982 with a mission to distill
Susan A. Ambrose learning in specifi c contexts, and transfer and
the research on learning for faculty and EDUCATION/HIGHER
apply these principles to new courses.
graduate students and to collaborate with
Michael W. Bridges | Michele DiPietro
them to design and implement meaningful
For anyone who wants to improve his or her
educational experiences. The center’s work
www.josseybass.com Marsha C. Lovett | Marie K. Norman students’ learning, it is crucial to understand
is based on the idea that combining the
how that learning works and how to best
science and art of teaching empowers
college faculty to create the conditions
for students to learn and, through this Jacket design byJudy Brooks FOREWORD BY RICHARD E. MAYER
and Michael Cook (Continued on back fl ap)
learning, transform their world.

How
Learning
Works

How
Learning
Works
Seven Research-Based
Principles for Smart Teaching
Susan A. Ambrose, Michael W. Bridges,
Michele DiPietro, Marsha C. Lovett,
Marie K. Norman
Foreword by Richard E. Mayer
Copyright © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by Jossey-Bass
A Wiley Imprint
989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741—www.josseybass.com
The book is based on the seven “Theory and Research-based Principles of Learning,” which are
used with permission of Carnegie Mellon University’s Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence.
Figures created by Judy Brooks.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
How learning works : seven research-based principles for smart teaching /
Susan A. Ambrose . . . [et al.] ; foreword by Richard E. Mayer. – 1st ed.
p. cm. – (The Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-470-48410-4 (cloth)
1. Effective teaching–Case studies. 2. Educational innovations–Case studies. 3. School
improvement programs–Case studies. 4. Learning, Psychology of–Case studies. I. Ambrose,
Susan A. II. Title: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching.
LB1025.3.H68 2010
371.102–dc22
2010003939
Printed in the United States of America
FIRST EDITION
HB Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
T H E J O S S E Y  B A S S H I G H E R
A N D A D U LT E D U C AT I O N
S E R I E S

CO N T E N T S
List of Figures, Tables, and Exhibits ix
Foreword xiii
Richard E. Mayer
Acknowledgments xvii
About the Authors xix
Introduction Bridging Learning Research and Teaching
Practice 1
1 How Does Students’ Prior Knowledge Affect Their
Learning? 10
2 How Does the Way Students Organize Knowledge
Affect Their Learning? 40
3 What Factors Motivate Students to Learn? 66
4 How Do Students Develop Mastery? 91
5 What Kinds of Practice and Feedback Enhance
Learning? 121
6 Why Do Student Development and Course Climate
Matter for Student Learning? 153
7 How Do Students Become Self-Directed Learners? 188
Conclusion Applying the Seven Principles to Ourselves 217
vii
Contents
Appendices
Appendix A What Is Student Self-Assessment and
How Can We Use It? 225
Appendix B What Are Concept Maps and How Can
We Use Them? 228
Appendix C What Are Rubrics and How Can We
Use Them? 231
Appendix D What Are Learning Objectives and How
Can We Use Them? 244
Appendix E What Are Ground Rules and How Can We
Use Them? 248
Appendix F What Are Exam Wrappers and How Can We
Use Them? 251
Appendix G What Are Checklists and How Can We
Use Them? 255
Appendix H What Is Reader Response/Peer Review and
How Can We Use It? 257
References 261
Name Index 285
Subject Index 291
viii