The Nature of Learning
Using Research to Inspire Practice
What do we know about how people learn? How do young people’s motivations and emotions influence their learning? What does research show to be the benefits of group work, formative assessments, technology applications, or project-based learning and when are they most effective? How is learning affected by family background? These are among the questions addressed for the OECD by leading researchers from North America and Europe. This book brings together the lessons of research on both the nature of learning and different educational applications, and it summarises these as seven key concluding principles.
Among the contributors are Brigid Barron, Monique Boekaerts, Erik de Corte, Linda Darling-Hammond, Kurt Fischer, Andrew Furco, Richard Mayer, Lauren Resnick, Barbara Schneider, Robert Slavin, James Spillane, Elsbeth Stern and Dylan Wiliam.
The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice is essential reading for all those interested in knowing what research has to say about how to optimise learning in classrooms, schools and other settings. It aims, first and foremost, to inform practice and educational reform. It will be of particular interest to teachers, education leaders, teacher educators, advisors and decision makers, as well as the research community
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The community as a resource for learning
an analysis of academic service-learning in primary and secondary education
Centre for Educational Research and Innovation
Andrew Furco’s chapter reviews “academic service learning”: i.e. experiential learning that takes place in the community as an integral part of the curriculum. These approaches are arousing substantial international interest and embrace pedagogies of engagement; pedagogies of empowerment; national service programmes; values education initiatives; citizenship education programmes; and community resource programmes. They lie between community service and volunteer work, at the service end of the spectrum, and field education and internships, at the learning end. Different forms of service learning are of value in themselves as good education. They also positively influence cognitive achievements in ways discussed in other chapters of this volume, such as by giving opportunities for authentic learning, engaging students actively, fostering co-operation and collaboration, meeting individual interests, empowering learners and extending horizons beyond comfort zones. However, the evidence base on associated outcomes and on what works best and why reveals some emerging, positive findings but remains seriously under-developed.
Also available in: French
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