the learning of a complex subject matter is most effective when it is an intentional process of constructing meaning from information and experience

the successful learner can link new information with existing knowledge in meaningful ways

educators can assist learners in creating meaningful learning goals that are consistent with both personal and educational aspirations and interests.

learning outcomes can be enhanced if educators assist learners in developing, applying and assessing their strategic learning skills

the successful learner, overtime and with support and instructional guidance, can create meaningful, coherent representations of knowledge

“thinking about thinking”

learning in schools emphasizes the use of intentional processes that students can use to construct meaning from information , experiences and their own thoughts and beliefs

successful learners are active, goal directed, self regulating and assume personal responsibility for contributing to their own learning

educators can assist learners in acquiring and integrating knowledge by a number of strategies that have been shown to be effective with learners of varying abilities, such as concept mapping and thematic organization or categorizing

the successful learner can create and use a repertoire of thinking and reasoning strategies to achieve complex learning goals

knowledge widens and deepens as students continue to build links between new information and experiences and their existing knowledge base

to construct useful representation of knowledge and to acquire the thinking and learning strategies necessary for continued learning success across the life span, students must generate and pursue personally relevant goals

they understand and can use a variety of strategies to help them reach learning and performance goals, and apply to their knowledge in novel situations

higher order strategies for selecting and monitoring mental operations facilitate creative and critical thinking

cultural or group influences on students can impact many educationally relevant variables, such as motivation, orientation toward learning and ways of thinking

successful learners know what to do if a problem occur or if they are not making sufficient or timely progress toward a goal.

successful learners can reflect on how they think and learn, set reasonable learning or performance goals, select potentially appropriate learning strategies or methods, and monitor their progress toward these goals.

learning is influenced by environmental factors, including culture, technology and instructional practices

teachnologies and instructional practices must be appropriate for learners level of prior knowledge, cognitive abilities and their learning and thinking strategies

instructional methods that focus on helping learners develop these higher order (metacognitive) strategies can enhance student learning and personal responsibility for learning

learning does not occur in vacuum. teachers play a major interactive role with both the learner and the learning environment

the classroom environment, particularly the degree to which it is nurturing or not, can also have significant impacts on student learning

what and how much is learned is influenced by the learner’s motivation. is influenced by the individual’s emotional states, beliefs, interests, goals, and habits of thinking

the rich internal world of thoughts, beliefs, goals and expectations for success or failure can enhance or interfere with the learner’s quality of thinking and information processing

student’s beliefs about themselves as learners and the nature of learning have a marked influence. both of the quality of thinking and information processing as well as an individual’s motivation to learn

positive emotions, such as curiosity, generally enhance motivation and facilitate learning and performance. mild anxiety can also enhance learning and performance by focusing the learner’s attention on a particular task

the learner’s creativity, higher order thinking, and natural curiosity all contribute to motivation to learn

stimulated by tasks of optimal novelty and difficulty, relevant to personal interests, and provinding for personal choice and control

curiosity, flexible and insightful thinking, and creativity are major indications of the learner’s ______ which is in large part a function of meeting basic needs to be competent and to exercise personal control

facilitated on tasks that learners perceive as interesting and personally relevant and meaningful, appropriate in complexity and difficulty to the learner’s abilities and on which they believe they can succeed

facilitated on tasks that are comparable to real world situations and meet needs for choice and control

educators can encourage and support learners’ natural curiosity and motivation to learn by attending to individual differences Iearners’ perceptions of optimal novelty and difficulty, relevance, and personal choice and control

acquisition of complex knowledge and skills requires extended learner effort and guided practice. without learners’ motivation to learn, the willingness to exert this effort is unlikely without coercion.

the acquisition of complex knowledge and skills demands and the investment of considerable learner energy and strategic effor, along with persistence over time

educators need to be concerned with facilitating motivation by strategies that enhance learner effort and commitment to learning and to achieving high standards of comprehension and understanding

effective strategies include purposeful learning activities, guided by practices that enhance positive emotions and intrinsic motivation to learn l, and methods that increase learners’ perceptions that a task is interesting and personally relevant

as individuals develop, there are different opportunities and constraints for learning. learning is most effective when differential development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional, and social domains is taken into account