Essentials of Learning and Cognition

Essentials of Learning and Cognition
Author: David L. Morgan
Publisher: Waveland Press
Total Pages: 374
Release: 2016-02-24
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1478633158

Modern psychology has become a broad and fragmented collection of research areas, theoretical orientations, and professional organizations. The author, who believes integration within the discipline is critical, makes the case that its empirical and theoretical aspects can be unified under the umbrella of adaptation. The principles of learning, and the characteristics of memory and language—our adaptation to a challenging environment—are pertinent to all we do, and the sciences of learning and cognition are the subject areas most relevant to these proximate behavior–environment relationships. Because the adaptability of a behavior is often tied to its function, the author’s functional perspective serves as a helpful organizational tool for studying the otherwise disparate aspects of learning and cognition—thinking, memory, conceptual behavior, and language. New to this edition is an emphasis on applied behavior analysis, a rapidly growing and credentialed profession. Updated pedagogical features include opening chapter vignettes, interim summaries and review questions, improved graphics, and a full glossary of key terms.

Applying Cognitive Science to Education

Applying Cognitive Science to Education
Author: Frederick Reif
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 491
Release: 2008
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0262515148

An accessible introduction to some of the cognitive issues important for thinking and learning in scientific or other complex domains (such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, or expository writing), with practical educational applications and implementation methods. Many students find it difficult to learn the kind of knowledge and thinking required by college or high school courses in mathematics, science, or other complex domains. Thus they often emerge with significant misconceptions, fragmented knowledge, and inadequate problem-solving skills. Most instructors or textbook authors approach their teaching efforts with a good knowledge of their field of expertise but little awareness of the underlying thought processes and kinds of knowledge required for learning in scientific domains. In this book, Frederick Reif presents an accessible coherent introduction to some of the cognitive issues important for thinking and learning in scientific or other complex domains (such as mathematics, science, physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, or expository writing). Reif, whose experience teaching physics at the University of California led him to explore the relevance of cognitive science to education, examines with some care the kinds of knowledge and thought processes needed for good performance; discusses the difficulties faced by students trying to deal with unfamiliar scientific domains; describes some explicit teaching methods that can help students learn the requisite knowledge and thinking skills; and indicates how such methods can be implemented by instructors or textbook authors. Writing from a practically applied rather than predominantly theoretical perspective, Reif shows how findings from recent research in cognitive science can be applied to education. He discusses cognitive issues related to the kind of knowledge and thinking skills that are needed for science or mathematics courses in high school or colleges and that are essential prerequisites for more advanced intellectual performance. In particular, he argues that a better understanding of the underlying cognitive mechanisms should help to achieve a more scientific approach to science education.

Learnability and Cognition, new edition

Learnability and Cognition, new edition
Author: Steven Pinker
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 509
Release: 2013-05-24
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0262314282

A classic book about language acquisition and conceptual structure, with a new preface by the author, "The Secret Life of Verbs." Before Steven Pinker wrote bestsellers on language and human nature, he wrote several technical monographs on language acquisition that have become classics in cognitive science. Learnability and Cognition, first published in 1989, brought together two big topics: how do children learn their mother tongue, and how does the mind represent basic categories of meaning such as space, time, causality, agency, and goals? The stage for this synthesis was set by the fact that when children learn a language, they come to make surprisingly subtle distinctions: pour water into the glass and fill the glass with water sound natural, but pour the glass with water and fill water into the glass sound odd. How can this happen, given that children are not reliably corrected for uttering odd sentences, and they don't just parrot back the correct ones they hear from their parents? Pinker resolves this paradox with a theory of how children acquire the meaning and uses of verbs, and explores that theory's implications for language, thought, and the relationship between them. As Pinker writes in a new preface, "The Secret Life of Verbs," the phenomena and ideas he explored in this book inspired his 2007 bestseller The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature. These technical discussions, he notes, provide insight not just into language acquisition but into literary metaphor, scientific understanding, political discourse, and even the conceptions of sexuality that go into obscenity.

Learning and Cognition

Learning and Cognition
Author: Michael E. Martinez
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Total Pages: 416
Release: 2010
Genre: Education
ISBN:

What is the design of the mind? What does that design imply for education? This comprehensive and engaging introduction to human learning and its applications to education focuses on these vital questions by exploring the theories of knowledge, complex cognition, and human intelligence, presenting a clear and interesting overview of the human mind through multiple theoretical lenses. The author delineates how the mind has a clear design, or architecture, that explains simple acts of memory and complex cognition, to highly creative acts and leaps of scientific or artistic insight. Topics covered throughout the text include: memory, motivation, cognitive development, the brain, and intelligence. Unique to this text, the author has provided an interdisciplinary chapter dedicated to theories of knowledge, extended coverage of expert-novice differences and talent development, and a chapter devoted to intelligence. Readers will appreciate special features like Learning Strategies which cover specific application of the theories to classroom practice, and Interest Magnets which explore fascinating topics such as photographic memory, sleep learning, and Einstein's brain. Written like a narrative, Learning and Cognition: The Design of the Mind will delight its readers' interest and attention as they learn about the theories of human learning and cognition and the improvement of the mind through education.

Essentials of Cognitive Neuroscience

Essentials of Cognitive Neuroscience
Author: Bradley R. Postle
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 608
Release: 2015-01-08
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1118468260

Essentials of Cognitive Neuroscience guides undergraduate and early-stage graduate students with no previous neuroscientific background through the fundamental principles and themes in a concise, organized, and engaging manner. Provides students with the foundation to understand primary literature, recognize current controversies in the field, and engage in discussions on cognitive neuroscience and its future Introduces important experimental methods and techniques integrated throughout the text Assists student comprehension through four-color images and thorough pedagogical resources throughout the text Accompanied by a robust website with multiple choice questions, experiment vidoes, fMRI data, web links and video narratives from a global group of leading scientists for students. For Instructors there are sample syllabi and exam questions

The Psychology of Learning

The Psychology of Learning
Author: Jan De Houwer
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 315
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0262539233

An introduction to the psychology of learning that summarizes and integrates findings from both functional psychology and cognitive psychology.learning. Learning unites all living creatures, from simple microbes to complex human beings. But what is learning? And how does it work? For over a century, psychologists have considered such questions. Behavior analysts examined the ways in which the environment shapes behavior, whereas cognitive scientists have sought to understand the mental processes that enable us to learn. This book offers an introduction to the psychology of learning that draws on the key findings and major insights from both functional (behavior analysis) and cognitive approaches. After an introductory overview, the book reviews research showing how seemingly simple regularities in the environment lead to powerful changes in behavior, from habituation and classical conditioning to operant conditioning effects. It introduces the concept of complex learning and considers the idea that for verbal human beings even seemingly simple types of learning might qualify as instances of complex learning. Finally, it offers many examples of how psychological research on learning is being used to promote human well-being and alleviate such societal problems as climate change. Throughout the book, boxed text extends the discussion of selected topics and “think it through” questions help readers gain deeper understanding of what they have read. The book can be used as an introductory textbook on the psychology of learning for both undergraduate and postgraduate students or as a reference for researchers who study behavior and thinking.

Essentials of Educational Psychology

Essentials of Educational Psychology
Author: Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012
Genre: Educational psychology
ISBN: 9780131367272

Unlike most educational psychology books, which take one theory at a time, explain its assumptions and principles and then identify implications for educational practice, Essentials of Educational Psychology focuses more on the commonalities than the differences among theories, because although researchers from different traditions have approached human cognition and behavior from many different angles, they sometimes arrive at more or less the same conclusions. This book integrates ideas from many theoretical perspectives into a set of principles and concrete strategies that psychology as a whole can offer you. See for Yourself exercises will help you discover more about yourself as a thinker and learner and also help you come to a deeper and more personal understanding of educational psychology's core ideas. This is the standalone book, if you want the Book/Access Card order the ISBN listed below: 0132682494 / 9780132682497 Essentials of Educational Psychology & MyEducationLab Pegasus /Access Card Package consists of 0131367277 / 9780131367272 Essentials of Educational Psychology: Big Ideas to Guide Effective Teaching 0132598515 / 9780132598514 MyEducationLab Pegasus -- Valuepack Access Card

Cognition and Instruction

Cognition and Instruction
Author: Sharon M. Carver
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 536
Release: 2013-06-17
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1135648980

This volume is based on papers presented at the 30th Carnegie Mellon Symposium on Cognition. This particular symposium was conceived in reference to the 1974 symposium entitled Cognition and Instruction. In the 25 years since that symposium, reciprocal relationships have been forged between psychology and education, research and practice, and laboratory and classroom learning contexts. Synergistic advances in theories, empirical findings, and instructional practice have been facilitated by the establishment of new interdisciplinary journals, teacher education courses, funding initiatives, and research institutes. So, with all of this activity, where is the field of cognition and instruction? How much progress has been made in 25 years? What remains to be done? This volume proposes and illustrates some exciting and challenging answers to these questions. Chapters in this volume describe advances and challenges in four areas, including development and instruction, teachers and instructional strategies, tools for learning from instruction, and social contexts of instruction and learning. Detailed analyses of tasks, subjects' knowledge and processes, and the changes in performance over time have led to new understanding of learners' representations, their use of multiple strategies, and the important role of metacognitive processes. New methods for assessing and tracking the development and elaboration of knowledge structures and processing strategies have yielded new conceptualizations of the process of change. Detailed cognitive analysis of expert teachers, as well as a direct focus on enhancing teachers' cognitive models of learners and use of effective instructional strategies, are other areas that have seen tremendous growth and refinement in the past 25 years. Similarly, the strong impact of curriculum materials and activities based on a thorough cognitive analysis of the task has been extended to the use of technological tools for learning, such as intelligent tutors and complex computer based instructional interfaces. Both the shift to conducting a significant portion of the cognition and instruction research in real classrooms and the increased collaboration between academics and educators have brought the role of the social context to center stage.

Semantic Cognition

Semantic Cognition
Author: Timothy T. Rogers
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 446
Release: 2004
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780262182393

A mechanistic theory of the representation and use of semantic knowledge that uses distributed connectionist networks as a starting point for a psychological theory of semantic cognition.