Handout 6, Unit 4
Seven Principles of Learning
NOTE: This handout complements Dr Stella Vosniadou's boakle, How Children Leam.
This andou highlights princites of tearning whereas Or Vosriadou combines principles
with classroom recommendations. Consider revcuing How Chilcken Lasm as reference
fortesching and to gana beter undersiancng of how to apply these principles.
“Learning resules fron what the studenc does and chinks and only wharthe student
does and thinks. The teacher can advanee learning oly by influencing what the
ssudent does caleaen.”
“Herbert A. Simon, Nobel Laureare in Economies anda founder of che field of
cogpve science
Learning defined
Learningisa procs, nota product. Leaming involves change in knowledge, bit,
behaviours, oratinudes. Change produced by leaming hava lastingimpac on
how seadenss think and act. Learning is noc something done estdents but rather
something sudents themselves do. It is a crectresucof how students interprecand
respond to their experiences.
The seven principles
= Srudens prior tnowledge can help or hinder leaning
= How sadens organize knonedge influences ba they ear nd apply what
they noe
+ Snudenis mouvation determines, dite andsustains what they do ae.
= “Todevcep masery srudems mst acquit component sil, pact tegraing
them andknow when to apiy what they have arc
+ Goshaiected practice coupled wih targeted eedbackenhances the quality of
Sruden leone
+ Studeis’current evel of development nceracts withthe soci, emotional
and intllera cimate ofthe evs impact learning
+ Tobecome eldireced lamer, sadens must Team to monitor and ast
thee seategisoriearning