Useful terse articles by Itiel Dror about the science of learning

Updated 19/3/2007, 11/4/2007, 23/5/2007, 26/1/2009

Sheffield's Learning Light (a not for profit company set up with Government and EC funding to serve as a "centre of excellence in the use of learning technologies in the workplace and in organisational learning best practice") has published some interesting 3-4 page briefings by Southampton University's Dr Itiel Dror about the science of learning. Currently these are freely available, and it will be a shame if they are removed from public view, not least because their production has been publicly funded they have now been removed from public view. Fortunately, all of them remain available as a single PDF file, from from the im+m site. Titles are as follows:

1. It is not what you teach, but what they learn that counts!
2. Shall I Remember? How learning technologies should facilitate, but too often hinder, memory;
3. The architecture of human cognition paves the way to efficient and effective learning;
4. The three C’s of learning: Control, Challenge and Commitment - this is the one to read if you've only time to read one of them;
5. Meta-cognition and Cognitive Strategy Instruction - when I first looked (12/3/2007) there were some errors in an illustrative quiz in this document which reduced its impact somewhat - (19/3/2007) all but the "mootest" has now been corrected;
6. Cognitive awareness.

Comments

[Alex Jones]

I've been working in e-learning in Sheffield for 8 years and this is the first I've heard of this organisation. So a very big thank you for making me aware.

Probably most depressing is that this doesn't surprise me in the least.

Talk about joined up policy - or rather - lets not...