The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences

Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology

by R. Keith Sawyer

The interdisciplinary field of the learning sciences encompasses educational psychology, cognitive science, computer science, and anthropology, among other disciplines. The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences, first published in 2006, is the definitive introduction to this innovative approach to teaching, learning, and educational technology. In this dramatically revised second edition, leading scholars incorporate the latest research to provide practical advice on a wide range of issues. The authors address the best ways to write textbooks, design educational software, prepare effective teachers, organize classrooms, and use the Internet to enhance student learning. They illustrate the importance of creating productive learning environments both inside and outside school, including after school clubs, libraries, and museums. Accessible and engaging, the Handbook has proven to be an essential resource for graduate students, researchers, teachers, administrators, consultants, software designers, and policy makers on a global scale.

Genres: Education, Psychology, Reference, Nonfiction, Textbooks

800 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Leonard Houx · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences gives a broad but rigorous view of the diverse themes in 'Learning Science'. Much of their research revolves around new research methods such as design-based research (which iterates as it observes), Microgenetic methods (that seek to find precise moments of learning within a teaching/learning intervention and not afterward) and data mining. Other big themes are collaborative learning, informal learning and technology-based learning. Among these topics, I could not tell you what educational topics this 775-page textbook doesn't include.

What is Learning Science? I can't tell you. The main narrative Learning Science people seem to maintain about themselves, unfortunately, is a hokey critique of 'instructionism', which never seems to go further than some loose epistemological claims. Most of the research papers only mention Learning Science in the most trivial peripheral ways (for example, what contribution their paper might make to Learning Science). I do wonder if the contributors were pressured to explain their work in terms of Learning Science since almost all only to mention learning science in their last three or so paragraphs. It smells of academic tribalism, of someone, somewhere who was able to get some money from an educational agency and – being 'ambitious' – decided to establish something 'programmatic', which is the academic equivalent of starting a secret club when you're five.

That said, the book covers a wide variety of contemporary topics in educational research and all the articles are well written and researched. I am not sure I would recommend it as a textbook, but you could do worse.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good orientation to the field. The frameworks and techniques are well laid out, helping to understand the landscape for further learning. I particularly appreciated how much attention reflection and articulation get - lots of sharp observations there.
Just wish it dug deeper into note-taking techniques and testing approaches.

[Hezheng Yin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good overview of learning theory

[David Dâng]

开头对教授主义的抨击真是震耳欲聋。