Understanding How People Learn
Faculty members often begin course design by focusing on the course content - what to teach. It is equally important to consider what the students need to learn; and for this it may be helpful to understand how people learn. The following resources suggest how to incorporate research-based principles and theories of learning into course design.
General theories/models of learning
- How People Learn (National Resource Council)
- A comprehensive review of research on learning
- Executive summary - Theories into Practice (TIP) database
- Learner-centered psychological principles (APA)
- Learning theory mindmaps
- Perry's scheme of intellectual and ethical development
Theories of adult learning
DePaul Resources
Instructional Design and Development
- Writing course goals and learning objectives for online, hybrid, or web-enhanced courses.
- Identify and design learning activities and assessment tools to help online students achieve learning objectives.
Office for Teaching, Learning and Assessment
- Research on teaching and learning in higher education
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