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Learning Theories Simplified
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Are you struggling to get your head around John Dewey’s educational pragmatism? What exactly is Jean Piaget saying about cognitive development? Maybe you’re running out of time and patience making sense of Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction? Have you reached breaking point reading Daniel T. Willingham on educational neuroscience?

Written for busy teachers, students, trainers and managers, this 'dip-in, dip-out' guide makes theories of learning accessible and practical. It explores 134 classic and contemporary learning theorists in an easy-to-use, bite-sized format with clear relevant illustrations on how each theory will benefit teaching and learning.

Each model or theory is explained in less than 350 words, followed by a 'how to use it' section.

New to this third edition:

  • New section on cognitive learning theory, including Arthur Shimamura, Alison Gopnik, John Flavell and more
  • Enhanced critical perspectives offering a deeper examination of each theory's strengths and weaknesses 
  • A new entry on Gloria Ladson-Billings and Critical Race Theory in education

     


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    PART 1: CLASSICAL LEARNING THEORIES
     
    Section 1.1: Educational Philosophy
     
    Section 1.2: Behaviourism
     
    Section 1.3: Cognitivism
     
    Section 1.4: Humanism
     
    Section 1.5: Educational Neuroscience
     
    PART 2: CONTEMPORARY THINKING ON TEACHING AND LEARNING
     
    Section 2.1: Professionalism
     
    Section 2.2: Cognitive Learning Theory
     
    Section 2.3: Motivation
     
    Section 2.4: Behaviour Management
     
    Section 2.5: Coaching and Mentoring
     
    Section 2.6: Teamworking
     
    PART 3: AN INTRODUCTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD AND DEVELOPMENTAL STRATEGIES
     
    Section 3.1: Children and Society
     
    Section 3.2: Emotional Growth
     
    Section 3.3: Classroom Strategies
     
    Section 3.4: Working with Children with Additional Needs
     
    Section 3.5: Different School Approaches
     
    PART 4: PLANNING, DELIVERING AND ASSESSING LEARNING
     
    Section 4.1: Curriculum Planning
     
    Section 4.2: Lesson Planning
     
    Section 4.3: Delivering Learning
     
    Section 4.4: Assessment and Feedback
     
    Section 4.5: Evaluating Teaching and Learning
     
    A final word on TEACHING

    Really great book, very useful for my own studies for Level 5 Teaching diploma. But also great for our T-Level Early Years and Education course!

    Miss Emily Currie
    Education, Sparsholt College Hampshire
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    This is an excellent book.
    Both for new and existing teachers, the content on the book is easily presented and written in a user friendly manner.
    The content within is a huge help to my practice, and I would recommend it to any tutor, here you can dip in and out of the content to find information to help with a question or issue you are facing within the education setting.

    Mr Jordan Mark Jones
    Education, Doncaster College
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    For PGCE (PCET) students who have not completed an education studies programme prior to their course, this book has been invaluable to them.
    The theories are clearly outlined and discussed and help to 'springboard' their learning to other research and additional sources of information.
    Essential book for the last three years and will continue to be so.

    Mr Julian Ayres
    School of Education and Community, Wrexham Glyndwr University
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    An excellent resource. Some of the commentary takes a rather personal view, but this is a great contribution to the library for students to engage with.

    Mr Tim Palmer
    Music Education, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance
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    A super approachable application of learning theories in practice.

    Mrs Alison Dawn Milner
    Faculty of Education, Plymouth Marjon University
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    I used the previous edition. This books offers a great overview of a large number of theories/theorists in clear categories in an easy to digest way for level 5 students.

    Mrs Annamaria Berger-Jones Bergen-Jones
    Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences, Birmingham City University
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    I have just received my copy and want to read it carefully. Will definitely be using to reference theories in my lectures to start with - likely to adopt next year but module starts in Sept 2023 this year

    Mrs Dominique Simpson
    Faculty of Education, Birmingham City University
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    It is always good to have a range of books giving different viewpoints on educational theory and this one is easy to read and has become a 'go to' for my students.

    Mrs Elaine Battams
    Centre for Teaching and Learning, Barnfield College, Luton
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    This book is excellent for beginning to understand a range of theories which you can research further. Teacher trainee's find it very useful to help them with their studies.

    Mrs Jayne Double
    ECLIPS, Suffolk New College
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    There is a reason why this is a best selling book - it has everything! When you need to achieve a solid grounding in learning theory, this is the place to go. So often we (academics) are recommending books which focus too narrowly initially- this book enables you to appreciate the wider picture and then you can discover more from other sources as needed.

    Mrs Sarah Barton
    School of Education and Sociology (EDSOC), Portsmouth University
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    Sample Materials & Chapters

    Read a free sample chapter here