How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition (Informal Learning)

After reading numerous books on educational psychology, in an attempt to inform my practice, I encountered this wonderful research text. "How People Learn" is written in a way that allows readers to synthesize the information into their everyday practice. The editors have included multi-disciplinary examples, in order to appeal to educators across the subject area spectrum, and these examples are straight forward and easy to understand. My experience reading psychology texts is that the examples to describe behavior studies are not well-suited for laypeople and impossible to apply to everyday practice, because they are often related to training animals to memorize simple tasks, rather than examples of strategies for classrooms of learners.The chapter on learning and transfer was useful for me, because my current studies focus on Kolb's Experiential Learning model. While the text did not include a lot of substance when it came to how to motivate students, more of an idea that motivation is key, it did emphasize that learners need to understand how a topic can relate to their life beyond the classroom. This speaks to me, because in my observations of students, I've seen that students are so product-focused, that they can't find value in doing work well, unless there is a grade attached; More often than focusing on developing their skills, students work on efficient models to get a finished product that can earn the best grade with the least work. The research in this book supports that both process and product are key to a learner's development, as well as meaningful assessment--not just handing out grades and moving on.This book is a valuable addition to the library of any educator who seeks to improve their practice through research. The only downside I can find is that many of the research sources were more than 20 years old, and most grad schools in education emphasize the need for recent (5 years old or less) research. I'm not sure if the age mattered, because the overall message was still useful, but it could indicate that the message was either biased or verging on obsolescence--though I didn't get that impression.

If you work in education, psychology, have children, or ANYTHING dealing with people, you need to read this. I can’t believe teachers are allowed to get a degree without reading this material.

Our college is developing peer mentoring programs for faculty and students. Part of the curriculum will feature material covering the science of learning and metacognition. This book has been a very practical resource in developing our curriculum because the material in the book addresses relevant research on both of these topics in an unaffected manner. Terminology is clearly explained, concepts are defined, and experiments and/or scientific inquiries are clearly summarized. Practical strategies discovered through research or practice in the classroom are identified.

As someone reading this outside the US, I found the agenda in the book quite interesting. Unsurprisingly about one third of the text is taking up with issues in mathematics and science teaching - a source of major concern in the industrialised West. Lots of advice on principles and techniques (more limited) are offered to the reader. The book's style is that of a report. Topics are numbered and flagged in bold print for your attention. The subsequent text expands on the issues at hand. A valuable component of the book is the number of case studies it references, and one presumes these have been carefully selected. Overall as a review of 'learning sciecne' I found this a most impressive work. My major quibble with it is that the chapter of Brain and Mind sticks out like a sore thumb, and personally I didn't take it to bring anything to the debate in the rest of the book.

It's a very dry read, and it feels like the author repeats themselves during the book.

I use How People Learn in my graduate school class entitled Applied Learning for School Leaders. The strength of this book as a text is that it looks at learning holistically, rather than subject by subject. The three principles can be used to guide understanding of learning whether it is in reading, mathematics, social studies, or science. Additionally, school leaders see the entire school, so approaching the subject holistically accommodates their needs better. My students like the book and express that it is more readable than the usual text book. Since their backgrounds are varied, the integrated approach also gives them lots of entrances into the material. I highly recommend this book for classes concerned with updating the knowledge base of practicing educators.

Everything is ok.Thanks !!!!!

I bought this book for one of my graduate classes. While I only used it for that one class, I cannot express how helpful it has been since graduating, leaving lasting impressions! The book discusses how people learn and how not all people learn the same. The book breaks down the processes of learning and discusses a variety of ways that people intake information and use that information in the everyday world! Whether you are visual learning, an audiological learner, or simply a hands on learner, this book is FOR YOU. Breaking down a wide variety of learning styles and explaining the process behind it, this book is a MUST have for teachers, leaders, or anyone working with others. If you ever wonder why your team doesn't quite get information the first time explaining it... this book answers that question and more! A must have for anyone working with others!

Brilliant book. Best book on education ever written. Love it!

Fantastic book - really well researched!

Book has arrived in excellent condition - thank you

I have had to read this book twice for different university course work and it is a great foundation in cognitive science for anyone interested in teaching and learning. I frequently reference it and am glad that I purchased a hard copy because I seem to return to it again and again.

Great overview of how we as educators can rethink the way we are learning for ourselves. When we learn differently we will see why it is so important to rethink the way we teach as well - because students deserve every possible learning opportunity in 2016.