Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective

by Dale H. Schunk

A comprehensive look at the key theoretical principles, concepts, and research findings about learning, with special attention paid to how these concepts and principles can be applied in today’s classrooms.
This widely used and respected resource introduces readers to the key theoretical principles, concepts, and research findings about learning and helps them see how to apply that theory and research as educators. Learning Theories begins with a discussion of the relationship between learning theory and instruction. It then looks at the neuroscience of learning. Six chapters cover the major theories of learning ― behaviorism, social cognitive theory, information processing theory, cognitive learning processes, and constructivism. The following three chapters cover key topics related to learning ― motivation, self-regulated learning, and contextual influences. And the final chapter, Next Steps , helps students consolidate their views about learning. The 8th Edition has been significantly updated with a number of new features and the most current thinking and research.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Psychology, Textbooks, Teaching, School, Museology

608 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 1990

Reviews

[Ashley]

This book was so beneficial to me in my education class that I wish I had the hard copy book instead of just the online version. This book goes through twelve different chapters regarding learning theories and different lessons that teachers need to know like how to create and implement effective lesson plans, how to include those with diverse and exceptional needs, and how to motivate students to learn. I found myself using this textbook on nearly all of my assignments and research papers as there is just so much useful information that can be used for students in the education program and current teachers. Would recommend this textbook to those in the education program or for those seeking to do research regarding education.

[Megan]

Schunk offers valuable information in this textbook; however, it is poorly organized and many of the topics lack depth. This book was used for my PhD program and I expected more descriptions and explanations of the theories and experiments. This would be a satisfactory text for an undergraduate program.

[Natalie Goodman]

I felt like it was organized all wrong, and I about died trying to finish each chapter💀. For a book teaching you about teaching, you'd think it could maintain your attention better. Cognitive overload anyone?!

This book needs to be cut in half - bare minimum. I did however like the teaching applications scattered throughout.

I'm adding textbooks to my Goodreads because thats about all I read now and I want to make my goal 😆

[Shane McClendon]

This book is outside of my zone of proximal development

[JK]

This textbook is dry. The focus is on learning theories and their application to K-12 learners with occasional mention of adult learners. Note: multiple editions are available on Amazon, but the "Pearson New International Edition" (566 pages) that I bought and read provides the chapters in the wrong order (chapter 1, 3, 2, 5, 4...). The page numbers, on the other hand, appear as you might expect page numbers to appear--consecutively in order. This situation creates a mismatch between the jumbled chapters and the consecutive page numbers which, in turn, makes it impossible to use the index which is presumably referring to pagination for an edition which does not have the errors.

[Melissa Z]

While the learning theories and historical foundations were well researched, this textbook could benefit from a strong editorial review. The explanations were meandering and material felt somewhat unorganized. I found articles that better summarized the major learning theories so that I could gain a foundational understanding for instructional design.

[Mairilyn Yera]

A most read for professionals and anyone that wants to understand the many theories that explain how we learn. Extensive and well explained from the developmental perspective as well as from the theory movement, Schunk provide good examples, practical application and solid background research.

[Sarah]

Very technical. Read for school and not my particular age of interest but content was detailed and probably would be wonderful resource for someone more engaged with understanding processes of learning.

[Jey]

Soo much material here. Writing was fine, not too hard to understand but also not super engaging. This is a long one.

[Luis Ruben]

No se que poner

[Katie]

my prof made us read LITERALLY every single page of this so u better believe i'm counting it on here

[Justine]

Quite a dry, boring read, to be honest. This was an assigned textbook for my M.Ed program, and I frequently had to still refer to other books to get the gist of learning theories.

[Abby Morris]

for a book teaching about teaching this was so wordy

[Imam Sihombing]

Buku babon yang bagus sekali untuk mengetahui teori belajar yang real dalam kehidupan sehari-hari.

[✿ katherine ✿]

One more textbook down, too many more to go...

[Alaina Robinson]

It's a college textbook. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ ѕℓιм ☠︎︎༒︎✞︎]

I had to read this book for my "Learning Theory & Portfolio Development" class. This book was hardly used truth be told, but we had to read it for our class. Also, I did had to use it for two of my assignments. I can say that much, it did give out and pointed out useful information when it comes to children/students. I liked the book. Absorbing.

[Mel]

Este libro fue "sugerido" (compulsorio) por el profesor del curso Psicología del Aprendizaje como parte del material de repaso para la prueba de certificación de maestros aquí en Puerto Rico; el temido PCMAS.

Como el título implica, este libro es completamente sobre teorías del aprendizaje. Comienza con los origenes del aprendizaje moderno como parte de la cultura occidental que provienen de la antigua Grecia y Roma. El libro parte con Sócrates, mientras define lo que es el aprendizaje, y de ahí recorre todas las mayores teorías que han, de alguna manera u otra, influenciado la enseñanza actual.

El segundo capítulo está dedicado a la neurociencia del aprendizaje: tema de gran auge en la educación actualmente. El libro tiene 10 capítulos, todos comienzan de la misma forma, con un díalogo como ejemplo de una posible situacón que uno se puede encontrar. Luego el capítulo continua desglosando las diversas teorías que sirven para contrarrestar el problema, explicando las misma a fondo.

[Kristine Maglasang]

Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective

I am currently reading this book as of the moment. Definitely, will learn a lot on Schunk's book about Learning!

[Becky]

Starting grad school so more like this to follow. :) It is also the first college course I will use an ebook so we'll see how that works. The reading of it is fine, I'm just wondering how going back citing, highlighting and writing in the margins will feel...

[Rachel]

Textbook on learning theories

[Karina Andrea]

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[Justin Larsen]

Very interesting material. It provides a good breakdown of each the theories discussed. The only issue I had was that it was very repetitive. Because of this, the book was entirely too long.