Understanding Development and Learning

Michael C Nagel is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of the Sunshine CoastLaura Scholes is a Research Associate in the School of Early Childhood in the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology

• Chapter 1: What Is Learning? Defining teaching Defining learning A brief history of 'learning' and 'teaching' in Western schools Theories of 'learning', past and present Chapter 2: The Links between Human Development and LearningBasic issues in human developmentDomains of human developmentChapter 3: Understanding Brain DevelopmentThe developing brain-the early yearsStructures of the brainThe developing brain and adolescenceChapter 4: Learning, Thinking and IntelligenceMeasuring intelligenceNotions of multiple intelligencesThe neuroscience of intelligenceControversies over intelligenceChapter 5: Language Development and LearningLanguage development in childrenTraditional theories of language developmentLanguage and the brainMaturation and biological sex differencesEnhancing language developmentChapter 6: Memory and LearningThe neurobiology of memorySystems and stages of memoryWhat hinders memory and why we forgetEnhancing memory: educational and pedagogical considerationsChapter 7: Motivation and LearningThe neurobiology of motivationThe psychology of motivationUnderstanding contemporary learnersMotivation in school: affective and effective considerationsChapter 8: Inclusive LearningThose who can, doDifferent brains, different learnersReaching the hard-to-reach studentExtending the exceptional learnerChapter 9: Sociocultural Factors of LearningSome backgroundVygotskySociocultural theory of cognitive developmentBronfenbrennerEcological systems theoryBio-ecological modelGender, socio-economic background and culture in the classroomChapter 10: Nurturing LearningThe perils of standards and testingEnrichment does not mean more!Homework: a necessary evil?Stress and learning do not mixRising to the challengesThe creative arts and learningThe brain, movement and learningGlossaryReferencesIndex