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  • © 2020

Making Sense of Learning

A Research-Based Approach

  • Provides an overview of worldwide research related to education
  • Makes available what is directly relevant for the actual practice of teaching
  • Takes a rigorously academic approach but relates it to teaching and learning practicalities
  • Presents research findings in line with the findings of research

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education (SPTE)

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Table of contents (19 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxi
  2. Introduction

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 1-13
  3. How Do Students Learn?

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 15-42
  4. A World of Information

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 43-62
  5. Why Are Concepts Difficult?

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 63-87
  6. Learner Characteristics

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 89-113
  7. Models of the Curriculum

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 115-143
  8. School Subjects and the Curriculum

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 145-165
  9. Assessment Principles

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 167-192
  10. Assessment Practicalities

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 193-226
  11. Thinking Skills

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 227-252
  12. Beliefs and Attitudes

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 253-279
  13. The Development of Attitudes

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 281-309
  14. Practical Teaching

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 311-329
  15. Intelligence, Ability and Performance

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 331-359
  16. Developing Quality Education

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 361-384
  17. Making Sense of Statistics

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 385-410
  18. Myths and Mirages

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 411-430
  19. More Myths and Mirages

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 431-454
  20. Educational Futures

    • Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali
    Pages 455-481

About this book

This textbook brings together findings from global research on teaching and learning, with an emphasis on secondary and higher education. The book is unique in that the content is selected in an original way and its presentation reflects the most recent research evidence related to understanding. The book covers and presents themes that are based tightly on worldwide research evidence, scrupulously avoiding opinion or any dependence on the personal experience of the authors. The book starts by reflecting on educational research itself. The four chapters that follow relate the story of the research that shows how all humans learn and the variations within that framework. These chapters offer a tight framework that underpins much of the rest of the text. The next four chapters look at the way school curricula are organised and how the performance of learners can be assessed. They summarise the research evidence related to thinking skills and consider the importance of practical teaching. This is followed by two chapters that draw from the extensive social psychology research on attitude development as it applies in education, and then by two chapters that summarise the research related to major issues of controversy: the performativity agenda and the issue of quality. One chapter looks at the place of statistics in education. The next two chapters look at the evidence that can support or undermine many typical education beliefs, or myths and mirages. Finally, the last chapter brings it all together and looks into the future, pointing to some areas where future research is likely to be helpful, based on current knowledge.

Reviews

“Read and Ali’s book is an excellent exemplification of this principle, and of the tensions it creates. … Their approach to a textbook offers a model for educators of the process of designing teaching that will support learning by keeping things simple and constantly reviewing core principles. … ‘Making Sense of Learning’ is an impressive undertaking and should prove incredibly valuable to those for whom it was prepared.”(Keith S. Taber, Foundations of Chemistry, Vol. 23, 2021)

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Norman Reid

  • Beaconhouse Schools System, Lahore, Pakistan

    Asma Amanat Ali

About the authors

Norman Reid has taught at both secondary and university levels in his own science discipline, including a number of years as a head-teacher. He became director of a major research centre in education involving the supervision of large numbers of research students. He held chairs in two Scottish universities. A frequent international keynote speaker, he has published extensively. His areas of specialist interest include educational research, science education, attitude development, assessment, learner characteristics, educational statistics and quality assurance.

Following a career in teaching and the completion of a research degree, Asma managed the expansion of the International Baccalaureate (IB) across a range of schools in her native Pakistan, including policy-making and supporting teachers and head-teachers. She has been involved in educational developments across East Asia, is an experienced trainer, marker and examiner, and is currently the head of an IB College. Shehas numerous publications, especially in the areas of curriculum development, assessment and the nature of learning across the curriculum.


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Making Sense of Learning

  • Book Subtitle: A Research-Based Approach

  • Authors: Norman Reid, Asma Amanat Ali

  • Series Title: Springer Texts in Education

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53677-0

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Education, Education (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-53676-3Published: 26 August 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-53677-0Published: 25 August 2020

  • Series ISSN: 2366-7672

  • Series E-ISSN: 2366-7680

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXI, 496

  • Number of Illustrations: 306 b/w illustrations, 6 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Teaching and Teacher Education, Learning & Instruction, Schools and Schooling, Assessment, Testing and Evaluation

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access