Glossary

Achievement

Type of assessment that measures or describes what a student has learned

synonymous with “proficiency”

Action Learning

An educational programming format and “[p]rocess aimed at helping organizations solve real problems, while at the same time developing individuals and groups within the organization. Most often occurring in team situations, groups of learners ‘pinpoint the cause of problems, solve the problems, formulate goals, work toward achieving goals, establish a shared vision of the future, and work toward realizing [that shared vision]’ (Rothwell, 1999, p. 5)” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Action Research

A transfer of learning technique involving “[t]he application of research approaches (for example, ethnographic, descriptive, quasi-experimental, case study) to identify and find solutions to problems experienced with the learning transfer.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Activity Analysis

Procedures for curriculum development outlined by Bobbitt and Charters in the late 1910s and early 1920s that looked to daily activities in society to determine what should be taught and how curricular content should be applied, “emphasized efficiency, standardization, and specialization” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 43)

Affect

"mental disposition to learning" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p.3)

"the emotional interpretation of perceptions, information, or knowledge ... generally associated with one’s attachment (positive or negative) to people, objects, ideas, etc. ... asks the question 'How do I feel about this knowledge or information?'" (Huitt, 1999)

Along with cognition and conation, one of the three components of "the mind" in psychology;  see http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/conation.html for more information.

Agency

Ability to contribute to one’s own development

Aims

General direction and values driving an educational endeavor; more general than goals or objectives (Marsh & Willis, 2003)

Alignment
Pedagogical Alignment

"coordination of approaches to teaching that ensures maximum consistent effect" (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 154)

Analytic Memos

Assessment technique in which “[l]earners write a memo responding to a real-life problem or issue that demonstrates their analytical abilities” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 189)

Applications Notebook

A transfer of learning technique in which “[i]ndividuals keep notebooks of ideas that have worked or not worked in the process of applying their new learning or skills. They may also add other supporting material that could assist them in the applications process” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Apprenticeship

An educational programming format involving a “[f]ormal relationship between an employer and an employee by which the employee is trained for a craft or skill through practical experience under the supervision of experienced workers” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

Aptitude

Form of assessment that measures a student’s potential

Authentic Assessment

assessment that “is connected to the learners’ life circumstances, frames of reference, and values” (Wlodkowski 1997, p. 27).

Authentic Tasks

Tasks that “resemble as closely as possible the ways adult learners will express in their real lives what they have learned” (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 159)

Behaviorism

School of thought that concerns itself with observable behavior and views learning as a change in behavior as a response to a stimulus; see http://www.learnativity.com/edpsych.html for much more detail

Belief

“‘what we accept as truth’” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 11, citing Apps, 1996, p. 63)

Buzz Group

“A large group is divided into small ‘huddle’ groups for the purpose of discussing the subject matter at hand” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 176)

Case Studies

Assessment technique in which “[p]articipants analyze and give alternative solutions to an event, incident, or situation that is problematic” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 189)

Chunking

Memory strategy that involves "recoding of two or more initially independent pieces of information into a single unit" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 45)

Clinical Supervision

An educational programming format and “collegial practice designed to support and provide feedback to experienced staff who generally are good at what they do. The process, consisting of five steps (pre-observation conference, observation and data collection, analysis and strategy session, follow-up conference, and postconference analysis), is used to refine practice.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

Clinics

An educational programming format involving “[s]essions that focus on a single problem or skill as participants present case illustrations of practice problems to an expert or panel of experts. The experts serve in consultant roles.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

Clubs or other organizations

An educational programming format involving “[g]roups that frequently engage in activities that foster learning as part of their agenda (for example, hobby clubs, physical fitness groups, computer users groups), although sponsoring education and training programs are not their primary purpose. These groups can also be a small-group format, depending on the size of the club or group.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289-290)

Coaching

An educational programming format involving “[o]ne-on-one learning by demonstration and practice, with immediate feedback, conducted by peers, supervisors, and/or experts in the field” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

A transfer of learning technique involving “[p]eers or supervisors who assist learners in making specific changes in their life roles through asking questions, observing what they do, listening, providing feedback, and sharing experience and knowledge in a nonjudgmental manner.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Cognition

"thinking and knowing" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 31)

"'process of coming to know and understand; the process of encoding, storing, processing, and retrieving information ... generally associated with the question of 'what' (e.g., what happened, what is going on now, what is the meaning of that information.)" (Huitt, 1999)

Along with affect and conation, one of the three components of "the mind" in psychology;  see http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/conation.html for more information.

Cognitive Apprenticeship

"a form of scaffolding that occurs when a less skilled learner works at the side of an expert" (Collins, Brown, & Holum, 1991, and Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989, as cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 327)

Cognitive Inertia

resistance to cognitive change (Eggen & Kauchak, 2004)

Cognitive Knowledge

"knowledge about content" (Greenberg, 2000, p. 61)

Cognitive Psychology

Discipline created from the "fusion of experimental psychology ... and psychometrics" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 31)

Interested in what goes on inside the brain; but, since this is not observable, focus is on memory, learning, and problem solving (Ashman & Conway, 1997)

SEE ALSO: cognition

Cognitivism

School of thought that concerns itself with mental processes and views learning as a building process bound up with experience; see http://www.learnativity.com/edpsych.html for much more detail

Cohort Groups

An educational programming format in which “[g]roups of learners take a series of courses, workshops, or other learning experiences together over an extended time period. In addition to the content or skills being learned, instructors stress team building and participant support of one another” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Collaborative Learning

“the variety of educational approaches involving joint intellectual efforts by learners …. In these situations, adults are working in groups … mutually constructing understanding …” (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 155)

Collaborative Research Project

An educational programming format involving “[g]roups of people working together to respond to research questions related to practice. The final product includes both research findings and conclusions, and an action plan related to these materials” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Community Action Groups

An educational programming format involving “[g]roups formed for the primary purpose of social action (for example, church groups, human rights groups, civic organizations). Although their primary purpose may not be learning, many of these groups organize activities that foster learning and development” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 291)

Community Development

An educational programming format “[c]entered on educators who serve as resource people or consultants to action-oriented groups focusing on community change. The community serves as the laboratory for learning” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 291)

Community Resource Centers

An educational programming format involving “[c]enters that offer learning opportunities to individuals and groups within the community. Examples of these types of centers include museums, libraries, community schools, and learning exchanges.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 291)

Competence

“The concept of competence refers ... to a person’s being qualified in a broader sense. It is not merely that a person masters a professional area, but also that the person can apply this professional knowledge—and more than that, apply it in relation to the requirements inherent in a situation which perhaps in addition is uncertain and unpredictable. Thus competence also includes the person’s assessments and attitudes, and ability to draw on a considerable part of his/her more personal qualifications. (Jørgensen 1999, p. 4)” (Illeris, 2007, p. 135)

Note: Competence is a larger concept than “qualifications” in that certain qualifications (i.e., abilities, knowledge) will be required in order to be deemed competent in a particular role. (See Illeris, 2007, pp. 134-137, for more information.) Also includes the ability to extrapolate from what is being learned and apply it in the workplace.

“evidence that one is effective at what one values” (Wlodkowski 1997, p. 27)

Conation

"The aspect of mental processes or behavior directed toward action or change and including impulse, desire, volition, and striving" (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/conative)

Associated with such words and phrases as proactivity, intention, volition, will, choice, self-direction, self-regulation, personal efficacy (Huitt, 1999)

Along with cognition and affect, one of the three components of "the mind" in psychology;  see http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/conation.html for more information.

Concepts

"mental structures that categorize set of objects, events, or ideas" (Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 312)

A way to simplify our world by grouping similar ideas, things, etc. together

Conferences and Conventions

An educational programming format involving “[o]ne or more days of meetings, one of the primary purposes of which is education—to present information, exchange experiences, improve skills, learn new skills, engage in problem-solving activities, and/or establish learning networks. Sessions include large- and small-group meetings, networking, and a variety of formal and informal instructional strategies are used” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Connectionism

A stimulus-response approach that defines learning in terms of an association or “connection” between a stimulus and a response; Thorndike’s response to faculty psychology; see http://tip.psychology.org/thorn.html for greater detail.

Constructivism

Educational theory that says "'knowledge is personal, and arises out of experiences and interactions of which are unique to each individual' [and] the teacher's role is to 'facilitate personal learning by establishing a community of learners, and by making it clear to the student that he or she is part of that community'" (unknown source cited in Baines & Stanley, 2000, p. 2)

"'philosophy, or belief, that learners create their own knowledge based on interactions with their environment including their interactions with other people'" (Draper, 2002, p. 522, as cited in White-Clark, DiCarlo, & Gilchriest, 2008, p. 41)

Aka student-centered learning (Baines & Stanley, 2000; White-Clark, DiCarlo, & Gilchriest, 2008)

Associated with "guide on your side" approaches

Construct Validity

Type of validity describing an instrument’s ability actually get at the psychological construct or concept it is supposed to be measuring; see http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/intro/testval.html for more information

Content Analysis

“alternative to task analysis … [which] is approapriate when the material to be learned can not be easily divided into tasks or when acquiring information is the primary learning outcome” (Dean, 2004, p. 99)

Content, Curricular
Content of Education
Content Domain

"what the participants are intended to learn" (Illeris, 2007, p. 243)

“‘the specific domain of knowledge, skills, abilities, processes, and affect being addressed during the teachinig and learning exchange’”; also known as “‘curriculum, subject matter, or program” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 17, citing Heimlich & Norland, 1994, p. 51)

“what we teach” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 17)

Content Validity

Type of validity describing the ability of the test questions to truly represent the totality of the content whose mastery the test is supposed to measure; see http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/intro/testval.html for more information

Context

“the complex milieu in which planning occurs” (Sork, 2000, p. 181)

Correspondence

An educational programming format involving “[p]repared printed instructional materials (for example, course syllabi, manuals, texts, worksheets) that are delivered to the home or office. Participants engage in reading and/or other learning activities and send assignments to instructors to evaluate” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 290)

Course of Studies

“listing … of a sequence of courses” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 12)

Courses
Classes

An educational programming format involving “[g]roups with a definite enrollment that meet at predetermined times for the purpose of learning a specified content area under the direction of an instructor.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

Criterion Validity

Type of validity describing an instrument’s ability to predict the individual’s ability in another area; see http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/intro/testval.html for more information

Critical incident

Instructional technique in which “participants are asked to describe an important incident related to a specific aspect of their lives. This incident is then used as a basis for analysis” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 177)

Critical Theory

“analysis of society and its relationship to education” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 141)

"Critical theory is concerned with change—particularly fundamental social changed that reduces or eliminates oppression” (Sork, 2000, p. 176)

Critical Thinking

when used in the context of learning strategies, refers to “how one discriminates and reflects upon learning material” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184)

Culture

"deeply learned mix of language, beliefs, values, and behaviors that pervade every aspect of our lives" (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 141)

Currere

“the course of one’s experience, made meaningful by remembering and reflecting on one’s past and projecting one’s hopes for the future” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 141)

coined by William Pinar

from the same root as “curriculum”

Curriculum

What is taught, how it is taught, and the reasons these things get taught as they do (mine)

“an interrelated set of plans and experiences that a student undertakes under the guidance of the school” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 13)

Includes the definitions of syllabus, course of studies, and curriculum guide, but is much more (Marsh & Willis, 2003)

"the information to be learned" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 2)

Curriculum-Based Assessment

Assessment of "'school' learning" (Greenberg & Williams, 2002)

Curriculum-Centered Teaching

Greenberg 6/3/09: see subject-centered teaching

Curriculum Guides

Documents that “typically include not only listings of content but also detailed analyses of basic concerns such as desirable aims and objectives, specific materials and activities, and possible experiences and forms of evaluation, along with explicit recommendations for interrelating them for optimal effect” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p 12)

Curriculum Models

“generic descriptions of curricula used to identify the basic considerations involved in curriculum decisions” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 366)

Curriculum Theory
Curriculum Theories

“sets of principles and methods sufficiently worked out and rationalized to provide a guide for creating curricula” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 366)

In the classical sense, has to do with choosing the content to be taught and identifying the forms that teaching will take (Illeris, 2007)

Nowadays, also includes

• curricular objectives
• curriculum planning, implementation, & evaluation
• description of the participants
• teaching methods to use
• rationale for the teaching being recommended
• explanation of the curriculum's role vis a vis society

(Illeris, 2007)

Curriculum Theorizing

“the ongoing process involved in creating curriculum theories” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 366)

Decision Support Labs

An educational programming format in which “[g]roups of learners, using an interactive computer network, make group decisions and learn a variety of decision-making and problem-solving techniques” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Declarative Knowledge

"specific detail"; facts (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 3)

Demonstration with Return Demonstration

Instructional technique in which “a resource person performs a specified operation or task, showing others how to do it. The participants then practice the same action” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 177)

Devices

“things such as visual aids which support the technique and facilitate the learning” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 181, citing Verner, 1959)

Documented Problem Solutions

Assessment technique in which “participants document specifically how they have solved a problem in their own or a simulated context” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 189)

Dynamic Assessment

"A systematic approach to documenting change ... in a learner's cognitive functioning [and/or affect/motivation] ... in response to [an] intervention ... [that was selected] according to the needs of the learner when approaching a given task" (Greenberg, 2009)

Ecological Validity

Lab research that is transferable to a “real world” environment such as a classroom; a.k.a. “contextual science” (NOTE: Ecological validity is problematic because it is culture specific.)

Educational Psychology

The practice of education informed by theory and knowledge developed in the scientific discipline of psychology with the intention of improving the practice of education

Educational Tours

An educational programming format “in which participants travel for a longer period of time (for example, one week to a month) for the express purpose of learning about educational systems and programs, often in cultural settings different than their own situations. Activities include visits to different types of programs, sessions with educational leaders and teachers, conversations with learners, and touring of cultural sites” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Effectiveness

“the learners’ awareness of how well they know or can apply what they’ve learned” (Wlodkowski 1997, p. 27)

Epistemology

"the study of the origin, nature, limits, and methods of knowledge" (Shunk, 1999, p. 15)

Espoused Theory

what teachers have been taught and intend to do (Dean, 2004, citing Schön, 1987)

Evaluation

“determining the value or worth of something” (Dean, 2004, p. 110)

Everyday Learning

“learning which occurs informally and apparently by chance in everyday life as one moves around the spaces of one’s life without consciously intending to learn anything, but often busily absorbed in getting everything to function, and more or less understanding it” (Illeris, 2007, p. 215)

Everyday Learning Space

“daily contexts where we are seldom oriented towards learning but, nevertheless, learn quite a lot” (Illeris, 2007,p. 215)

Executive Function

"metaphor for a controlling agent capably of performing intelligent assessment of the activities occurring within the brain" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 47)

Exercise
Structured Experience

Instructional technique in which “people participate in planned exercises or experiences, usually using some instrument or guide, with a focus towards learning about and discussing their feelings, beliefs, values, and attitudes” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

Exhibits

An educational programming format involving “[a] stationary display of ideas, products, and/or processes” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 290)

Experimental Psychology

"study of psychological phenomena using controlled, scientific methods" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 31)

Faculty Psychology

The idea that human mind is made up separate faculties which can be exercised/developed just like a muscle and, therefore, needs an educational system that helps students discipline their minds, emphasizing intellectual pursuits over emotional or volitional needs. Discredited by Thorndike and replaced by connectionism.

Feedback

“information that learners receive about the quality of their performance on a given task” (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 159)

Field Trip

An educational programming format in which “[a] group visits a work or other situation that is similar to theirs for on-site observation and learning, usually of a short duration (one or two days). Field visits provide the opportunity for further experiences with people, places, and situations that cannot be found in a formal classroom setting.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Follow-Up Sessions

A transfer of learning technique involving “[e]ducation and training programs, conducted face to face, via video or audio conferencing, or online, that all participants are expected to take part in that reinforce and extend the learning from the original activity.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Formative Evaluation

“Evaluation done to improve or change a program while it is in progress” (p. 225)

Frame Factors

constraints on the “‘intellectual space and the space for action within the process, which the actors at each point of time during the process cannot influence or perceive they cannot influence in the short run’” (Sork, 2000, p. 181, citing Elgstrom and Riis, 1992, p. 104)

Functionalism

Understanding of “the mind” that describes various mental states (e.g. pain, fear, emotion, faith) in terms of what they do—the functions that they perform; “rather than focusing on the elements of consciousness, functionalists focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior” (Van Wagner, n.d.); a response to structuralism; advocated by William James; more information available at http://www.mind.ilstu.edu/curriculum/modOverview.php?modGUI=44.

Goals
Learning Goals

Statements of educational intent; more specific than aims, less specific than objectives (Marsh & Willis, 2003)

"general statement of what is desired for the learner to know, do, or feel as a result of the learning experience" (Dean, 2004, p. 105); usually broad and able to be subdivided into multiple learning objectives

Hidden Curriculum

“the daily school routines that are not laid down in the curriculum or anywhere else, but which nevertheless play a strong part in socialization through their constant daily repetition, year in, year out (Illeris, 2007, p. 218)

"unplanned experiencing of things such as the taken-for-granted rules, rituals, and regulations of the school" (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 9)

In-Basket Exercise

“a form of simulation that focuses on the ‘paper symptoms’ of a job, participants respond to materials people might have in their in-baskets in a work situation” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 177)

Individual Learning Plans

A transfer of learning technique involving “[a]n outline of what learning objectives participants wish to pursue, how they will go about their learning, how and who will evaluate what they have learned, and a timeline for completing the plan.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Interests

“motives or tendencies to action that constantly arise and are modified as individuals interact with their changing environments. These interests may be healthy or unhealthy, superficial or profound, of short or long duration, but they are always forcefully felt impulses toward activities that the curriculum can work in concert with or channel into more worthwhile directions” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 26)

Institutes

An educational programming format involving “[i]ntensive sessions, usually over several days, emphasizing the acquisition of knowledge and skill in a specialized area of practice” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 290)

Instructional Design

“systematic decision-making process that helps educators plan educational activities” (Dean, 2004, p. 93, citing Dean, 2002)

Intrinsic Motivation

“an evocation; it is energy called forth by circumstances that connect with what is culturally significant to people” (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 143)

Intrinsic Motivation, Theories of

“set of motivational theories [that argue] it is part of human nature to be curious, to be active, to initiate thought and behavior, to make meaning from experience, and to be effective at what we value” (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 143)

Involvement

"quantity and quality of the physical and psychological energy that students invest in the college experience" (Rovai, Wighting, & Lucking, 2004, p. 265, citing Astin, 1984)

Job Aids

A transfer of learning technique involving “[m]echanisms for providing information, such as written checklists and charts, work samples, websites, and audio or videotapes, that give short and clear directions on how to do specific tasks or functions.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Job Rotation
Guided Internship

A transfer of learning technique in which “[l]earners take on all or part of another person’s job responsibilities that are different from their present position, with planned supervisory sessions with a person competent in this new role or function.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Knowledge Base

Total of all knowledge accumulated that is used by learner (Ashman, 1997)

Aka cognitive model (Askell-Williams & Lawson, 2006)

What learners already know or have experienced

Latent Variables

Constructs that cannot be directly observed in study participants; variables whose values are inferred from the values of other, observed variables

Learning

"a naturally active and normally volitional process of constructing meaning from information and experience" (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 142, citing Lambert & McCombs, 1998)

“a cognitive process that is influenced by a variety of other elements: (a) existing or prior knowledge that the learner has; (b) attitudes and beliefs, held by the learner, toward the source, content, topic, and mode of presentation; and (c) the state of the learner, e.g., whether the learner is rested, tired, well, sick, angry, anxious, and so forth” (Long, 2004, p. 31)

"acquisition of knowledge through interactions with, and observations of, the physical world and the creatures that inhabit it" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 1)

"any process that in living organisms leads to permanent capacity change and which is not solely due to biological maturation or ageing" (Illeris, 2007, p. 3)

"involves the acquisition and modification of knowledge, skills, strategies, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors" (Shunk, 1999, p. 1)

"'enduring change in behavior, or in the capacity to behave in a given fashion, which results from practice or other forms of experience'" (Shuell, 1986, as quoted in Shunk, 1999, p. 2)

"to be confused, uncertain and to fail frequently" (McWilliams, 2008, p. 268)

NOTE: I find all of these definitions helpful. McWilliams is especially helpful in that it sets the context for the best learning. I like Illeris' definition because it is so broad. The behaviorists can embrace it, yet it does not completely offend cognitivist or constructivist sensabilities. It also does not commit to one side or the other in the aquisition v. participation debate.

Learning Cities

An educational programming format involving “[a] geographic entity, like a town, city, region, or even a village, that harnesses and integrates its ‘economic, political, educational, social, cultural, and environmental structures toward developing the talents and human potential of all its citizens’ (Longworth, 1999, p. 110). The glue that holds these cities together is a focus on learning for the common good of all, and the ability to reach out to other cities and establish linkages among these communities” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 291)

Learning Environment

“all of the physical surroundings, psychological or emotional conditions, and social or cultural influences affecting the growth and development of an adult engaged in an educational enterprise” (Hiemstra, 1991, p. 8)

“the quality of every detail in the environment within which your programs are held and how they contribute to attendee learning” (p. 339-340, citing Finkel, 1996, p. 982)

Learning Style

“‘the complext manner in which, and conditions under which, learners most efficiently and more effectively perceive, process, store, and recall what they are attempting to learn’” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 15, citing James & Blank, 1993, 47-48)

“individual characteristic ways for processing information, feeling, and behaving in learning situations … a person’s consistent way of responding and using stimuli in order to learn” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184)

Learning Strategy
Learning Strategies

“techniques or specialized skills that the learner has developed to use in both formal and informal learning situations. While learning styles refer to the inherent ways that people process information, learning strategies deal with the way people approach specific learning situations. They are external behaviors developed by an individual through experiences with learning which the learner ‘elects to use in order to accomplish a learning task’ (Fellenz & Conti, 1989, p. 7)” (p. 184); “includes the five conceptual areas of metacognition, metamotivation, memory, critical thinking, and resource management” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184)

"cognitive plans oriented toward successful task performance" (Shunk, 1999, p. 382)

"plans for accomplishing specific learning goals" (Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 330)

NOTE: plans of attack related to learning; way one goes about learning in a given context or with a given type of learning task (learning from books requires different strategies than learning from an expert lecturer)

Learning Task Analysis

“the process used to identify what the learners need to learn in order to perform the skills identified [through] procedural task analysis” (Dean, 2004, p. 99); involves identifying what learners already know or need to know prior to learning the new skill

Lecture Series

An educational programming format involving “[a] series of presentations by one or more speakers who offer material on a given topic over a specified period of time” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 290)

Listening Circle

Instructional technique in which “[t]he main focus ... is to listen closely to what each participant is saying about a question or topic that is raised and to suspend his or her own thinking about the topic at the same time. A person speaks only when they have the symbol (where possible, from indigenous peoples) to talk, which is passed around the circle while the other learners listen intently to what is being said. The keys to this process are to ask all participants to guard against thinking about how they want to respond, and to make connections to what others are saying, and above all, to just listen” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

Meaning

“an increase in the complexity of an experience or idea that relates to people’s values or purposes” (Wlodkoski, 2004, p 148, citing Wlodkowski, 1999)

Occurs when new learning is linked to what one already knows (Shunk, 1999)

Mediated Learning Experience

Way of conceptualizing the teacher-learner interaction that places the teacher (a.k.a. mediator) between the stimulus and the learner and between the learner and the response; in other words, the teacher-turned-mediator helps the student process or filter the stimulus and responses; main concern is how a student processes information about learning; developed by Feuerstein

Memory

when used in the context of learning strategies, refers to “storage, retention, and retrieval of knowledge” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184)

"metaphor to help us describe a complex brain function ... refers to both the 'place' where information is held, and also to the stored information" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 32)

NOTE: Spence's (2001) observation is important here: "The brain represents rather than records reality."

Mentoring

An educational programming format involving “[a]n intense, caring relationship in which someone with experience works with a less experienced person to promote both professional and personal growth. Mentors model expected behavior and values and provide support and a sounding board for the mentoree.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

A transfer of learning technique involving “[a] caring relationship in which a person with more experience works over an extended time period with a less experienced person to promote professional and/or personal development, through guidance, feedback, support, sharing of resources, and access to networks of other helpful people.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Metacognition
Meta-Cognitive Knowledge

when used in the context of learning strategies, refers to “thinking about the process of learning and emphasizes self-regulatory tactics used to ensure success in the learning endeavor” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184)

"'knowledge and cognition about cognitive phenomena' (p. 906)" (Flavell, 1979, as quoted in Orechkina & Greenberg, 2007)

"awareness of how we perform cognitive tasks (that is, our awareness of how we think)" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 48)

"requires not only an awareness of cognition (that is, an understanding of the information processing involved in complex skills) but also comptetence in planning, monitoring, self-questioning, and self-directing" (Brown et al, 1983, as cited in Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 50)

"knowledge about how to explore, plan, and express what they are learning regarding the content knowledge" (Greenberg, 2000, p. 61)

"awareness of and control over one's own cogntive processes" (Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 330)

NOTE: Ashman & Conway's parenthetical definition is sufficient: knowing how we think. Flavell's is useless.

Meta-Evaluation

evaluation of evaluation

Metamemory

"what we know about how we remember information" (Ashman & Conway. 1997, p. 48); predecessor term to metacognition

Metamotivation

when used in the context of learning strategies, refers to “how individuals build and maintain internal motivation to complete learning tasks” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184)

Metaphor Analysis

Instructional technique in which “participants construct metaphors—concrete images—that describe, a parallel yet different way, a phenomenon being discussed” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

Meta-Strategic Knowledge

"knowledge about how to plan, revise, and use personal learning strategies" (Greenberg, 2000, p. 61)

Methods

“tools to use within the instructional process to enhance the teaching and learning encounter” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 18)

“identifies the ways in which people are organized in an educational activity and … establishes a relationship between the learner and the agency providing the educational activity” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 181, citing Verner, 1959)"

Model

“models were simply idealized versions of what someone else thought I should be doing” (Sork, 2000, p. 179)

Motivation

In Illeris' (2007) 3-dimensional learning model, is a key part of the incentive dimension

"not necessarily the same as desire" (Illeris, 2007, p. 251)

"the natural human capacity to direct energy in the pursuit of a goal" (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 142)

Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching

Developed by Wlodkowski & Ginsberg (1995)

"a model for teaching and for planning instruction based on the principle that individual motivation is inseparable from culture. It offers a pedagogical approach for creating learning experiences that evoke the intrinsic motivation of all learners" (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 142)

"combines four essential motivational conditions that in concert evoke instrinsic motivation among culturally diverse adult learners" (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 144)

Motivational Strategy

“deliberate teacher action or instructional process that is likely to enhance the participant’s motivation to learn” (Wlodkowski 1997, p. 23, citing Wlodkowski, 1985).

Multidimensional Sharing

motivational strategy used for establishing inclusion which “includes those occasions … when people have a better chance to see one another as complete and evolving human beings who have mutual needs, emotions, and experiences” (Wlodkowski, 2004, p. 155, citing Wlodkowski, 1999); “more substantive … [and] less gamelike and intrusive” (p. 155) than ice breakers

Mutuality

"the relation that occurs when two people attend to each other as whole persons, confirming one another’s humanity and becoming authentic persons through the relation " (Berry, 1984, as cited in Greenberg & Williams, 2002, p. 12-13.)

Characteristics include "openness, flexibility, spontaneity, and a willingness to be changed by the relationship" (Greenberg & Williams, 2002, p. 14)

NOTE: Greenberg & Williams say it is a characteristic of group learning. I would argue it is a prerequisite--you cannot have a learning community without it. Everyone must feel as though they are more-or-less equals, that they have similar opportunity/ability to contribute or there is no community.

Need(s)

“worthwhile directions in which the individual’s impulses should flow, whether the individual is consciously aware of them or not” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 26)

"a discrepancy or gap between what presently is and what should be” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 114)

Needs Assessment, Highly Structured

“a systematic way, usually involving a rather lengthy process and based on formal needs assessment models or analyses for identifying education and training problems, needs, issues, and the like” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 123)

Networking

A transfer of learning technique involving “[l]oosely configured groups of participants and others who have similar experiences, interests, problems, or ideas who communicate online and/or in person for the purposes of giving and receiving information and providing mutual support and assistance.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Networks

An educational programming format involving “[l]oosely configured groups of people with similar experiences, interests, problems, or ideas who come together to give and receive information and to provide mutual support and assistance” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Null Curriculum

What is NOT taught in a curriculum; attributed to Eisner (Marsh & Willis, 2003)

Objectives
Learning Objectives

Most specific statements of educational intent

"statements that specify what is to be learned" (Dean, 2004, p. 105)

One-Legged Conference

A transfer of learning technique involving “[b]rief conversations, often held in hallways or at someone’s door, to get some quick answers to "here and now" applications questions.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Job-Embedded Training

An educational programming format involving “[i]nstruction provided by experienced individual or groups of workers, either peers or supervisors, to new employees or volunteers while both are on the job and engaged in productive work. ‘The experienced employer [or volunteer] demonstrates and discusses new areas of knowledge and skill and then provides opportunities for practice and feedback’ (Jacobs, 1992, p. 499).” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

Operations
Operational

Word Piaget used in place of “logic;” thus his pre-operational stage is actually a “pre-logic” phase.

Personality

“a consistent way of behaving … a multidimensional construct composed of at least eight properties: (1) physique; (2) temperament; (3) intellectual and other abilities; (4) interests and values; (5) social attitudes; (6) motivational dispositions; (7) expressive and stylistic traits; and (8) pathological trends” (Long, 2004, p. 32, citing Hilgard & Atkinson, 1967)

Popular Theater

An educational programming format which “[i]nvolves participants identifying, interpreting, and acting out their ‘own social, economic, cultural, and political conditions’ (Bates, 1996, p. 225) with the purpose of spawning collective action aimed at changing these conditions in their own communities. This form of theater allows learners to develop and reflect on their own aims and objectives and gives facilitators an opportunity to build on the social and cultural backgrounds of the participants” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 291)

Portfolios

A transfer of learning technique in which “[a] structured set of accomplishments that demonstrate through selected artifacts, such as technology-based, audio, or written materials, and evaluations by others, the attainment of specific competencies, standards, or outcomes” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Postmodern

“postmodern analysis involves challenging ‘generally accepted’ notions and deconstructing dominant discourses” (Sork, 2000, p. 175)

Praxis

“posing and solving problems through reflexivity” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 141)

"complex activity by which individuals create culture and society, and become critically conscious human beings. Praxis comprises a cycle of action-reflection-action which is central to liberatory education. Characteristics of praxis include self-determination (as opposed to coercion), intentionality (as opposed to reaction), creativity (as opposed to homogeneity), and rationality (as opposed to chance)" from http://www.sef.org.pk/educatewebsite/educate2fol/glosiconedu2.asp

Private Speech

"set of speech phenomena that has a self-regulatory function but is not socially communicative" (Fuson, 1979, as cited in Schunk, 1999, p. 366)

Problem

“any situation in which a learner wants to achieve a goal for which an obstacle exists” (Wlodkowski 1997, p. 27).

Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

"teaching strategy that uses problems as the focus for developing content, skills, and self-direction" (Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Soloway, 1994, and Richason, 2001, as cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 329)

Instructional technique in which “[t]he content for the instruction is centered on fundamental or critical problems of practice. Participants focus on solving the presented problems with the end product being enhanced problem-solving skills, content knowledge related to the problems presented, and improved thinking skills” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

Problem-Solving

"application of knowledge to achieve a desired outcome" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 1)

Procedural Knowledge

How to; also known as "process knowledge" (Ashman & Conway, 1997)

"processes we use to perform a task" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 42)

Procedural Task Analysis

identification of “‘the steps in the process of performing a task or skill’” (Dean, 2004, p. 98, citing Gagne, Briggs, & Wager, 1988, p. 143); involves detailed description of the procedure to be taught/learned, recognition of individual tasks/steps involved, and ordering of the tasks

Program Evaluation

“process used to determine whether the design and delivery of a program were effective and whether the proposed outcomes were met” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 225)

Program Format

“how education and training activities are structured and organized” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 287)

Progressive Education

Educational movement of the early 20th Century that saw schools as responsible for improving individuals’ lives; during this time period, schools tailored their programs to the groups they served, became concerned with such topics/issues as vocation, health, and quality of life, and based their methods on scientific advances in the social sciences (Marsh & Willis, 2003, citing Cremin, 1961)

Psychometrics

"measurement of psychological variables including human performance" (Ashman & Conway, 1997, p. 31)

Quiet meeting

Instructional technique in which “[p]articipants who know each other sit quietly and reflect on a topic or question, sharing from time to time an idea on the area presented. No reaction is given to these comments …. The power of this technique is in the silence, not the talking or listening” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 177)

Reflective Practice

Instructional technique involving “thoughtful reflection on one’s actions, focusing on alternative ways one would approach a similar problem or incident, which can be done individually, as part of a small group discussion or some combination of the two” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

A transfer of learning technique involving “[t]houghtfully reflecting on one’s actions, including the assumptions and feelings associated with those actions, either during an event or after an event has occurred.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Reflexivity

self-analysis

Reliability

Trueness or consistency of an instrument; ability to produce similar results with similar groups across time and location; requires validity

Research

A systematic process for collecting and analyzing verifiable data in service of a particular problem

Residential Learning

An educational programming format in which“[p]articipants live and learn together, 24 hours a day, as they complete a common program. The residential experience could be part of a larger program, which also includes other formats, or a stand-alone event. Residential programs are hosted in a variety of venues, such as retreat centers, university conference centers, and outdoor settings” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 290, citing Fleming, 1998)

Resource Management

when used in the context of learning strategies, refers to “how learners identify and critically appropriate sources of information for the learning task” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 184-185)"

Role

“a socially ascribed set of rights and obligations” (Long, 2004, p. 34)

Scaffolding

"process of providing support that can be slowly removed as the student acquires the cognitive strategy ... [includes] procedural prompts, teaching the cognitive strategy in small steps, regulating the difficulty of the material, and thinking aloud as choices are made" (Greenberg, 2000, p. 64)

Appropriate assistance given when a learner would not be able to master new material without it; coined by Bruner; see http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/fis/scaffold/page1.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructional_scaffolding for more details

School Climate

A dynamic component of school culture having to do with school community members' perception of the school community.  Climate allows community members to differentiate their school environment from others' and affects individuals' behavior (Rovai, Wighting, & Lucking, 2004, citing Tagiuri, 1968, Hoy & Miskel, 2001, and Owens, 1987.)

School Culture

Includes physical (e.g., temperature, lighting, noise), psychological (e.g., satisfaction, openness, morale, collaboration), and institutional (e.g., values, beliefs, rules) characteristics of school environment  (Rovai, Wighting, & Lucking, 2004, citing Lezotte et al, 1980)

School Environment

"loose concept ... can include both psychological and nonpsychological variables" (Rovai, Wighting, & Lucking, 2004, p. 264, citing Deal, 1993)

sometimes used synonymously with "school culture" and "school climate"

Schooling

“a social response that society has made in recognition of the innate human drive to learn as well as of society’s need to reproduce itself in order to survive” (Long, 2004, p. 26); not the same thing as “learning”

Self-Directed Learning

An educational programming format and “[a] form of study in which learners have the primary responsibility for planning, carrying out, and evaluating their own learning experiences. Adults use people, such as friends, family, and content experts, and other types of resources (for example, websites, travel, books) in this process. A personalized learning plan or contract is often used to document this type of format.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 288)

"an approach where learners are motivated to assume personal responsibility and collaborative control of the cognitive (selfmonitoring) and contextual (self-management) processes in constructing and confirming meaningful and worthwhile learning outcomes" (Garrison, 1997)

Self-Efficacy

A student’s confidence in his/her own abilities to master/overcome a challenge; associated with Bandura

Self-Instruction

In Reinforcement Theory, a subprocess of self-regulation involving "discriminative stimuli that set the occasion for self-regulatory responses leading to reinforcement" (Schunk, 1999, p. 362)

Self-Monitoring

In Reinforcement Theory, a subprocess of self-regulation involving "deliberate attention to some aspect of one's behavior" (Schunk, 1999, p. 360)

Self-Regulation
Self-Regulated Learning

"process whereby learners systematically direct their thoughts, feelings, and actions toward the attainment of their goals" (Schunk & Zimmerman, 1994, 1998, as cited in Schunk, 1999, p. 355)

Self-Reinforcement

In Reinforcement Theory, a subprocess of self-regulation "whereby individuals provide themselves with a reinforcement contingent on their performing a response and that increases the likelihood of future responding" (Mace et al, 1989, as cited in Schunk, 1999, p. 363)

Self-Report Evaluation Surveys

Assessment technique in which “[l]earners respond to structured or open-ended questions or matrixes and describe what they have learned” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 189)

Seminars

An educational programming format which focuses “on learning from discussions of knowledge, experiences, and projects of group members. Participants in these groups have knowledge and skills in the content of the seminar. Instructors act primarily as resource persons and facilitators.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Simulations

“learning procedures that include role playing, exercises, and games that allow participants to practice and apply their learning in ungenuine yet sufficiently realistic contexts”(Wlodkowski 1997, p. 27).

allows learners to make meaning, gain proficiency, and develop empathy while experiencing situations similar to real life (Wlodkowski, 2004, citing Meyers & Jones, 1993)

Situated Cognition

View of learning that recognizes that knowledge/meaning develops amid everyday experiences, meaning it is contextual and subject to cultural bias; associated with Lauren Resnick

Socratic Dialogue

Instructional technique: “Through interaction with an expert, whose role it is to provide examples and guiding questions, learners are challenged to solve problems through clear reasoning and thinking” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

Stakeholder Evaluation Model

Evaluation in which stakeholder get involved in all aspects of the evaluation, including planning, data collection, and analysis.

Strategy Value Information

Information that demostrates the value of using a particular strategy; given to students to try to convince them to adopt the strategy (Schunk, 1999)

Structural Equation Modeling

Another name for Path Analysis

Structuralism

School of thought that attempted to understand human consciousness by “breaking down mental processes into the most basic components” (Van Wagner, n.d.); advocated by Wundt

Student Language

How a student describes the process of learning in his/her own words (Ashman & Conway, 1997)

Suggestion Circles

Instructional technique: “In circles of no more than 12 people, participants are asked to provide high-quality, concisely stated solutions to a specific problem posed by one of the members within a time frame of no more than 5 to 10 minutes” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 178)

Summative Evaluation

evaluation that “focuses on the results or outcomes of a program” (p. 225)

Support Groups

An educational programming format involving “[g]roups in which people work together on shared problems or practices. Usually participation is voluntary, and sharing and equal status among group members is the norm. In some cases, a trained facilitator works with this type of learning group” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

A transfer of learning technique involving “[g]roups of participants who "meet" regularly, whether in person and/or online, to share problems or practices related to learning transfer. Usually participation is voluntary, and sharing and equal status among group members is the norm.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Syllabus

“typically a listing of content to be taught in a single course, although sometimes it is supplemented with a small number of general aims and objectives and some preferences for particular types of student activities” (Marsh & Willis, 2003, p. 12)

Teaching-Learning Environment

Combination of learner/student, teacher, physical setting, and curriculum; determines success (or lack of) in learning (Ashman & Conway, 1997)

Teaching Style

“overall characteristics, attitudes, traits, and qualities that a teacher displays in the teaching and learning encounter” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 6); has less to do with the end product of teaching and more to do with how a teacher goes about teaching (process); teaching style is driven by personal philosophy

the way one puts his/her educational philosophy into practice; concrete, consistent, and observable pattern of teaching behaviors (Conti & Kolody, 2004)

Techniques

“the variety of processes that are utilized to further the learning once the method has been determined” (Conti & Kolody, 2004, p. 181, citing Verner, 1959)

Theater

An educational programming format involving “[u]se of formal and informal acting situations for a variety of learning purposes. For example, theater serves ‘as a medium for the dissemination of information with the objective of encouraging learners to adopt certain attitudes or practices’ (Bates, 1996, p. 226)” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289)

Theory-In-Use

what teachers actually do (Dean, 2004, citing Schön, 1987)

Transcendence

NOTE: I like the way Jill put it in class on 3/30/09: "Why do I need to know this?"

Transfer
Transfer of Learning

“effective application by program participants of what they learned as a result of attending an education or training program”; “the ’so what’ … ‘now what’ phase of the learning process” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 204)

"'the effect of previous learning on new learning or problem solving'" (Mayer, 2002, p. 4, as cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 338)

when learning in one situation or knowledge domain affects (positively or negatively) new learning in another (Eggen & Kauchak, 2004)

"knowledge and skills being applied in new ways, with new content, or in situations different from where they were acquired" (Shunk, 1999, p. 14)

NOTE: The Shunk quote is so much easier to understand. He further notes that behaviorists emphasize that transfer only happens because of similarities betwee situations. Cognitive approaches say it has to do with the way memory works and motivational factors (Shunk, 1999)

Transfer Teams

A transfer of learning technique in which “[t]eams of people are formed prior to the education and training program who are committed to working together before, during, and after the event to assist each other in the transfer-of-learning process.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Tuning Protocols

A transfer of learning technique in which “Groups of learners, who usually differ each time, get together to examine specific practices they are trying out related to transfer. Through formal presentation and reflective activities, participants are honored for the good work they have done and can also "fine tune" their work.” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 217)

Two Sigma Problem (2σ)

Phrase used by Benjamin Bloom to describe the fact that students taught by individual tutors tend to score two standard deviations higher than those taught in a multi-student classroom (the name derives from the mathematical symbol for standard deviation, the Greek letter sigma); Bloom’s goal was to eliminate this difference by improving classroom teaching and learning.

Validity

Term describing the degree to which an instrument measures what it purports to measure; prerequisite of reliability

Values

"‘principles that guide us and give us a sense of direction, that help us decide what is important and provide us with an ethical and moral foundation’” (Galbraith, 2004, p. 12, citing Apps, 1996, p. 63)

Virtual Communities

An educational programming format involving “’[a] group of people who regularly interact online and share common goals, ideas, or values’ (Owston, 1998, p. 60). These communities can provide a rich source for personal, professional, and community growth and development across geographic boundaries” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 291)

Workshops

An educational programming format involving “[i]ntensive group activities that emphasize the development of individual skills and competencies in a defined content area. The emphasis in this format is on group participation and the transfer and application of new learning” (Caffarella, 2002, p. 289, citing Fleming, 1997)

Zone Of Proximal Development

"the psychological space in which a person can learn, but only with assistance" (Greenberg, 2000, p. 59)

The difference between what can be done/learned on one’s own and what requires assistance from another in order to do or learn; where learning takes place; coined by Vygotsky