Using Cognitive Learning Principles to Inform Teacher Decisions about Curriculum and Instruction

Summary

This article presents a summary of five cognitive learning principles underlying student learning, an argument that these principles form the basis for a view of learning as knowledge development –a process using five different types of thinking–, and a description of Dimension of Learning (Marzano et al., 1992), a planning and instructional framework based on these five cognitive learning principles. In addition, Arredondo argues that teacher’s use of this framework will improve curriculum and instructional decisions and thereby restructures the very nature of the elementary and secondary school experience.