The educational stakes have been raised.
Every generation needs more advanced education than the one that came before.
Advances in technology are fueling the phenomenal economic growth that the US is experiencing, and our ability to remain competitive and cooperative with other countries in the world depends on a technologically-literate work force. Knowledge of how people learn should be central to educational reform efforts. The study of learning is an empirical science with a solid theoretical basis, yet, it is sadly true that most of the way we teach and learn is uninformed by research in human cognition. In fact, it would be difficult to design an educational model that is more at odds with current research on human cognition than the one that is used in most colleges and universities in the United States. Examples of relevant applications of cognitive principles that can used to enhance teaching and learning will be demonstrated, with emphasis on problem solving, critical thinking, building and assessing mental models, and using multiple strategies for learning.