Learning and Studying: A Research Perspective

Learning and Studying looks at how psychologists study the crucial processes of learning and studying in higher education. James Hartley uses current research to explore such topics as: learning theory and educational practice, personality and learning, older learners, improving learning skills, learning and human-computer interaction and assessment and evaluation. Written in a lively style and full of up-to-date material, examples and case studies, Learning and Studying offers plenty of advice to today's consumers of educational practice - students and their teachers.

Table of Contents:
1. How psychologists study learning and studying 2. Learning theory in practice 3. Individual differences and learning 4. Academic learning and older learners 5. Improving study skills 6. New technology and learning 7. Assessment Glossary References Index

Review :
'The book deserves a huge readership: every teacher in higher education who would like to make his/her teaching as economical, efficient and effective as possible should spend a few hours with it.' - British Journal of Educational Technology 'Students who want easy access to the research literature on which claims about learning and studying are made will find this compact and very accessible text a most useful starting point. I would urge all self-respecting psychology students to include this text in their list of reading. But further, teachers in higher education would find this text supportive. This excellent little text could give the experienced teacher a means of reflecting on his/her own extant practices, and could give the beginning teacher in higher education a sound introduction into some of the issues surrounding student learning.' - Effie Maclellan (University of Strathclyde), Psychology Teaching Review, 8, 1, March 1999. 'This book could successfully meet the needs of two other audiences in addition to its primary audience of undergraduates studying psychology. These audiences are students on study skills courses and lecturers undertaking courses on teaching and learning in higher education. I would not hesitate to suggest that those readers involved in teaching on such courses have the book to hand on their bookshelf or in the library.' - Liz McDowell (University of Northumbria at Newcastle), Studies in Higher Education, 1998. 'Learning and Studying is an easy-to-read text which will be helpful and informative not only to students of psychology but to others who wish to get to grips with the basics of student learning but who have no previous knowledge of the area.' - Moira Fraser (University of Aberdeen), The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 3, 1999. 'Overall the book is a valuable addition to the literature on learning and studying in the post-compulsory phase of education. It is easy to read and clearly set out with tables and examples which illustrate the principles outlined in the text...Researchers in adult learning from other disciplines may find the book too positivistic in its approach although it provides a much more balanced account of research to date than previous texts. Its clear presentation and the way it addresses issues of relevance to adult learners and their teachers make it a valuable additiion to the literature. I have included it on the reading list for the courses that I teach and I expect others will have done the same. The author is to be congratulated.' - Susan Hallam (Oxford Brookes), Psychology of Education Review 24, 2, 2000.