Learner-Centered Psychological Principles

Vocabulary flashcards defining the 14 Learner-Centered Psychological Principles and related key concepts from the 1997 APA Board of Educational Affairs document.

Learner-Centered Psychological Principles

A framework of 14 principles pertaining to the learner and the learning process, focusing primarily on internal psychological factors under the learner's control while acknowledging contextual environmental factors.

Learner-Centered Principles Work Group

The work group of the American Psychological Association's Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) that prepared the revised Learner-Centered Psychological Principles in November 1997.

1990 APA Presidential Task Force

The original APA task force from which the 1997 revised Learner-Centered Psychological Principles document was derived.

Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors

A category of principles (Principles 1–6) covering the nature of learning, learning goals, knowledge construction, strategic thinking, metacognition, and context.

Nature of the Learning Process

Principle 1: The learning of complex subject matter is most effective when it is an intentional process of constructing meaning from information and experience.

Goals of the Learning Process

Principle 2: The successful learner, over time and with support and instructional guidance, can create meaningful, coherent representations of knowledge.

Construction of Knowledge

Principle 3: The successful learner can link new information with existing knowledge in meaningful ways.

Strategic Thinking

Principle 4: The successful learner can create and use a repertoire of thinking and reasoning strategies to achieve complex learning goals.

Thinking About Thinking

Principle 5: Higher order strategies (metacognition) for selecting and monitoring mental operations that facilitate creative and critical thinking.

Context of Learning

Principle 6: Learning is influenced by environmental factors, including culture, technology, and instructional practices.

Motivational and Affective Factors

A category of principles (Principles 7–9) dealing with emotional influences on learning, intrinsic motivation, and the effects of motivation on effort.

Motivational and Emotional Influences on Learning

Principle 7: What and how much is learned is influenced by motivation, which is in turn influenced by emotional states, beliefs, interests, goals, and habits of thinking.

Intrinsic Motivation to Learn

Principle 8: The learner's creativity, higher order thinking, and natural curiosity contribute to motivation, which is stimulated by tasks of optimal novelty, difficulty, personal relevance, choice, and control.

Effects of Motivation on Effort

Principle 9: Acquisition of complex knowledge and skills requires extended learner effort and guided practice; without motivation, willingness to exert effort requires coercion.

Developmental and Social Factors

A category of principles (Principles 10–11) addressing developmental opportunities/constraints and social influences on learning.

Developmental Influences on Learning

Principle 10: Learning is most effective when differential development within and across physical, intellectual, emotional, and social domains is taken into account.

Social Influences on Learning

Principle 11: Learning is influenced by social interactions, interpersonal relations, and communication with others.

Individual Differences Factors

A category of principles (Principles 12–14) addressing individual strategies and capabilities, cultural/social background diversity, and standards/assessment.

Individual Differences in Learning

Principle 12: Learners have different strategies, approaches, and capabilities for learning that are a function of prior experience and heredity.

Learning and Diversity

Principle 13: Learning is most effective when differences in learners' linguistic, cultural, and social backgrounds are taken into account.

Standards and Assessment

Principle 14: Setting appropriately high and challenging standards and assessing the learner as well as learning progress are integral parts of the learning process.

Successful Learners

Learners who are active, goal-directed, self-regulating, and who assume personal responsibility for contributing to their own learning.