Contemporary Theories of Learning: Learning Theorists … In Their Own Words

by Knud Illeris (Editor)

In this definitive collection of today's most influential learning theorists, sixteen world-renowned experts present their understanding of what learning is and how human learning takes place.

Professor Knud Illeris has collected chapters that explain both the complex frameworks in which learning takes place and the specific facets of learning, such as the acquisition of learning content, personal development, and the cultural and social nature of learning processes. Each international expert provides either a seminal text or an entirely new precis of the conceptual framework they have developed over a lifetime of study.

Elucidating the key concepts of learning, Contemporary Theories of Learning provides both the perfect desk reference and an ideal introduction for students. It will prove an authoritative guide for researchers and academics involved in the study of learning, and an invaluable resource for all those dealing with learning in daily life and work. It provides a detailed synthesis of current learning theories... all in the words of the theorists themselves.

The theories of

Knud Illeris

Peter Jarvis

Robert Kegan

Yrjo Engestrom

Bente Elkjaer

Jack Mezirow

Howard Gardner

Peter Alheit

John Heron

Mark Tennant

Jerome Bruner

Robin Usher

Thomas Ziehe

Jean Lave

Etienne Wenger

Danny Wildemeersch & Veerle Stroobants

In their own words

Genres: Education

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jan D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview over many current learning theories. The chapters are usually articles or created based on chapters from other books. Thus, it is easy to read more if one finds a theory particularly interesting. The selection of theories is very international; The sources are all post-1990, so interesting work like that of Schön is not present. There are no entries based on computational models of the mind – fine with me.

[Bear Wiseman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Equal parts interesting and mind-numbingly uninteresting. Even if the theories were worth consideration, some of the chapters are written in such an overly-verbose manner that it's hard to get much out of them.

[Stuart Macalpine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful collection to landscape some of the major approaches to learning theory. Some are brilliant - some are trivial and obscure - but overall very helpful if slightly dated now it is a decade on.

[Anima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting and gives a great jumping off spot for research

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Mezirow and Kegan

[Mark Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very promising start, though it soon became all too apparent that later chapters are reprints of other works, usually outside of context. To get five stars the book really should have been a synthesis, rather than a collection. There is no summary chapter, no attempt to bring all ideas together. A lost opportunity.

[Peter Baumgartner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short introduction to 16 different learning theories written by those persons who pioneered them. In contrast to other books that predominantly cover psychological theories of learning for pupils or students this collection focuses on socially mediated learning theories for adults and lifelong...

[Leonard Houx · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of some of the most important theoretical writings on learning over the last fifteen years. Very helpful.

[Lizzie Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource.