Science of Learning: History and Prospects

Georgetown University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal includes two, back-to-back workshops. The first will focus on the history of work on the science of learning over the last ten years, including but not limited to work conducted within the six Science of Learning Centers. The second will focus on how work on the science of learning might best be conducted over the next ten years. The first workshop, The Science of Learning: History, will review what has been achieved scientifically and in terms of infrastructure and facilities, and what has not been achieved within the science of learning, dealing with strengths and weaknesses. The second workshop, The Science of Learning: Prospects, will attend to where the opportunities are for the future, where the threats lie, and how the science should best be conducted and nourished in terms of the research opportunities and the organizational structures to support the research (centers, awards to individual investigators, synthesis centers, post-doc fellowships, etc). The goal is to explore general strategies for the future of the science of learning, and to connect the knowledge to societal challenges, including educational, technological and workforce challenges. Discussions from the workshops will help to formulate attainable objectives and methods of assessment. Reports will be written of both workshops, to be made available to science of learning research communities and funding communities.