Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

Coauthors Brown (Jumping the Job Track), Henry L. Roediger (James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, Washington Univ. in St. Louis), and Mark A. McDaniel (psychology, director of the Ctr. for Integrative Research on Cognition, Learning, and Education, Washington Univ. in St. Louis) challenge traditional ideas about learning in this survey of cognitive studies. The authors contend that, contrary to popular belief, effective long-term learning doesn't occur through passive and repeated exposure to information. Rather, learners can best acquire knowledge by actively recalling information and connecting it to their own experience. Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel enumerate principles for improving learning, but they couch these ideas in narrative, including personal anecdotes and case studies that demonstrate each point. The authors provide suggestions to students, adult learners, and trainers who may wish to implement new techniques in instruction. All the while, they demonstrate their own principles by reiterating key concepts, building associations, and interweaving topics throughout the book. Instructors and students will find that this title not only describes cognitive principles in general terms but also provides specific examples of study techniques and methods for constructing more effective courses.