Throughout this text we recommend an eclectic approach to learning. Inspired by each of the psychological perspectives, designers have developed powerful frameworks for instruction. Indeed, successful instructional practices have features that are supported by virtually all the various perspectives.
*Active participation. Effective learning happens when students are actively engaged in meaningful tasks, interacting with the content.
*Practice. New learning requires more than one exposure to take root; practice, especially in varying contexts, improves retention rate and the ability to apply the new knowledge, skill, or attitude.
*Individual differences. Learners vary in terms of personality, general aptitude, knowledge of a subject, and many other factors; effective methods allow individuals to progress at different rates, cover different materials, and even participate in different activities (Figure 1.1).
*Feedback. Learners need to know if their thinking is on track; feedback may be provided by teacher correction of papers, electronic messages from a computer, the scoring system of a game, or by other means.