OBJECTIVES OF GRADUATE TRAINING

Learning Sciences is an interdisciplinary field that draws on multiple theoretical perspectives and research paradigms with the goal of advancing knowledge and application of knowledge about human learning and development in formal and informal educational settings. Researchers in the Learning Sciences attempt to understand the nature and conditions of learning, cognition, development, and related areas of human performance, and they investigate cognition in its material, social, and cultural contexts. The intent of learning science research is to develop evidence-based claims about how people learn that have theoretical, practical, and pedagogical implications. Given this focus on intertwining theory and practice through both field-based and laboratory research, learning sciences frequently involves carrying out design and implementation experiments. These experiments are intended to improve the education of all learners but often have particular emphasis on finding solutions for minority and disadvantaged students for whom achievement gaps are a continuing problem.

The Learning Sciences Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is committed to understanding and improving P-16 education with a particular emphasis on building and researching technology-enhanced classroom environments. We also focus strongly on informal educational contexts such as after-school centers, museums, and home environments as well as the growing importance of more formal adult education and corporate training settings. We are dedicated to the preparation of future researchers and educators who will advance scientific understanding of the teaching and learning process in any of these settings.

Learning sciences is a new field and our new program is at the forefront of efforts to develop and train both researchers and practitioners through four graduate apprenticeship programs. These programs are:

1. A Ph.D. degree in Learning Sciences, awarded within The Department of Educational Psychology.

2. Students obtaining a Ph.D. in departments other than Educational Psychology may obtain a Learning Science certificate by completing the program for the distributed minor in the Learning Sciences.