This chapter discusses teaching the History of the English Language (HEL) as a sociolinguist and being guided by three areas in learning sciences: goals, self-regulated learning, and interest, particularly social and personal. Specifically, this chapter addresses the age-old student question, “How is this relevant to me?” Part of our job as college teachers involves getting students to realize the practicality of a course for their needs (e.g., “I need to take this class in order to graduate”), and another part is to acknowledge (or awaken in some cases) their intellectual curiosity (e.g., “I’ve always wondered why “knight” is spelled with letters that aren’t even pronounced”). This chapter provides examples of instruction and assignments that correspond to research literature on goals and interest with respect to teaching and self-regulated learning more broadly and teaching HEL from the perspective of a sociolinguist more specifically.
The author of this book is now the historiographer and library-keeper to the Emperour. He publisht this volume some few years agoe at hamburg, the place of his birth, (whence an exemplar was but lately sent to the publisher.) He was excited to this vvork by the complaint made by the illustrious Lord Verulam, (Lib. 2. cap.4. de Angm. scientiarum) of the want of a compleat history of learning, that might give a satisfactory account od the rise, progesse, trans-migrations, interruptions, declinations, and restaurations of all kind of learning, sciences, arts and inventions;
Purpose: This study charts the developmental history of the learning sciences (LS) in China and analyzes the direction of its future development. Design/Approach/Methods: An extensive literature review is presented to compile notable events in the development of LS in China over different periods. The findings are then systematically sorted and interpreted. Findings: This study maps the LS developmental process across three main periods: prescientific, psychological paradigm, and initial scientific paradigm. China has achieved certain initial developments in LS and has formed collaborative bodies to conduct sustained and in-depth learning research. However, the field remains at a preliminary developmental stage in China. Overall, there is still no sound mechanism for the production of new knowledge, and contributions bearing distinctive Chinese characteristics remain insufficient. Originality/Value: This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the development of LS in China. It proposes four main areas for future growth: forming a stable academic community, developing appropriate curriculum and teaching materials, creating an effective mechanism within the discipline for knowledge production, and establishing a local system of discourse for the discipline.
The Learning Sciences in China: Historical Development and Future Trends
