Task- and Standard-based Learning

Tasks and standards play a major role within recent attempts to improve quality in education, like, for example, PISA (Program for International Student Assessment). Within this book, first, the relationship between instructional psychology, educational standards, and task-related learning research is outlined. Then a theoretical model of task attributes, which are relevant for learning, is depicted. Based on certain task attributes (e.g., task complexity and sequencing), two experimental studies are conducted in order to test task effects on learning and motivation. Results showed that effects of tasks varied in respect to task contexts and personality characteristics of the learner. Within an exploration study, using LISREL, a theory of emotional processes was tested in order to find emotional standards for reading. Within a section of application, it is shown how task-related research could be used to design self-regulated learning materials and activities, which support teaching. Finally, standards for educational practices (web-based teacher education) are formulated and discussed.

The Editors: Hermann Astleitner (Associate Professor) and Hans-Jörg Herber (Professor) are with the Department of Educational Research at the University of Salzburg, Austria (URL http://www.uni-salzburg.at/erz_soz). Their main research interests are instructional systems design, motivation, emotion, and learning.