Learning About Learning
Glossary
This glossary explains terms used in Learning about Learning. It is not intended to be exhaustive in educational terms, nor does it include an explanation of every word used in the documents and movies. Instead, it seeks to clarify meanings in order to remove potential barriers to understanding and help the reader to appreciate the messages intended more fully.
Keyword search
| Carousel | A co-operative learning strategy that gets its name from the physical movements of groups as they engage in a collaborative activity. Groups process around in a loop that takes them to different 'stations' in the loop one or more times depending on the design of the activity. Content topics that can be easily separated into several categories are ideal for a carousel activity. |
|---|---|
| Chatroom | An online venue where people who share a common interest can communicate in real time – typing out conversations on their keyboards. |
| Cognitive psychology | Cognitive psychology is the psychological science that studies cognition, the mental processes that are assumed as the reasons for our behaviour. |
| Cognitive therapy | Cognitive therapy, or cognitive behaviour therapy, is a treatment method focusing on treating depression, anxiety disorders, phobias and other forms of mental disorder. It involves recognising distorted thinking and learning to replace it with more realistic ideas. |
| Collaborative | Willing to work together or with others to achieve a common goal. |
| Comenius | Comenius, one of four actions of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme (previously known as Socrates), provides opportunities for schools and colleges to introduce or strengthen the European dimension in their curriculum. |
| Comments-only marking | An assessment that makes no reference to grades or marks achieved. Comments advise on how to bridge the gap between present performance and desired goal. The emphasis is on strengths as well as on ways of making the present or future work even better. |
| Concept mapping | Concept mapping is the strategy employed to develop a concept map, which is a form of web diagram for exploring knowledge, and gathering and sharing information. Concept maps are sometimes referred to as 'mind maps'. |
| Constructive motivation | Motivation that is purposeful and structured in thinking. It is always intrinsic, ie, comes from the person and is not imposed by another or others. |
| Constructivist model | Constructivism is an approach to teaching based on research about how people learn. Many researchers say that each individual constructs knowledge rather than receiving it from others. It is based on the belief that students learn best when they gain knowledge through exploration and active learning. Hands-on materials are used more than textbooks, and students are encouraged to think and explain their reasoning instead of memorising and reciting facts. |
| Control group | Those pupils who are not included in the research activity in order to validate the results of the test being carried out with other pupils. |
| Cooperative learning | Cooperative learning is the use of small groups through which pupils work together to maximise their own and each other's learning. The following four elements distinguish cooperative learning from other forms of group work: Positive Interdependence Individual and Group Accountability Interpersonal and Small Group Skills Face-to-Face interaction. |
| Corpus callosum | The corpus callosum is a structure of the brain that connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres. |
| Cortex | The cerebral cortex is a structure within the brain with distinct structural and functional properties. It plays a central role in many complex brain functions including memory, attention, perceptual awareness, 'thinking', language and consciousness. |
| Creativity | Creativity is the process of seeing new possibilities. It is often held that there are two main modes to creative thinking. The first is generative thinking - imagining and creating ideas that will provide the framework and motivation for carrying out tasks. The second relates to making judgements and evaluating ideas in order to attribute purpose, value and practical outcomes. |
| Criteria | Standards or measures by which performance can be measured. |
| Critique sessions | In groups, pupils offer constructive suggestions and comments about ways to improve each other's work. |
| Cultural literacy | Our ability to read and understand other cultures. Our identities comprise different senses of belonging to different groups at different times. This skill is necessary to promote understanding and prevent hostility between people. |
| Culture | The fundamental values, attitudes and behaviour that are characteristic of the school or educational establishment. For more about Culture, go to Antiracist toolkit and select Glossary. |
| Curriculum for Excellence | The updated single, coherent Scottish curriculum for all young people between the ages of 3 and 18 is called Curriculum for Excellence. Its starting point has been to build on the best practice that already exists in Scottish education. It aims to provide more freedom for teachers and greater choice and opportunity for pupils. |