Introduction

This chapter introduces and explains the theme of the book. Higher-quality learning is described and influences on it outlined. The chapters of the book are introduced, and the organization of the book described. We conclude that high-quality learning is an important goal for teachers and learners at all levels of education, that there are many barriers to its achievement, and that teachers and learners can develop ways to overcome these barriers. It may seem strange to raise the issue of learning quality. If you are concerned with learning, as either student or teacher, it seems obvious that you will be concerned with quality, but do you know how to achieve it? As a student, you want your learning, or a good proportion of it, to be of good quality, but how do you accomplish that? As a teacher, you have a parallel interest in quality of learning. You must confront the issue of quality in every lesson you teach, in every assignment you assess. How should you present material to maximize the students’ quality of learning? How far will you push the students in their study of this topic? Is that answer to your question good enough? What grade will you give that assignment? What is the best way to introduce your lesson on electricity or on similes? The answers to each of these questions invoke judgments about quality.