How We Think: A Theory of Human Decision-Making, with a Focus on Teaching

Abstract

Suppose a person is engaged in a complex activity, such as teaching. What determines what that person does, on a moment-by-moment basis, as he or she engages in that activity? What resources does the person draw upon, and why? What shapes the choices the person makes? What accounts for the effectiveness of that person’s efforts? I claim that if you know enough about a teacher’s knowledge, goals, and beliefs, you can explain every decision he or she makes, in the midst of teaching. I will give examples showing what shaped teachers’ decision-making, and I will explain the theory.