Understanding learning processes and how to support them on a theoretical level: about little progress, about currently prioritized but insufficient remedies, and about a wish list

Abstract

In recent decades, substantial deficits in the theoretical understanding of learning and of how to support it have been repeatedly outlined, and the need of developing a sound theoretical basis has been stressed. Nevertheless, this problem is still prevalent. Important aspects of this theory deficit (e.g., just many powerful mini-theories or coarse framework theories) and possible underlying reasons (e.g., little emphasis on theory building in university programs) are discussed. It is argued that the up-coming promises in recent decades that were connected with new or in vogue perspectives (neuroscience perspective, situated perspective, constructivist perspective) could not be fulfilled. Also current trends (e.g., open science), how important they may be for good empirical research, do not focus on theory development. For the future, it would be desirable (a) if researchers generally focused more on theory, (b) if integrative theories were an important goal of research, and (c) if there were theories for some important but yet unresolved questions (e.g., interplay between teaching or instructional design on the one hand and the always partially self-regulated individual learning processes on the other hand).