Education theory definitions and application guidance. 175 theories across learning, motivation, assessment, development, and instruction categories. Use when looking up education theory definitions, comparing pedagogical approaches, selecting theories for instructional design, or understanding learning science concepts.
175 education theory definitions with application guidance.
| Category | Count | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Theories | 30+ | Constructivism, Behaviorism, Connectivism |
| Motivation | 20+ | Self-Determination, Flow, Growth Mindset |
| Assessment | 15+ | Formative Assessment, Constructive Alignment |
| Development | 15+ | Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Kohlberg |
| Instruction | 25+ | Direct Instruction, Scaffolding, UDL |
| Social Learning | 10+ | Bandura, Communities of Practice |
| Theory | Theorist | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| Bloom's Taxonomy | Bloom/Anderson | Assessment item design, cognitive levels |
| Constructive Alignment | Biggs | Objective ↔ activity ↔ assessment alignment |
| Growth Mindset | Dweck | Feedback language, motivation |
| Zone of Proximal Development | Vygotsky | Scaffolding, differentiation |
| UDL | CAST | Inclusive material design |
| PBIS | Sugai & Horner | Multi-tier behavioral support |
| Formative Assessment | Black & Wiliam | Learning-oriented evaluation |
| Self-Determination Theory | Deci & Ryan | Autonomy, competence, relatedness |
Read detailed theory definitions in references/theory-index.md when applying a specific theory.
If any gate fails: identify the issue, fix, and re-validate.