ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how cognitive structures are organized and how humans process information during the learning process. Initially, l present modern understanding of human cognitive architecture, largely based on the work of Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) and analyzed from a biological, evolutionary perspective (Geary, 2007, 2008). l am of course writing about only those aspects of human cognitive architecture that are salient to the topic addressed in the book. These include human cognitive architecture principles, three aspects related to memory (sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory), memory models, metacognition, and schema construction and schema automation. A brief explanation of why an understanding of cognitive processes is essential for learning is also presented.
