Teaching and Student Thinking

In this article, Wittrock describes the varied research relating to student cognition and teacher behavior. Specifically, the author outlines how teachers influence studentthinking, which, in turn, influences student achievement. With a cognitive approach, the students' knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes are at the center of any attempt to explain achievement. Research relating to moti vation, attention, comprehension and metacognition is dis cussed by the author. Implications for teachers and teacher educators are explicated.