Curiosity: An Educational Key to Change

Abstract

Utilizing the Structure-Process system, which considers education as metascience, knowledge-seeking (epistemic) behavior is proposed as the fundamental motivational explanation for behavior. Epistemic behavior is held to serve the evolutionary objective of survival. Within the proposed system, the preliminary responsibility of the developmental scientist is the defining of the objectives for educational encounters in precise behavioral terms. The learner's existing repertory of behaviors will necessarily govern both program development and actualization. Individual needs should correlate significantly and positively with the objectives of programs while taking into full account the varying experience backgrounds of learners.

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