Generative Learning Theory, Paradigm Shifts, and Constructivism in Educational Psychology: A Tribute to Merl Wittrock

This appreciation of Wittrock's contributions to educational psychology suggests that his 1974 article describing generative learning theory was remarkably prescient. In that article Wittrock set the stage for the subsequent paradigm shift from cognitive to constructivist approaches to instruction. Furthermore, his suggestion that schools were the most appropriate contexts for testing learning principles is widely shared among contemporary educational psychologists; it is noteworthy that Wittrock also urged testing these principles in training sites. Finally, Wittrock also emphasized the importance of transfer, prior learning, and the interaction of student characteristics and instructional methods in his generative learning approach, themes that are as important 35 years later as they were when the article was first published. These considerations and Wittrock's dedication to the profession confirm that he was the complete educational psychologist.