As funding for the six Science of Learning Centers begins to come to an end in 2014, NSF asked us to run two workshops on the science of learning, looking first at developments in the science of learning over the last decade and then, in the second workshop, at what opportunities and dangers there may be for work over the coming decade. A central goal was to help NSF think about how funding should be organized for the future.
The first workshop, dealing with the recent history of work in the science of learning, was held on 4-5 October 2012 at the NSF in Arlington, Virginia. The second workshop, dealing with prospects for the next decade, was held at NSF on February 28 and March 1, 2013.
Speakers prepared one-pagers, giving their main points and links for detailed accounts and contained here in the appendices. The workshops allowed a great deal of time for structured discussion. Indeed the short, focused presentations led to lively interchange and, in each workshop, the second morning was devoted entirely to discussion.
This website provides the report of the first workshop on the recent history of work on the science of learning, its appendices (separately), and a compendium giving more detail about the self-reported accomplishments of the six centers. The final document is the report of the second workshop on prospects for work in the science of learning over the next decade and advice for NSF on how to organize funding for the future.