Journal of the Learning Sciences (ISSN: 1050-8406)

Description

The Journal of the Learning Sciences (JLS) provides a multidisciplinary forum for research on education and learning that pushes boundaries and extends possibilities. JLS is one of the two official journals of the International Society of the Learning Sciences.
The JLS Editorial Board invites studies of learning in schools, higher education, community settings, museums, workplaces, play spaces, and family life, as well as in online and virtual worlds. We publish studies of learning in a diverse range of academic disciplines, such as literacy, history, science or mathematics, as well as work that problematizes such disciplinary boundaries. Work that foregrounds the design of innovative technologies for learning is a priority for JLS. In all cases, however, the fundamental focus is on understanding the processes, tools, and contexts, as well as outcomes, of learning in its myriad forms. The articles in JLS are published in our general section; in Strands or Special Issues that highlight specific topics; and in the Reports & Reflections section that showcases shorter, mostly conceptual pieces (see Special Features below).
JLS articles draw on theoretical frameworks from such diverse fields as cognitive science, sociocultural theory, educational psychology, computer science, and anthropology. Submissions are not limited to any particular research method, but must be based on rigorous analyses that present new insights into how people learn and/or how learning can be supported and enhanced.
Successful submissions should position their argument within extant literature in the learning sciences. They should reflect the core practices and foci that have defined the learning sciences as a field: privileging design in methodology and pedagogy; emphasizing interdisciplinarity and methodological innovation; grounding research in real-world contexts; answering questions about learning process and mechanism, alongside outcomes; pursuing technological and pedagogical innovation; and maintaining a strong connection between research and practice.
Please note that Journal of the Learning Sciences uses CrossCheck™ software to screen papers for unoriginal material. By submitting your paper to Journal of the Learning Sciences you are agreeing to any necessary originality checks your paper may have to undergo during the peer review and production processes.
Special features in JLS include:
Learning Outside of School Strand :
While research on formal education is welcomed in JLS, this Strand is designed to highlight submissions that focus on learning that occurs outside of formal school contexts. Our Strand Editors especially solicit studies of workplace learning; learning in museums and after school centers; and learning that is mediated through gaming, mobile devices, and other advanced technologies that facilitate continuity of activities across the day, across contexts, and across the lifespan.
Reports and Reflections Section: This section publishes shorter articles that propose bold new ideas; that broach controversial topics and encourage a productive academic debate; or that introduce pedagogical or technological innovations. These submissions should be between 6000?8000 words long. Conceptual pieces are welcome, in addition to brief empirical reports that highlight key issues for the learning sciences.