What principle suggests that students learn best when they have a clear objective and are ready to learn?

The principle that suggests students learn best when they have a clear objective and are ready to learn is referred to as readiness. This concept emphasizes the importance of students being prepared, both mentally and emotionally, to engage with new content. When learners are ready, they can effectively absorb information, make connections to prior knowledge, and achieve the learning objectives laid out for them.

Readiness takes into account not only the academic preparedness but also the motivation and emotional state of students. For instance, when a learner understands the relevance of what they are about to learn and feels confident in their ability to tackle new material, they are more likely to participate actively and retain information.

In contrast, the other principles—like effect, which pertains to how reinforcement influences retention, recency, which states that students are more likely to remember the most recent information presented, and primacy, which refers to the tendency to remember information presented at the beginning of a lesson—do not directly address the importance of a learner’s preparedness and the establishment of clear learning objectives. These elements are fundamentally essential in creating an effective learning environment where students can thrive.