Issues concerning human learning are among the critical topics in educational psychology, child development, and cognitivescience. One central focus has been on the issue of why students 1learn and teachers teach best, and discovery learning versus directinstruction has been a contented debate in modern educational 2theory and practice. Stemmed from the theoretical perspective of 3constructivism, discovery learning is believed to be a tool for facilitating the creation and organization of knowledge, as well as the transfer of that knowledge across different contexts. This approach contrasts with views that emphasize direct instruction from teacher to student. This entry addresses the following central issues: how discovery learning is defined, the empirical evidence in favor of discovery learning or direct instruction, and the facilitation of discovery and transfer. Discovery learning is a general approach that involvesminded participation and active inquiry in the acquisition of 4concepts and strategies. In classroom contexts, it refers to a formof curriculum which students are encouraged to actively explore 5and figure out the concepts, solutions, or strategies at the hand. A 6widely accepted idea is that discovery learning is the least 7appropriate and effective approach to facilitate deep and lasting 8understanding. This approach is often contrasted with directinstruction or expository learning, which typically refers traditional, 9content-oriented methods that the instructor lectures to students. 10Learning associated with direct instruction is often believed to be less engaged and less active, and thus less effective.