The learning science is a relatively new field of study. The major journals in the field began publishing in the early 1990’s and the first conferences recognizing this field also date to that time. Learning science emerged out of the cognitive sciences as field dedicated to the problem of designing classroom and other learning spaces (both physical and virtual) that reflect what we were discoveringing about human brains.
What has become clear in the first three decades of learning science is that learning is far more complicated than we thought in the 20th century, and there is evidence the different tasks require different approaches to education, and deeper learning (that which is understood by the learner and that can be applied in different situations) requires time, practice, and reflection.
The parallel development of the learning sciences and educational technology has resulted in many connections between the fields. Many scholars and practitioners seek to interpret and design technology-rich (and online) learning. In a recent article “Constructivism and connectivism in education technology: Active, situated, authentic, experiential, and anchored learning,” João Mattar (2018) provides a clear and comprehensive summary of the primary theories and frameworks the are supported by (and that are informing) the learning sciences.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5944/ried.21.2.20055
Reference
Mattar, J. (2018). Constructivism and connectivism in education technology: Active, situated, authentic, experiential, and anchored learning/El constructivismo y el conectivismo en tecnología educativa: El aprendizaje activo, situado, auténtico, experiencial y anclado. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 21(2), 201-217.