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Yearly Archives: 2018
Conflicting Advice: Mind-Wandering Is Bad, or Just Fine
Some researchers say that mind wandering is “just fine.” Others say that it interferes with comprehension. Which is true? When looking at conflicting findings, focus on the research that best resembles your classroom. In this case, you should probably worry about mind wandering — except under specific circumstances. Continue reading
Just Not a Useful Debate: Learning Styles Theory [Updated]
At one of the first Learning and the Brain conferences I attended, a speaker briefly…
The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius...
Gail Saltz, author of The Power of Different: The Link Between Disorder and Genius, argues…
Capture Intergalactic Criminals; Feel the Mental Burn
I’ve posted a good bit recently about the dangers of working memory overload. (For instance:…
Putting Research to Work in the Classroom: Success?
Some study habits have been shown to work in psychology labs. Do they work in college classrooms? A recent study shows that “retrieval practice” clearly helps students learn. The findings on “the spacing effect” are harder to interpret… Continue reading
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Tagged classroom advice, desirable difficulty, retrieval practice
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A Hidden Adolescent Struggle: Identifying Complex Emotions
Recent research offers a helpful insight into adolescent emotion processing. Children and adults are relatively good at distinguishing among their emotions. They can say “I’m feeling angry, but not sad.” Adolescents, however, have a harder time sorting out their feelings. For them, negative emotions all churn together. Continue reading
The Best Way to Take Notes: More Feisty Debate
When teachers contemplate asking students to take longhand notes, we should think about the level of desirable difficulty this strategy creates. We should also beware the working memory challenges inherent in note-taking, especially on complex material. Continue reading
The Great Homework Debate: Working Memory Disadvantage?
New research into working memory might give teachers fresh perspective in the great homework debate. Well-designed homework might make new words and concepts easier to learn, because the right kind of practice can reduce differences between high- and low-working-memory students. Continue reading
Pro Tips: How To Think Like A Cognitive Scientist
A short, “intensive” college course might seem like a good idea. However, essential cognitive science principles suggest that students will learn less in them. Researchers consistently show that it’s better to spread learning out over time, and that easy learning doesn’t last. Continue reading
Is Dopamine For Motivation or Learning?
Neuroscientists talk a lot about neurotransmitters. These chemicals move from one neuron to another at synapses,…