Side view of student girl enjoying summer breeze , smiling with eyes closed

Does Mind-Wandering Harm Learning?

If you teach children for several hours a day, you just know that sometimes they’re…



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A bright yellow American football goalpost, above a bright green field and against dark stadium

“Writing By Hand Fosters Neural Connections…”

Imagine this conversation that you and I might have: ANDREW: The fastest way to drive…



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A winter scene: cars covered in a foot of swon, and two pedestrians walking away from the camera, shoulders hunched agains the cold snow

Weather Forecasting and Cognitive Science

I live in Boston, and we just had an ENORMOUS snow storm. TWELVE INCHES of…



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College students working together at a table, lots of papers in front of them

Constructivism, or Constructivism, Part II

Last week, I wrote about the often-testy debates that surround “constructivism.” One possible cause for…



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Evolutionary Intelligence by Russell Neuman

I have recently been reviewing human-technology interactions with a team at Brookings, and it is…



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A construction site: a 6 story building with scaffolding all around, a crane against a sunset

Constructivism, or Constructivism? Part I

If you want to launch a feisty debate in your next faculty meeting, stand up…



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Teenage girl sitting on floor and trying to learn with post-it notes

Should Students Make Their Own Flashcards, Take II

A respected colleague recently posted a study about making flashcards. The basic question: should students…



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A closeup of four hands holding out single puzzle pieces, trying to see how to put them together well.

The Jigsaw Advantage: Should Students Puzzle It Out?

The “jigsaw” method sounds really appealing, doesn’t it? Imagine that I’m teaching a complex topic: say,…



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College student smiling while taking notes on while studying

Putting It All Together: Connecting “Motivation” with “Teaching Style”

Researchers tend to focus on particular topics in education. Some folks study attention, while others look…



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Young teacher wearing sweater and glasses sitting on desk at kindergarten clueless and confused expression with arms and hands raised.

Overwhelmed Teachers: The Working-Memory Story (Part II) [Updated with Link]

Last week, I offered an unusual take on working memory in the classroom. Typically, I…



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