Tree Wind

When Analogies Go Wrong: The Benefits of Stress?

An amazing discovery becomes an inspiring analogy: Researchers at BioSphere 2 noticed a bizarre series…

disrupt

Failure to Disrupt by Justin Reich

Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education is a well-written critical synthesis of…

Taking Notes

Handwritten Notes or Laptop Notes: A Skeptic Converted?

Here’s a practical question: should our students take notes by hand, or on laptops? If…

Walden Pond

Too Good to Be True? “Even Short Nature Walks Improve...

Good news makes me nervous. More precisely: if I want to believe a research finding, I…

Goldfish Jump

Working Memory: Make it Bigger, or Use it Better?

Cognitive science has LOTS of good news for teachers. Can we help students remember ideas…

Video Game Player

Learning How to Learn: Do Video Games Help?

Long-time readers know: I like research that surprises me. If a study confirms a belief…

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The Art of Insubordination by Todd Kashdan

The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively, a provocative title in a…

Dyslexia

Don’t Hate on Comic Sans; It Helps Dyslexic Readers (Asterisk)

People have surprising passions. Some friends regularly announce that the Oxford comma is a hill…

AdobeStock_245401112_Credit

Perspectives on Critical Thinking: Can We Teach It? How Do...

Imagine the following scenario: A school principal gathers wise cognitive scientists to ask a straightforward…

Busy Classroom

Do Classroom Decorations Distract Students? A Story in 4 Parts…

Teacher training programs often encourage us to brighten our classrooms with lively, colorful, personal, and…