Education Conferences

The Power of Making Thinking Visible: Practice to Engage and Empower all Learners by Ron Ritchhart and Mark Church

Rebecca Gotlieb
by: Rebecca Gotlieb
Posted on: September 22, 2021

Imagine how schools might be different if educators focused on the process rather than product of students’ thinking and tried to support students’ disposition to think. Ron Ritchhart, Senior Research Associate and Principal Investigator at Harvard Project Zero, and Mark

Why Don’t My High-School Students Just Follow My Advice?

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: September 21, 2021

I’ve been teaching for several centuries now. You’d think my students would believe me when I tell them how to make their sentences better. Or how to interpret literary passages. Or how to succeed in life. Why don’t they? Recent

Let’s Get Practical: What Works Best in the Classroom?

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: September 14, 2021

At times, this blog explores big-picture hypotheticals — the “what if” questions that can inspire researchers and teachers. And, at times, we just want practical information. Teachers are busy folks. We simply want to know: what works? What really helps my

How Can We Help Students Study Better? [Repost]

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: September 7, 2021

This story might sound familiar: You attend a Learning and the Brain conference (like, say, our upcoming conference about Teaching During a Pandemic) and come away with FANTASTIC ideas. You go back to your classrooms — in person, online, asynchronous

“Rich” or “Bland”: Which Diagrams Helps Students Learn Deeply? [Reposted]

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: August 31, 2021

Colorful diagrams might raise students’ interest. What do those diagrams do for their learning? Continue reading →

How to Foster New Friendships in School? Seating Plans! (We’ve Got Research…)

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: August 24, 2021

In schools, we want students to learn many topics: math, and history, and reading, and health, and robotics… And, especially at the beginning of the year, we’d like them to make friends along the way. Can we help? One research

To Grade or Not to Grade: Should Retrieval Practice Quizzes Be Scored? [Repost]

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: August 17, 2021

We’ve seen enough research on retrieval practice to know: it rocks. When students simply review material (review their notes; reread the chapter), that mental work doesn’t help them learn. However, when they try to remember (quiz themselves, use flashcards), this kind

Parachutes Don’t Help (Important Asterisk) [Repost]

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: August 10, 2021

A surprising research finding to start your week: parachutes don’t reduce injury or death. How do we know? Researchers asked participants to jump from planes (or helicopters), and then measured their injuries once they got to the ground. (To be

Making “Learning Objectives” Explicit: A Skeptic Converted? [Reposted]

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: August 3, 2021

Teachers have long gotten guidance that we should make our learning objectives explicit to our students. The formula goes something like this: “By the end of the lesson, you will be able to [know and do these several things].” I’ve

Learn Like a Pro: Science-Based Tools to Become Better at Anything by Barbara Oakley and Olav Schewe

Rebecca Gotlieb
by: Rebecca Gotlieb
Posted on: July 29, 2021

With the school year starting in just a couple of weeks, Learn Like a Pro: Science-Based Tools to Become Better at Anything by Barbara Oakley and Olav Schewe is an excellent resource to help students start the school year with