Monthly Archives: August 2021

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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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



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