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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Watson
Andrew began his classroom life as a high-school English teacher in 1988, and has been working in or near schools ever since. In 2008, Andrew began exploring the practical application of psychology and neuroscience in his classroom. In 2011, he earned his M. Ed. from the “Mind, Brain, Education” program at Harvard University. As President of “Translate the Brain,” Andrew now works with teachers, students, administrators, and parents to make learning easier and teaching more effective. He has presented at schools and workshops across the country; he also serves as an adviser to several organizations, including “The People’s Science.” Andrew is the author of "Learning Begins: The Science of Working Memory and Attention for the Classroom Teacher."
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ADHD adolescence attention bilingual education boundary conditions classroom advice conference speakers constructivism/direct instruction creativity critical thinking desirable difficulty development elementary school embodied cognition emotion evolution executive function exercise experts and novices gender high school homework intelligence long-term memory math metacognition methodology middle school mindfulness Mindset motivation neuromyths neuroscience online learning parents psychology reading retrieval practice self-control skepticism sleep STEM stress technology working memoryRecent Comments
- Andrew Watson on Practical Advice for Students: How to Make Good Flashcards
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- Practical Advice for Students: How to Make Good Flashcards |Education & Teacher Conferences on Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel
- New Worthwhile Resources On Using ChatGPT In The Classroom - RCC News on ChatGPT and Beyond: The Best Online Resources for Evaluating Research Claims
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My Detective Adventure: “VR Will Transform Education”
A friend recently sent me a link to an article with a click-baity headline: something like “Virtual Reality Will Change Education Forever.” Her pithy comment: “This is obviously nonsense.” (It’s possible she used a spicier word that ‘nonsense.’) On the
How Teachers Can Use Neuroscience in Education
I recently saw two very different looks at neuroscience and learning, and I thought they made a useful pairing for this blog. Here goes… Regular readers know that I’ve recently been exploring research into movement and learning. That is:
Warning: Misguided Neuroscience Ahead
I recently ran across a version* of this chart: As you can see, this chart lists several neurotransmitters and makes recommendations based on their purported roles. If you want to feel love, you should increase oxytocin. To do so, play
The Limitations of Retrieval Practice (Yes, You Read That Right)
Last week, I wrote that “upsides always have downsides.” That is: anything that teachers do to foster learning (in this way) might also hamper learning (in that way). We should always be looking for side effects. So, let me take
Upsides Always Have Downsides: “Side Effects” in Education Research
Here at Learning and the Brain, we believe that research can improve education. Specifically, research into psychology (“how the mind works”) and neuroscience (“how the brain works”) can help teachers and schools. After all, we spend all day working with
Getting the Details Just Right: Retrieval Practice
Can we ever research a topic too much? Can we reach a point where, well, there’s nothing really more to say about teaching better and learning more? Perhaps, for instance, we’ve reached peak retrieval practice. Blog readers – and conference
Walking Promotes Creativity? A Skeptic Weighs In…
When teachers try to use psychology research in the classroom, we benefit from a balance of optimism and skepticism. I confess, I’m often the skeptic. When I hear that – say – “retrieval practice helps students learn,” I hope that’s
The Most Important 5 Minutes in Class: The Primacy/Recency Effect
As we put our lesson plans together, we teachers want to know: are some minutes more valuable than others? That is: Do students remember most at the 10-minute mark of the lesson, because they’re mentally revved up? Or, perhaps they
Working Memory in Everyday Life
Imagine this scenario: you’re standing in the CVS toothpaste aisle, trying to decide. You think you should be able to recognize something familiar, but honestly there are so many choices. Which brand are you loyal to? Do you want mint?
Earworms and Sleep: What Will They Research Next?
Just last week, I spoke with middle- and upper-school students about learning. We all know — and these students certainly know — that learning is hard. So, does cognitive science have any practical suggestions to help them study and learn? Yes, reader,
