How Do Children Explain Academic Success? (And: How Do We Know?)

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: May 6, 2020

All students think EFFORT is important for success. Do all students — even younger students — think that SKILL matters? Recent research explores this question. Continue reading →

“Seductive Details”: When Do Cool Stories and Videos Interfere with Learning?

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: April 25, 2020

When teachers include cool stories and funny videos in our lessons, does that ultimately help our students learn? A recent meta-analysis crunches the numbers. Continue reading →

How We Learn: Why Brains Learn Better Than Any Machine… for Now by Stanislas Dehaene

Rebecca Gotlieb
by: Rebecca Gotlieb
Posted on: April 21, 2020

What is learning and how do we accomplish it? Stanislas Dehaene, a cognitive neuropsychologist and professor at the Collège de France, addresses these questions in How We Learn: Why Brains Learn Better Than Any Machine… for Now. He defines learning

Beyond Retrieval Practice: The Benefits of Student-Generated Questions

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: April 18, 2020

Is it better to have students ANSWER questions or to ASK question? Recent research from Germany provides a helpfully specific way to think about study strategies. Continue reading →

An Exciting Event In Mindfulness Research [Repost]

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: April 10, 2020

I’ve been reviewing old posts, looking for information that might be particularly helpful in today’s strange times. This post — from September — gives us greater confidence that mindfulness helps reduce stress. It’s particularly persuasive research because it studies both

Dr. Kurt Fischer: A Tribute

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: April 3, 2020

Professor Kurt Fischer changed my professional life. If you’re reading this blog, odds are good he helped change yours as well. Throughout most of the 20th century, teachers, psychologists, and neuroscientists had little to say to one another. Even psychology

Pure Inquiry, Guided Inquiry, and PISA

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: March 30, 2020

A recent study looking at PISA data gives a fresh perspective on the Inquiry Learning debate. Continue reading →

The Neuroscience of Retrieval Practice

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: March 27, 2020

We know THAT retrieval practice helps students learn. It would be really cool to know what difference it makes in the brain. Well, we’re starting to learn… Continue reading →

Good Morning, I love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practice to Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity, and Joy by Shauna Shapiro

Rebecca Gotlieb
by: Rebecca Gotlieb
Posted on: March 24, 2020

Shauna Shapiro, expert in mindfulness and compassion, recently authored Good Morning, I love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practice to Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity, and Joy. In this book she draws on both scientific evidence and ancient wisdom to

Beyond “Tricks-n-Tips”: What does Cog Sci Tell Us About Online Learning?

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: March 22, 2020

When it comes to online learning, don’t just “do this thing.” Instead, “think this way.” Continue reading →