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Tag Archives: desirable difficulty
The Downsides of Desirable Difficulties
For several years now, we’ve been talking about the benefits of “desirable difficulties.” For instance, we know that spreading practice out over time helps students learn more than does doing all the practice at once. Why? Because that schedule creates
Conflicting Advice: What to Do When Cognitive Science Strategies Clash?
Teachers like research-informed guidance because it offers a measure of certainty. “Why do you run your classes that way?” “Because RESEARCH SAYS SO!” Alas, we occasionally find that research encourages AND DISCOURAGES the same strategy simultaneously. What to do when
Posted in L&B Blog
Tagged desirable difficulty, interleaving, spacing effect, working memory
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The Limits of “Desirable Difficulties”: Catching Up with Sans Forgetica
Can a hard-to-read font improve student learning? That’s a very strange question, but in 2019 we had some reasons to think the answer was “yes.” Just published research updates our understanding. Continue reading
Best Font Name Ever: “Sans Forgetica”
Australian researchers have developed a new font, “sans forgetica,” which might help students remember what they read. However, we have reason to be careful and cautious before we rely too much on this innovation. Continue reading
Is Failure Productive? (Hint: We Should Ask a Better Question)
Two research groups studied (more or less) the same technique with two different student populations — and got very different answer. These contradictory findings give teachers important lessons about using psychology and education research most wisely. Continue reading
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Tagged boundary conditions, classroom advice, desirable difficulty
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Escaping the “Inquiry vs. Direct Instruction” Debate
If you’d like to stir up a feisty argument at your next faculty meeting, lob out a casual observation about direct instruction. Almost certainly, you’ll hear impassioned champions (“only direct instruction leads to comprehension”) and detractors (“students must construct their
Can Quiet Cognitive Breaks Help You Learn?
A 10-minute cognitive break improves our memory for story details. If this research pans out, it might be immensely helpful in the classroom. Watch this space… Continue reading
Don’t Just Do This Thing; Think This Way
Do hard-to-read fonts improve learning? The answer is: that’s the wrong question. Instead, we should ask: how can we set the right level of difficulty as students learn material? And: are hard-to-read fonts a useful tool in getting to that level. Only the classroom teacher can answer those questions. Continue reading
Putting Research to Work in the Classroom: Success?
Some study habits have been shown to work in psychology labs. Do they work in college classrooms? A recent study shows that “retrieval practice” clearly helps students learn. The findings on “the spacing effect” are harder to interpret… Continue reading
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Tagged classroom advice, desirable difficulty, retrieval practice
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The Best Way to Take Notes: More Feisty Debate
When teachers contemplate asking students to take longhand notes, we should think about the level of desirable difficulty this strategy creates. We should also beware the working memory challenges inherent in note-taking, especially on complex material. Continue reading