THE SCIENCE OF IMPROVING TEACHING AND SCHOOLS

The pandemic has highlighted many problems in the educational system, from inflexible schedules to bored students. A May 2021 survey by EdNC found that 43% of educators and parents want some school changes, 28% want significant changes, and 11% want a completely different learning experience after COVID. At the same time, brain and learning sciences are transforming teaching, classrooms, schedules, and learning spaces.

This conference will combine COVID lessons learned with the Science of Learning to create a new “Science of Teaching” to improve education. You will explore ways learning sciences, portable EEG devices, and researcher-teacher partnerships are changing teaching, as well as how design science is reshaping school schedules, start times, and learning environments. Discover ways to create more flexible, personal, engaging, and blended learning; use design thinking and instructional design; rethink grades, assessments, and leadership; and redesign learning spaces to improve learning.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@learningandtheb / #LatB61) for conference updates and news.

This conference will be presented as a hybrid conference. You can either attend in person in San Francisco or participate virtually. Click here for more details.

Click here for COVID-19 policies at the venue and for COVID-19 cancellation policies.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Ways to create personalized, learner-centered classrooms

The science of sleep and improving schedules and start times

How COVID lessons learned can be used to improve education

The science of teaching and using brain research in the classroom

Using design thinking and redesigning spaces for effective learning

The science of learning and making learning engaging and personal

How EEG devices and partnerships are bringing research into schools

Improving blended learning, teen learning, and brain development

Strategies for spacing, retrieval practice, memory, and motivation

Rethinking reading, grades, assessments, and school leadership

Ways to improve mindsets and social-emotional learning

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Educators, Parents

Curriculum, Staff Developers

Speech-Language Pathologists

PreK-12 Teachers, Administrators

Learning Specialists, Special Educators

Psychologists, School Psychologists, Counselors

Early Childhood Educators, Professionals

Reading, Math, Science, Technology Teachers

Superintendents, Principals, School Heads

Adolescent Educators, Clinicians, Counselors

Administrators, Deans, Curriculum Directors

Guidance, Career, College Counselors

College, University Professors

Featured Speakers

Rethinking Teaching: Lessons from the Science of Learning, Remote Learning, and COVID

Barbara A. Oakley, PhD, PE

Ramon y Cajal Distinguished Scholar of Global Digital Learning, McMaster University; Professor of Engineering, Oakland University; Co-Founder, SmarterHumans.ai; Co-Author, "The Memory Paradox: Why Our Brains Need Knowledge in an Age of AI" (2015, arXiv), Learn Like a Pro (2021), Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn (2021), and Learning How to Learn (2018); Author, Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential (2017) and A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (2014)

Design Matters: Rethinking Learning Environments

Kenneth Shelton, MA

Useable Knowledge: Developing An Authentic Science of Teaching for, and by, Educators

David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair

Professor Emeritus of Psychology, James Madison University; Former Executive Director and Founding Board Member, International Mind, Brain, and Education Society; Former Managing Editor, Mind, Brain, and Education Journal; Recognized in the “Top 1% of Educational Researchers Influencing Public Debate” in the US; Co-Author, “Toward an Ecological Science of Teaching” (2021, Canadian Psychology), “Seeing Self and Others On-Screen Does Not Negatively Impact Learning in Virtual Classrooms” (2021, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology), and “E-Textbooks at What Cost? Performance and Use of Electronic v. Print Texts” (2013, Computers and Education)

Transforming Education: The Science and Design of Learning

Daniel L. Schwartz, PhD

I. James Quillen Dean; Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Educational Technology, Stanford Graduate School of Education; Director, Transforming Learning Accelerator; Director, AAALab, Stanford University; Member of the AI at Stanford Advisory Committee; Winner of the Jacobs Foundation Prize to fund research on the use of artificial intelligence in educational settings, focusing on the Teachable Agent, a technology he developed and has tested previously with promising result; Co-Host of the Stanford podcast and SiriusXM radio show “School’s In”; Co-Author, “Achieving an Adaptive Learner” (2025, Educational Psychologist), The ABCs of How We Learn: 26 Scientifically Proven Approaches, How They Work, and When to Use Them (2016), and Measuring What Matters Most (2013)

Time for Change! Four Essential Skills for Transformational Leaders

Anthony S. Muhammad, PhD

Learners Without Borders: Can COVID be a Catalyst for Real Change?

Yong Zhao, PhD

Foundation Distinguished Professor, School of Education, University of Kansas; Professorial Fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Policy, Victoria University; Professor in Educational Leadership, Melbourne Graduate School of Education; Author, “Artificial Intelligence and Education: End the Grammar of Schooling” (2024, ECNU Review of Education) and Learners Without Borders: New Learning Pathways for All Students (2021); Co-Author, “Reconsidering Literacy in an AI World” (2025, KAPPAN), Learning for Uncertainty: Teaching Students How to Thrive in a Rapidly Evolving World (2022), Teaching Students to Become Self-Determined Learners (2020) and Never Send a Human to Do a Machine’s Job (2015)

Bringing Cognitive Science, Population Neuroscience, and Personalized Learning into the Classroom

Terry L. Jernigan, PhD

Kids Under Pressure During COVID: Providing SPACE to Address Student Stress, Sleep, Schedules, and Engagement

Denise C. Pope, PhD

Senior Lecturer, Stanford Graduate School of Education; Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor, Challenge Success; Co-Host, “School's In” Podcast; Author, “Doing School”: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students (2001); Co-Author, “Stressed, Tired, and Yearning for Support” (2025, Kappan Online), “What Students and Teachers Do to Build Positive Reciprocal Relationships: A Study Co-Led by Youth and Adult Researchers” (2023, American Journal of Education), “A Caring Climate That Promotes Belonging and Engagement” (2022, Phi Delta Kappa), and Overloaded and Underprepared: Strategies for Stronger Schools and Healthy, Successful Kids (2015)

Disruptive Thinking: Rethinking and Redesigning Our Schools for an Unknown Future

Eric C. Sheninger, MEd

Award-Winning Principal; Chief Executive Officer, Aspire Change EDU; Associate Partner, International Center for Leadership in Education; Google Certified Teacher; Former Science Teacher; Author, "Future-Proof Learning: Preparing Students for an Uncertain Tomorrow" (2025, A Principal's Reflections), Disruptive Thinking in Our Classroom: Preparing Learners for Their Future (2021), Digial Leadership (2019, 2nd Edition), and Uncommon Learning: Creating Schools That Work for Kids (2015); Co-Author, Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Students (2025) and Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow's Schools Today (2017)

Implementing Principles From the Science of Learning Within Educational Practice

Shana K. Carpenter, PhD

Cognitive Psychologist; Professor, School of Psychological Science, Oregon State University; Author, “Prequestioning and Pretesting Effects: A Review of Empirical Research, Theoretical Perspectives, and Applications” (2024, PsyArXiv), “Encouraging Students to Use Retrieval Practice: A Review of Emerging Research From Five Types of Interventions” (2023, Educational Psychology Review), “The Effects of Immediate Versus Delayed Feedback on Complex Concept Learning” (2021, Experimental Psychology), and “Prequestions Enhance Learning, But Only When They Are Remembered” (2020, Experimental Psychology Applied)

THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING: USING BRAIN SCIENCE TO IMPROVE PRACTICE

Useable Knowledge: Developing An Authentic Science of Teaching for, and by, Educators

David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair

Rethinking Teaching: Lessons from the Science of Learning, Remote Learning, and COVID

Barbara A. Oakley, PhD, PE

Teaching to Every Kid’s Potential: Using Neuroscience Lessons to Liberate Learners

Layne M. Kalbfleisch, PhD, MEd

Owner/Founder of 2E Consults® LLC; Former Professor of Educational Psychology and Neuroscience, George Mason University, and was affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics, George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Former Adjunct Professor, Northern New Mexico College; studies and coaches neurodivergence and the relationship among talents, natural skills, and disability, and how the human brain supports ingenuity and problem solving across life; Former Co-Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation Group Brain Dynamics in Learning Project; Member, United States Department of State Committee on Exceptional Children; Author, Teaching to Every Kid's Potential: Simple Neuroscience Lessons to Liberate Learners (2021), “Twice-Exceptional Students: Gifted Students With Learning Disabilities” (2013, Fundamentals of Gifted Education) and "The Neural Plasticity of Giftedness" (2009, International Handbook on Gifted)

Design Ed: Connecting Learning Science Research to Practice

Angela Elkordy, PhD

Design Ed: Connecting Learning Science Research to Practice

Ayn F. Keneman, EdD

Building a Science of Teaching and Learning: One Educator's Journey

Shawna Angelo, MEd

Building a Science of Teaching and Learning: One Educator's Journey

David B. Daniel, PhD, Conference Chair

THE SCIENCE OF SCHOOL: USING COVID LESSONS TO IMPROVE EDUCATION

Cognitive Science in the COVID Classroom: One Teacher’s Journey to Discover What Works and What Doesn’t

Andrew C. Watson, MEd, MA

Classroom Teacher; Founder/President of Translate the Brain, a professional development consultancy; Author, The Goldilocks Map: A Classroom Teacher’s Quest to Evaluate ‘Brain-Based’ Teaching Advice (2021), Learning Grows: The Science of Motivation for the Classroom Teacher (2019), and Learning Begins: A Teacher's Guide to the Learning Brain (2017); Blogger, Learning & the Brain Blog

Design Matters: Rethinking Learning Environments

Kenneth Shelton, MA

Transforming Education: The Science and Design of Learning

Daniel L. Schwartz, PhD

Learners Without Borders: Can COVID be a Catalyst for Real Change?

Yong Zhao, PhD

Lessons Learned: Restarting and Reinventing Schools

Monica R. Martinez, PhD

REBOUND: Rebuilding Agency, Accelerating Learning Recovery, and Rethinking Schools

Douglas B. Fisher, PhD

Chair, Department of Educational Leadership, San Diego State University; Classroom Teacher, Health Sciences High and Middle College; Co-Author, Microlearning in the K–12 Classroom: Short Bursts of Instruction for Breakthrough Understanding (2026), The Engagement by Design Playbook: Creating Learning Environments Where Students Thrive (2026), The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers That Make Learning More Engaging (2025, 2nd Edition), Rigor Unveiled (2025), Teaching Students to Drive Their Learning (2023), and Confronting the Crisis in Engagement (2022)

Creating the Schools Our Children Need

Dylan A. R. Wiliam, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Educational Assessment, Institute of Education, University of London (UK); Former Dean and Head of the School of Education, King’s College London (UK); One of the World’s Leading Authorities on the Science of Learning; Author, Creating the Schools Our Children Need (2018) and Leadership for Teacher Learning: Creating a Culture Where All Teachers Improve So That All Students Succeed (2016); Co-Author, Making Room for Impact: A De-implementation Guide for Educators (2023)

THE SCIENCE OF DESIGN: REDESIGNING SCHEDULES AND LEARNING SPACES

Kids Under Pressure During COVID: Providing SPACE to Address Student Stress, Sleep, Schedules, and Engagement

Denise C. Pope, PhD

Disruptive Thinking: Rethinking and Redesigning Our Schools for an Unknown Future

Eric C. Sheninger, MEd

Solve It: Problem-Based Learning and Design Thinking

Kenneth Shelton, MA

Rethinking SPACE: Using Brain Science and COVID Lessons to Redesign Learning Spaces

Robert W. Dillon, EdD

Insights From Wearable Brain Technologies on Engagement and School Schedules

Ido Davidesco, PhD

Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences; Principal Investigator, Brain Healthy Project, NEAG School of Education, University of Connecticut; Brain Researcher who studies how students learn in real classrooms using portable Electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracking technologies; Co-Author, "Neuroscience Research in the Classroom: Portable Brain Technologies in Education Research" (2021, Educational Researcher); "Making BrainWaves: Portable Brain Technology in Biology Education" (2021, bioRxiv), "Morning Brain: Real-World Neural Evidence that High School Class Times Matter" (2020, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience), and "Measuring Brain Waves in the Classroom" (2020, Frontiers for Young Minds)

The Science of Sleep: Teens and School Start Times

Rafael Pelayo, MD, FAASM

COVID LESSONS: RETHINKING GRADES, TECHNOLOGY, & LEADERSHIP

Time for Change! Four Essential Skills for Transformational Leaders

Anthony S. Muhammad, PhD

Making Grades Fair, Accurate, Meaningful, and Equitable: Lessons Learned from COVID

Thomas R. Guskey, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology, College of Education, University of Kentucky; Visiting Professor at 10 universities in the US; Visiting Scholar at universities in Australia, Canada and New Zealand; Fellow, American Educational Research Association; Former Director, Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning; Author, Evaluating Professional Learning (2025, 2^nd Edition), The Teacher as Assessment Leader (2025, 2^nd Edition), and Implementing Mastery Learning (2022); Co-Author, Grading With Integrity (2024), Get Set, Go!: Creating Successful Grading and Reporting Systems (2020) and On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting (2014)

Embedding Formative Assessment: Practical Techniques for a Pandemic and After

Dylan A. R. Wiliam, PhD

COVID Lessons Learned for Accelerated Learning and Engagement

Douglas B. Fisher, PhD

The New Digital Divide: EdTech Self-Efficacy and Implications for Online Learning Environments

Nicole Barbaro, PhD

Learner-Centered Assessment Practices to Accelerate Learning and Growth

Katie L. Martin, PhD

Chief Impact Officer and Co-Founder, Learner-Centered Collaborative; Chief Impact Officer, Altitude Learning; Former Director of Professional Learning, University of San Diego; Former Director of District Leadership, Buck Institute for Education; Former Middle School Teacher and Instructional Coach; Author, Evolving Education: Shifting to a Learner-Centered Paradigm (2021) and Learner-Centered Innovations: Spark Curiosity, Ignite Passion, and Unleash Genius (2018)

Finding Balance: Partnering With Your Students to Reimagine Learning

Catlin R. Tucker, PhD

Chief Executive Officer, Blended Learning; Curriculum Designer, Professional Development Designer, and Facilitator, Imagine Learning; Adjunct Professor, Masters of Arts in Teaching Program, Pepperdine University; Author, The Complete Guide to Blended Learning: Activating Agency, Differentiation, Community, and Inquiry for Students (2022), Balance With Blended Learning: Partner With Your Students to Reimagine Learning and Reclaim Your Life (2020), and Power Up Blended Learning: A Professional Learning Infrastructure to Support Sustainable Change (2018); Co-Author, Elevating Educational Design With AI (2024), Shift Writing Into the Classroom: With UDL and Blended Learning (2024), The Shift to Student-Led: Reimagining Classroom Workflows With UDL and Blended Learning (2022), UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes (2021), and Blended Learning in Action: A Practical Guide Toward Sustainable Change (2016)

THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING: MAKING LEARNING PERSONAL & ENGAGING

Bringing Cognitive Science, Population Neuroscience, and Personalized Learning into the Classroom

Terry L. Jernigan, PhD

Implementing Principles from the Science of Learning Within Educational Practice

Shana K. Carpenter, PhD

Evolving Education: Shifting to a Learner-Centered Paradigm

Katie L. Martin, PhD

How Learning Works: A Playbook for Promising Principles

John T. Almarode, PhD

Professor of Education, James Madison University; Co-Editor, Teacher Educator Journal; Co-Author, The Mathematics Playbook (2024), The Teacher Clarity Playbook, Grades K-12 (2024), The Early Childhood Education Playbook (2022), How Tutoring Works: Six Steps to Grow Motivation and Accelerate Student Learning (2021), How Learning Works (2021), Clarity for Learning (2018), From Snorkelers to Scuba Divers: Making the Elementary Science Classroom a Place of Engagement and Deep Learning (2017), Visible Learning for Science (2017), and Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6–12 (2013)

Using Brain Science to Help Learning Stick

Bryan R. Goodwin, MA

President and CEO, McREL International; Former Teacher; Author, Building a Curious School: Restore the Joy That Brought You to School (2020) and Out of Curiosity: Restoring the Power of Hungry Minds for Better Schools, Workplaces, and Lives (2018); Co-Author, The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement (2022), Learning That Sticks: A Brain-Based Model for K-12 Instructional Design and Delivery (2020), and Unstuck: How Curiosity, Peer Coaching, and Teaming Can Change Your School (2018)

Learning Science 101: Cognition for Teaching

Clark N. Quinn, PhD

The Engagement Equation: Giving Students the Keys to Control Their Own Learning

Dustin Bindreiff, EdD

Senior Education Consultant; Former Behavior and Mental Health Program Manager, Belmont- Redwood Shores School District; Former Special Education Coordinator, Nevada County Superintendent of Schools; Former Professional Learning Specialist, Mindsets Works; Author, “From On Edge to On Task: Exploring Elements of Trauma- Sensitive Schools” (2021, NASSP), “Giving Students the Keys to Control Their Own Learning Outcomes” (2018, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Blog), and “Mindsets Impact Perceptions of Student Behavior” (2016, Mindset Works Blog)

Brain-Friendly Tools for Teaching: Strategies for Success!