The Science of Learning-What Every Teacher
Should Know
I completed a course of study offered by
Teachers College X, an online learning initiative of Teachers College, Columbia
University through edX. The course is about The Science of Learning-What
Every Teacher Should Know. The duration of the course is 20 hours of
professional learning. This course helped me demystify some of the grey areas I
had relating to cognitive science which now powerfully informs us about how we
can teach and learn more effectively.
This education course will show you,
through current research, how we learn — the way our brain makes, stores, and
retrieves memories.
You will examine common misconceptions and
misunderstandings about learning that can prevent students from learning at
their fullest capacity. Along the way you will explore the practical
implications of cognitive science for classroom teaching in terms of choosing
effective instructional strategies, developing useful assessments, motivating
student effort, and designing learner-centered curricular units.
This course is aimed to enhance the
practice of K-12 teachers
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:
·
How the brain encodes memories, stores them, and retrieves
them for later use.
·
Why working memory is so important for learning and ways to
prevent it from getting overloaded.
·
Strategies for making memories that “stick” and can be
readily recalled when needed.
·
Misconceptions that many students have about learning and
ways to correct them.
·
How student mindsets and beliefs about learning can help or
hinder their academic success.
·
How to help students become independent and self-regulated
learners so they can lead their own learning.
· Teaching strategies and assessment techniques that maximise
student learning.
COURSE OUTLINE
|
Teacher
Nicole Brittingham Furlonge, English Teacher, Grades 9-12
Topics
Learning in Schools
Understanding How Memory Works
Working Memory
Connecting Prior Knowledge
Making Memories
Retrieving Memories
|
|
|
Teacher
Ted Ogden, English Teacher, Grades
6-12
Topics
Taking the Student’s Perspective
Importance of Non-Cognitive
Factors
Growth Mindsets and Learning
Developing Growth Mindsets
Sense of Belonging
|
|
|
Teacher
Kari Ostrem, MfA Master Math
Teacher, Grades 9-12
Topics
Cognitive Load
Multitasking
Motivation
Learning to Learn
|
|
|
Section 4
|
Teacher
Lily Diamond, Teacher, 5th Grade
Topics
The Science of Learning and
Effective Teaching Strategies
Feedback and Teaching
Retrieval Practice
Spacing and Interleaving
Metacognition
|
The four-section course is comprised of 4-7
video lectures that are 5 - 12 minutes long. The videos can be watched at
various speeds and with or without closed captioning. Additionally,
downloadable transcripts are available for each video lecture and run
simultaneously to the left of the video.
The videos will feature guest teachers from various schools
in the United States invited to deliver lectures co-written by Dr. Pearl Rock
Kane and Dr. Kevin Mattingly, professors at Teachers College, Columbia
University. Interviews with these teachers will provide personal anecdotes on
what has worked for them and what they have found challenging.
ACTIVITIES AND
TOOLS
·
Discussion Forum: Will help us discuss, debate, and build community. Please
review the discussion guidelines before posting. Use [STAFF] in the subject
of each post that needs attention from a course team member. Please see the edX Learner's Guide for detailed information on how to make
the most of edX discussions.
·
Teams:
Science of Learning Teams are groups
of up to 20 students who meet regularly in-person or virtually to review and
discuss the course and explore the concepts of the course together. Although
students are encouraged to participate in discussions within the edX forums,
joining a Team allows for deeper and more personal engagement with the course
and with other students. See our EDSCI1x Team Leader Guide for
more information.
·
Self-Checks: Formative assessments that follow video segments test your
understanding of core concepts.
·
Teacher Journal: A place for you to keep reflections and responses for your
insights and applications we hope you will be able to use later in your own
classroom practice. We will use the Notes function of edX as our journal. Sometimes we will provide
"prompts" for you to respond to, yet you can use your Teaching
Journal at any time to record your thoughts and ideas.
·
Weekly Progress Chart: Will help you keep track of your progress by showing your completed assessments and
scores.
ASSESSMENT AND
GRADING
|
Section Quizzes
|
40%
|
Four section
quizzes assess your knowledge of the content
for each topic.
The lowest scoring quiz will be dropped.
|
|
Self-Reflections
|
20%
|
Five
self-reflections appear throughout the course to give you
an opportunity to
think more deeply about concepts and evaluate
|
|
Final Exam
|
40%
|
One final exam
will assess your understanding of major concepts covered.
|
You must earn 70% or more of the total grade to pass the course. We encourage you to earn a verified certificate for this course. To learn more about what verified certificates include, please see the edX Learner's Guide. This course offers On-Demand certificates. From edX: "As soon as you have achieved the required grade in the course, you see a message at the top of the course Progress page indicating that you have qualified for a certificate. At this point, you can keep working toward a higher grade in the course, or you can request your certificate immediately." For more information, please see the edX docs.
Self-Reflection Rubric
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Description
|
2 Proficient
|
1 Developing
|
0 Lacing
|
|
Relevance to Your
Teaching Practice: Discuss the relevance of the topic to your students and
teaching practice
|
This response
contains discussion of the relevance of the topic to your students and
teaching practice in an in-depth and detailed way
|
This response
contains discussion
of the relevance
of the topic to your students and teaching practice, but lacks depth and
detail in some areas
|
Response does
not discuss or address the topic relevance to your teaching practice
|
|
Application: Does
the response provide an example of classroom application?
|
This response
contains a clear and specific example of what seems to be a feasible
application
|
This response
contains an example of a classroom application, but it is difficult to
determine or not stated clearly
|
Response does
not discuss or address a classroom application
|
READINGS AND RESOURCES ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING
This
list is a selective overview of some useful resources for deepening your
understanding of concepts introduced in the Science of Learning MOOC. It is not
meant to be comprehensive but simply as an entry point for you into the
research about how people learn. Many of the articles cited can be found online
as PDFs for your professional use and application.
Learning—General
Books
Ambrose, S.A. and J.A. Bridges. (2010). How Learning
Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. Jossey-Bass.
Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L. and McDaniel, M. A.
(2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning.
Belknap Press.
Carey, B. (2014). How We Learn: The Surprising Truth
About When, Where, and Why It Happens. Random House.
Doyle, T. and T. Zakrajsck. (2011). Learner-Centered
Teaching: Putting the Research of Learning Into Practice. Stylus
Publishing.
Dumont, H., D. Istance, and F. Benavides, eds. (2010). The
Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice. OECD Publications.
Ericsson, A. and R. Pool. (2016). Peak: Secrets from
the New Science of Expertise. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Hattie, J. and G.C.R, Yates. (2013). Visible
Learning and the Science of How We Learn. Routledge.
Lang, J.L. (2016). Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons
from the Science of Learning. Jossey-Bass.
Ormrod, J. E. (2015). Human Learning. Pearson.
Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why Don’t Students
Like School? Jossey-Bass.
Articles
American Psychological Association (2015). Top 20
Principles from Psychology for PreK–12 Teaching and Learning. APA
Publishing.
Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., & Hakala, C. M. (Eds.)
(2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing
psychological science into the curriculum. Retrieved from the Society
for the Teaching of Psychology web site:http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/asle2014/index.php
Dumont et al (2012) The Nature of Learning: Using
Research to Inspire Practice. Centre for Educational Research and Innovation,
OECD Publications.
Website Blogs
Daniel Willingham Science and Education
Learning Deeply
Inspired Instruction--Videos from the Teaching
Channel: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/inspired_instruction/?_ga=1.160215549.1114697907.1480521103
Conferences and Workshops
Understanding Memory and Learning
Active Learning
Drake, E. and D. Battaglia. (2014). Teaching and
learning in active learning classrooms. Faculty Center for Innovative
Teaching, Central Michigan University. [Link]
Freeman, S. E et al (2014). Active learning
increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1319030111
Willingham, D. T. (2008). What will improve a
student’s memory? American Educator, Winter, 17-25, 44.
Attention
Diamond, A.(2013) Activities and programs that
improve children’s executive functions. Current Directions in
Psychological Science, 21(5): 335-341.
Diamond, A. (2013) Executive functions. Annual
Review of Psychology, 64:135–68.
Cognitive Load
Artino, A.R., Jr. (2008). Cognitive load theory and
the role of learner experience: An abbreviated review for educational
practitioners. AACE Journal, 16(4), 425-439.
Misconceptions
Gardner, H. (2011). The Unschooled Mind: How
Children Think and How Schools Should Teach, 2nd Edition. Basic Books.
Taylor, A.K. and P. Kowalski. (2014). Student
misconceptions: Where do they come from and what can we do? In V. A.
Benassi, C. E. Overson, & C. M. Hakala (Eds.). Applying science of
learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Retrieved
from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology web site:http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/asle2014/index.php
Prior Knowledge
Ambrose, S. A., & Lovett, M. C. (2014). Prior knowledge
is more important than content: Skills and beliefs also impact learning. In V.
A. Benassi, C. E. Overson, & C. M. Hakala (Eds.). Applying science
of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Retrieved
from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology web site:http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/asle2014/index.php
Working Memory
Gathercole, S.E. and T.P Alloway. (2007). Understanding
working memory: A classroom guide. Harcourt Assessment.
Motivation
Brophy, J. (2008). Developing students' appreciation for
what is taught in school, Educational Psychologist, 43(3): 132 — 141.
Stipek, D. (2001). Motivated Minds: Raising Children
to Love Learning. Holt.
Toshalis, E. and M. Nakkula. (2012). Motivation,
engagement, and student voice. The Students at the Center Series.
Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future. https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Exec-Toshalis-Nakkula-032312.pdf
Willingham, D. T. (2005/2006). How praise can
motivate--or stifle. American Educator 29(4): 23-27.
Non-Cognitive Factors in Learning
Dweck, C.W., G.M. Walton, and G.L. Cohen. (2014). Academic
tenacity: mindsets and skills that promote long-term learning. Gates
Foundation. [Link]
Farrington C., et al. (2012). Teaching adolescents
to become learners: The role of noncognitive factors in shaping school
performance--A critical literature review. University of Chicago
Consortium on Chicago School Research. [Link]
Yeager, D., G.M. Walton, and G.L. Cohen. (2013). Addressing
achievement gaps with psychological interventions. Phi Delta Kappan,
94(5): 62-65.
Student Learning Strategies
Dunlosky, J. (2013). Strengthening the Student
Toolbox: Study Strategies to Boost Learning, American Educator, 37(3):
12-21.
Pashler, H. et al (2007). Organizing instruction and
study to improve student learning. National Center for Education
Research, Institute of Education Sciences
Zimmerman, B. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated
learner: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(2) , Spring 2002
Zumbrunn, S. J. Tadlock, & D. Roberts. (2011). Encouraging
self-regulated learning in the classroom. Metropolitan Educational
Research Consortium, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Teaching Strategies
Bjork, R.A., & C.M. Clark. (2104). When and why
introducing difficulties and errors can enhance instruction. In V. A.
Benassi, C. E. Overson, & C. M. Hakala (Eds.). Applying science of
learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Retrieved
from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology web site:http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/asle2014/index.php
Chappuis, J. (2014) Seven Strategies of Assessment
for Learning. 2nd Edition. Pearson.
Palincsar, A. S. (1986). The role of dialogue in
providing scaffolded instruction. Educational Psychologist, 21 (1
& 2), 73-98.
Pashler, H. et al (2007). Organizing instruction and
study to improve student learning. National Center for Education
Research, Institute of Education Sciences
Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of instruction:
Research-based strategies that all teachers should know. Rosenshine,
American Educator, 36(1): 12-19.
Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational
Leadership, 70(1): 10-16.
Willingham, D.T. (2014). Strategies that make learning
last. Educational Leadership, 72(2): 10-15.
Wiliam, D. (2013). Assessment: The bridge between
teaching and learning. Voices from the Middle, 21(2): 15-20. National
Council of Teachers of English.
Wiliam, D., & S. Leahy. (2015). Embedding Formative
Assessment: Practical Techniques for K-12 Classrooms. Learning Sciences
International.
