The Science of Learning: Understanding What Works and Why it Works

1. The Science of Learning Geoff N Masters Australian Council for Educational Research

2. As educational leaders and teachers weare constantly making decisions withthe goal of promoting learning.

3. decision making loop

4. understanding of current situation understanding of current situation

5. A professional does not commence treatment / intervention / solution without first obtaining detailed information about the situation at hand.

6. understanding of current situation knowledge about how to improve

7. understanding of current situation knowledge about how to improve required resources

8. understanding of current situation improved learning outcomes knowledge about how to improve required resources ACTION

9. understanding of current situation ACTION improved learning outcomes improved life consequences knowledge about how to improve required resources

10. understanding of current situation feedback / evaluation understanding of current situation improved life consequences improved learning outcomes ACTION knowledge about how to improve improved learning outcomes improved life consequences ACTION knowledge about how to improve required resources required resources

11. understanding of current situation knowledge about how to improve

12. We often know what works long before we know why it works.

13. Hippocrates 460-377 BC described the use of powder made from the bark and leaves of the willow tree to help relieve headaches, pains and fevers salicylic acid

14. Charles Frederic Gerhardt 1853 isolated acetylsalicylic acid salicylic acid

15. Felix Hoffmann 1897 produced asyntheticallyaltered version salicylic acid

16. John Robert Vane 1982 awarded Nobel Prize for discovering themechanism aspirin suppresses the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes salicylic acid

17. What Works Why it Works 2300 years

18. What Works Why it Works SCIENCE

19. In education, we often know what works, but know very little about the underlying science of learning (whythings work).

20. observations from research inneuroscience

21. Each brain is unique.

25. The brain goes on being shaped by experience.

29. The brain tries to make sense of incoming information.

33. Physical and emotional statesinfluence brain development.

35. Attention is a key to successfullearning.

36. observations from research ineducation and psychology

37. Learning is a personal journey.

38. (Nussbaum, 1979)

39. Students are at very different stages of development and attainment.

41. Mathematics Achievement

43. “Attainment is only loosely related to age.” Dylan Wiliam (2007)

44. “factory assembly line model” Students “move along a conveyor belt from 1st to 12th grade” based on the assumption that individuals of the same age are more or less equally ready for the same curriculum. Darling-Hammond (2004)

45. “In elementary schools, children move from one teacher to the next every year. Every year we trash a year's worth of relationships built between children and their teacher, and we throw away all the knowledge the teacher has gained about what each child needs and can do. Each year, we tell every child and teacher to start over again.” (Marshak, 2003)

46. Deep learning requires a framework of concepts.

47. “Experts in a domain have a sensitivity to patterns of meaningful information.” Bransford, Brown and Cocking (2000)

49. Engagement and motivation arekeys to successful learning.

50. Feedback and self-monitoring are essential to learning.