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An effective way to teach new ideas is to expose students to something similar to their prior understandings, then explain the differences between the new and old information!

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Learning Principle #1: Understanding New Ideas!—Michael Anderson

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Learning Principle #1: Understanding New Ideas!—Michael Anderson

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The learning principle that interested me the most was learning principle number one, because learning new things is a science but teaching new ideas is an artform. There's a lot packed into this short principle, for example, "gradual release responsibility" which teaches new ideas in three stages: I do, we do, you do. This method allows the student to be introduced to a new idea, involved in performing the new idea, and finally cementing the new idea themselves!

The over-arching concept of this principle was using prior knowledge as tool to assimilate new understandings, then explaining how the old ideas and new ideas are both similar and different. In the picture above we see that a child recognizes a dog then uses that understanding to label a cat as a dog as well (since they, ostensibly, have a lot in common). Once the child has made a connection that dogs and cats are similar—both are four legged, hairy, pets, etc.—then we can explain how these things are different!

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The learning science principle I found most interesting is principle number three. This was all about solving problems and how critical feedback is when trying to solve a problem. I found this interesting because I felt like I could relate to it the most. When receiving feedback from previous professors, sometimes it was hard to understand what they wanted from me and it made solving the problem a lot harder. I think having steps to work through feedback given to you is very helpful and can be useful in so many situations.

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From an article on Cognitive Load Theory by the Medical College of Wisconsin

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Learning Science Principle #4: How Does Learning Transfer to New Situations?

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Learning Science Principle #4: How Does Learning Transfer to New Situations?

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The aspect of learning principle 4 I found the most interesting was the discussion on how people's minds can become overloaded, which leads to content entering short-term rather than long-term memory, where it can be retrieved (and later used again).

The Office of Educational Improvement at the medical College of Wisconsin says that working memory can process 5-9 pieces of information at any given time. They suggest designing coursework based around CLT by beginning the teaching/planning process with strong learning objectives for each session that highlight where learners need to be at the end of a session/unit.

In my own teaching, I would be interested in applying this knowledge while also figuring out how to not overload students with visual and spoken introduction as I introduce potentially new information to them.

https://www.mcw.edu/-/media/MCW/Education/Academic-Affairs/OEI/Faculty-Quick-Guides/Cognitive-Load-Theory.pdf

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Learning Science Principle 5: What Motivates Students to Learn?

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Learning Science Principle 5: What Motivates Students to Learn?

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Key Concepts

Belonging and Acceptance: Students perform better when they feel they belong in their academic environment and are accepted by peers and teachers.

Growth Mindset: Students are more motivated when they believe intelligence and ability can be improved through effort rather than being fixed traits.

Process vs. Ability Praise: Praising effort, strategies, and improvement processes is more effective than praising natural ability or talent.

Learning Goals vs. Performance Goals: Focusing on improvement and learning motivates students more than focusing on looking smart or getting approval.

Relevant Research Findings

Research shows that students who believe they belong in their learning environment are more likely to persist through challenges and seek help when needed.

This principle really resonates with my own learning experiences. I remember feeling more motivated in classes where teachers emphasized improvement over natural talent. When teachers would say things like "I can see how hard you worked on this" rather than "you're so smart," it made me want to keep pushing myself.

The belonging aspect is huge too. In classes where I felt like I didn't fit in or that my questions were unwelcome, I found myself checking out mentally. But when teachers created inclusive environments where everyone's contributions were valued, I was much more engaged.

I think about how this applies to group work like our current discussion boards - when we focus on learning from each other's perspectives rather than just getting the "right" answer, it creates that sense of belonging and shared growth that motivates everyone to contribute meaningfully.