Learning sciences by Joshua Harrison

How do students understand new ideas?

joshuasharrison27 — 2025-01-23 03:23:54 UTC

I think this learning principle is so incredibly important. If we as instructors do not know how people can understand new information or ideas we cannot teach new ideas in an understandable way. I like in the video that is shown to look at prior knowledge then organize information and lastly review new information. As educators if we build of past knowledge students and learners will be able to understand the new ideas that are presented to them. To me this principle is the most interesting as I feel very thing builds of being able to accept new ideas.

Different learning styles have been debunked!

mitchelld52 — 2025-01-23 11:44:24 UTC

I was intrigued by learning principle 6. The idea that student have different learning styles ( such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic), apparently has been debunked. Research has shown that there is no evidence to support the existence of distinct learning styles. There was a study in 2010 by psychologists Riener and Willingham who highlighted that while students may have preferences for how they receive information, these preferences do not improve learning outcomes. Then the American Psychological Association reinforced this in 2019, stating that belief in learning styles is a myth and can be detrimental. So the concern is some students may limit themselves in ways that match their perceived learning style, missing out on the benefits of diverse learning strategies.

What motivates students to learn?

a02324217 — 2025-01-23 21:15:03 UTC

I was really interested by principle 5, which says that students learn better in environments where they feel accepted. This makes a lot of sense considering it's hard to learn when you feel uncomfortable. I love that all the suggestions were teacher centric, because I really do believe the teacher sets the tone. It really is classroom management but it's not just about discipline but positive reinforcement of students. I also thought it was interesting and important that there was an emphasis on teaching students how to take criticism.

Principle #5: What motivates students to learn?

2025-01-24 02:53:25 UTC

Out of the six listed principles in the science of learning, the one that stood out to me to most, the one I really connected with, was this one, #5. As someone who is striving to become a very well respected teacher that can be relied on by both peers and students alike, this principle is key to making that happen. Having just finished the multicultural education class last semester, this principle really drives home that in a classroom setting, the teacher and student should be working towards a mutually respectful and trustworthy relationship. When that happens, students will feel more accepted by the teacher as well as their classmates. This will help the students really open up and kickstart their learning progression. The most important part of this principle that really stood out to me though, is where it talks about goal setting with your students. That these goals should be made with the idea of overall improving oneself, rather than making goals in order to get approval from an outside perspective. Having a teacher be able guide students down this path, I think, would be a really great classroom setting where students would be encourage to grow and learn in the way that is best for them.

Also, sorry about not getting the Padlet started yesterday! I didn't realize that this module was going to involve group work until today. I'm so busy during the week that the only time I have for this classwork is usually on Fridays. So, thank you Joshua for getting this going!

Principle 2: How do students learn and retain new information?

benjhaiden — 2025-01-24 23:20:55 UTC

I think principle two has been very unexplored until recently. Common misconceptions about learning styles favor the more traditional lecture and notes format, but the thing is that doesn't work well with everyone. We need to study how students learn anything, not just how they learn our subjects. Memory consolidation is facilitated through elaboration of data we encounter. So, putting information to a song, always having the same flavor of gum when you are studying and when you are testing, and referencing real world knowledge are a few ways we can help students retain information. I think this principle is the most interesting because it seems the most practical, and it denotes seeking to understand how our brain works. We learn with our brains, so why not spend time becoming more familiar with how our own brain works?