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Effort in Learning
I’m disappointed to see so much effort put into making learning effortless (learning styles, cognitive-enhancing drugs, etc.). The most basic and critical component of learning is the laying down of memory traces. Making meaningful connections to the knowledge you already have. The act of taking information and going through the process of…
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Neuromyths and Education
Over the years, neuroscience has made spectacular leaps forward in finding out how the brain functions and affects behavior. With a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience, I have been a first-hand witness to this remarkable growth and age of discovery. After a number of years in educational administration, I went back to scholarship,…
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The Creative Process
I’ve written generally about creativity, the individual dispositional traits and attitudes conducive to creativity, and how the environment and culture a person finds themselves in can help or hinder creativity. Today I’m writing a little bit about the creative process itself based on interviews with individuals who have been recognized for creating…
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Creative Environments
In addition to the dispositional aspects of creativity that I previously wrote about, there are environmental aspects that we have more control over. There are definitely cultural and social environments that enhance the abstract cognitive enabler of creativity and the creative process and will allow dispositional aspects to flourish. Most creative individuals…
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Disposition for Creativity
There are certain dispositional attributes that those who have exhibited higher-order creativity bring with them to the table. Miller tells us that from Picasso to Einstein, there are similar traits that can be observed in those who create have abstract cognitive enablers. One of the similarities is a great in-depth knowledge of…
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What is Creativity
I wrote earlier about creativity as being the polar opposite of conformity. Now I am going to be publishing a series of articles about creativity as an abstract cognitive enabler. Much of what I am going to be writing on here relies on the work of Carl Newman and his work in…
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Effect of Grades on Learning I
The question of whether we should use marks, ranging from 0 – 100, or grades, usually A+ to F is a topic that often vexes teachers and can lead to heated discussions. There is scientific evidence that speaks to the topic. The question is complicated by marking rubrics and isn’t a stand-alone…
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Effect of Grades on Learning II
Scott Wilson asked a question in a comment on another article I wrote about the effect of grades on learning. Here is a blog entry from one of my students from a few years ago on the exact topic. I have copied it in full because linking to a post doesn’t allow for sharing…
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What is The Science of Learning
Learning is at the heart of education, or should be. Over the years, as someone who has studied the Science of Learning and how that can be applied to formal learning settings, I have spoken at conferences, given numerous workshops and seminars, and worked to support teachers who were in need of…
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Effective Cramming
Why is cramming so effective as a method of study, and for millions of students? The why is really quite simple. When students study for a test they are using what is called episodic memory. Episodic memory is a type of memory that we use every day. When you think about what…
