When it comes to learning, prior knowledge affects how new information is absorbed. If a teacher fails to recognize that a student is missing background information, that child is likely to tune out (not unlike that time my husband attempted to teach me the inner workings of a telephone).
“Prior knowledge affects how a student [...]
Prior Knowledge Tied to Learning Success
Posted 17 February 2010 by Deb Kohnstamm
Tags: learning
Tags: learning
I Knew it Before the Test!
“Familiarity fools our minds into thinking we know more than we do.”
If you have ever been surprised by a poor test result, you are not alone. “Very often, students will think they understand a body of material. Believing that they know it, they stop trying to learn more. But, come test time, it turns [...]
Students Pay Price for Task Switching
“To do two things at once is to do neither.” Publilius Syrus, Roman slave, first century B.C.
We’ve all heard the woes of students who start their homework after dinner and are still going strong at midnight. But are they truly working nonstop or are they getting distracted along the way? Does the computer [...]
Reimagine Learning
“Reimagining Learning,” the 2010 Digital Media and Learning Competition, was unveiled at the White House on November 23. Set to launch December 14, the $2 million competition sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, seeks proposals that will transform learning using digital media.
Applicants will focus on participatory learning experiences that incorporate the [...]
Video Games Bring Classics to New Generation
With all the hoopla about interactive math and science learning, who’s looking out for the poor humanities?
I found countless static websites to help students make sense of the classics, identify themes, or gain historical insight, but nothing interactive until I stumbled across Dr. Roger Travis. This Associate Professor in the Modern and Classical Languages [...]
Relationships Matter Between Students and Teachers
We can all remember that teacher who made a class or subject intolerable. Perhaps your children too have experienced a poor interpersonal relationship with a teacher, one that took a toll on their love for learning.
Fortunately, the flip side is also true, “If the teacher has a good relationship with the pupils then their interest [...]
Focus on Staying Focused
When it comes to schoolwork, “Learning how to focus and get something done is about more than just good grades it’s the foundation for success in life.”
While many students have heard it before, these tips based on the TeensHealth.org article, Staying Focused on Schoolwork, serve as good reminders about how focusing not only helps get [...]
The Science of Learning
A study at the University of Washington comparing human and electronic teaching methods demonstrates young children learn best through social interaction and finds that the “social aspects of learning are very important at all ages.”
Early childhood test scores and self-control dramatically improve for children who participate in Tools of the Mind, a program that enables [...]
Boost Science Learning at Museums, Zoos, Other Informal Settings
Each year, tens of millions of Americans, young and old, choose to learn about science in informal ways — by visiting museums and aquariums, attending after-school programs, pursuing personal hobbies, and watching TV documentaries. There is abundant evidence that these programs and settings, and even everyday experiences such as a walk in the park, contribute [...]
Abstract Symbols vs. Real World Math Examples
We’ve all heard the classic story problem about two trains leaving different stations at the same time. But, do most students learn the math when presented with real-life situations?
A study led by Jennifer Kaminski, research scientist at The Ohio State University’s Center for Cognitive Science, found that abstract math concepts do not become more relevant [...]
