Diminishing Student Effort

If there’s a way for students to take a shortcut when learning, they’ll usually take it. I’m not so sure they understand how that shortcut negatively impacts learning long-term. Here’s a short video where I explain how I talk with my students about this, including some useful analogies, to help them to see that the... Continue Reading →

February 28, 2026 0

Building Upon A Firm Foundation

In building taller buildings, architects and engineers cannot ignore the foundation. In teaching our students, we cannot ignore the foundation.

May 30, 2025 1

Spaced Retrieval Made Easy

Utilizing highly effective strategies for learning in class can be easily designed and applied. There's no need to make it more difficult than it needs to be.

April 9, 2025 2

Remembering What It’s Like To Be A Student

Place yourself back in the student's seat and remember what it's like to be the learner. You'll be a better teacher for it.

April 2, 2025 1

A Classroom Teacher’s Take on AI

Person performing a dead lift with weights.

Do I see AI as good or bad for education and learning?

March 18, 2025 1

Easy Application of Interleaving in the Classroom

Students in a classroom raising their hands to answer a question.

Interleaving practice can surpass blocked practice in improving learning outcomes. A study from 2022 provides an easy to understand and apply example for classroom implementation.

March 10, 2025 2

Sherlock Holmes and Covert Thieves of Attention

Teachers should think a little more like Sherlock Holmes in their classroom to improve attention and learning.

March 3, 2025 2

What We Retrieve Matters

Does information related to explicitly retrieved content experience the positive outcomes of the testing effect?

February 24, 2025 1

Less is More. More is Too Much.

I was recently asked to consider one piece of advice I'd give to teachers. And, after thinking about it for a bit, I guess I'd suggest doing less, not more. More may be too much.

February 18, 2025 2

Obsessions and John Hattie

Scrabble board. Spells school, to learn, read, math.

Teachers are obsessed with teaching, but are they obsessed with learning?

February 10, 2025 1

The Roots of Knowledge and Learning

The roots of knowledge and learning provide the nourishment necessary for creativity and innovation to flourish.

January 22, 2025 0

Attention Contagion in the Virtual Classroom

Are inattentive behaviors contagious in the online world of learning?

December 13, 2024 3

1,000,000 Thank Yous

I owe you a thank you. : )

December 6, 2024 3

5 Reasons My Class Begins with Retrieval Practice (Almost) Daily

For the past six or seven years I have started my class (almost) every day the same way...with retrieval practice. This is usually a quick review of information covered from the last class meeting or of information we've covered in past lessons that directly relate to what we will discussing today. Four or five multiple-choice... Continue Reading →

October 16, 2024 6