As I've written before, replacing explicit instruction (not just lecturing, but a scaffolded combination of interactive modeling, questioning, and practice) with fun but trivial activities is not the key to students' hearts. If anything, this causes disillusionment and resentment. Kids are smart enough to recognize that their education is being wasted. In this post, I'd … Continue reading Playing Around with Kids’ Education
S2E2: Jasmine Lane on Subject Expertise and Why She’ll Never Go Back to Teaching in the U.S.
In this episode of the Progressively Incorrect podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jasmine Lane. Jasmine is a secondary English teacher who recently moved from the U.S. to teach in England. I first came across Jasmine through her blog, jasmineteaches.wordpress.com, which was originally about her experiences as a first-year teacher. Back in those … Continue reading S2E2: Jasmine Lane on Subject Expertise and Why She’ll Never Go Back to Teaching in the U.S.
S2E1: Paul A. Kirschner on Minimally Guided Instruction and Cognitive Load
In this episode of the Progressively Incorrect podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Paul A. Kirschner. Paul is Emeritus Professor at the Open University of the Netherlands as well as Guest Professor at the Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Antwerp, Belgium. He is the author of several books, including How Learning … Continue reading S2E1: Paul A. Kirschner on Minimally Guided Instruction and Cognitive Load
Inquiry vs. Direct Instruction: A Case of Conflating Events with Systems?
A problem I've faced when debating the advantages/disadvantages of direct instruction and inquiry-based learning is that educators tend to define them in different ways. The confusion stems from how both inquiry-based learning and direct instruction can be seen as either 1) discrete instructional events or 2) whole systems/approaches to teaching. It's common to hear teachers … Continue reading Inquiry vs. Direct Instruction: A Case of Conflating Events with Systems?
Different Schools for Different Fools
To celebrate the completion of my dissertation and my contribution to a new book, I allowed myself back onto Twitter. I had been tweeting via Hootsuite and self-blocking Twitter on my technology so that I could focus on these projects, free from the weight of the nonsense that tends to dominate the platform. My return … Continue reading Different Schools for Different Fools
Zach Groshell, PhD and Author
It all seems like a blur now, but about a year ago I found myself completing my PhD comprehensive exams, writing Part III of a book about evidence-informed technology strategies, and self-isolating with a toddler due to COVID-19... all at the same time. These three things now seem to be coming to a close... all … Continue reading Zach Groshell, PhD and Author
Assessment and Feedback Strategies Livestream
In a few short weeks, a book I'm featured in, Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative, will be released. I'm the author of the chapter on assessment and feedback. On May 26, 2022, 7PM EST, I will be talking with the lead authors of the project about some of the assessment and feedback strategies that I … Continue reading Assessment and Feedback Strategies Livestream
Can Students Really Self-Differentiate?
Take a look at the screenshot below. It shows a learning activity containing a menu with two choices. Clicking the right button leads to a problem that the student must solve, and clicking the left button leads to an example that shows the student how to solve that sort of problem. This activity is one … Continue reading Can Students Really Self-Differentiate?
Do We Want Our Students to Struggle?
Like so many buzzwords in education, it's hard to pin down what people mean by the term "Productive Struggle". Of the two meanings of Productive Struggle I've heard being used most often, the good meaning is uncontroversial, and the bad - and more popular - meaning encourages teachers to abandon principles of effective instruction. The … Continue reading Do We Want Our Students to Struggle?
From Door to Do Now
When I coach teachers who struggle with classroom management, I often begin by helping them focus on the things that happen just prior to the actual lesson: The way students move and interact in the hallways, the way students line up at the door and enter, and the design of the task students are meant … Continue reading From Door to Do Now
Education Rickshaw 
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