My definition is grounded in three assumptions about learning. First, learning can be inert. Whithead North, introduced this term in to describe the knowledge that can be expressed by learners, but they have no idea what it means or how it should be interpreted or applied. In my experience as a science and math teacher (and also a student Read More
What exactly does it mean that “students learn?” For many generations, student learning in classrooms has been focused on their ability to remember information. If students could accurately recall what they were taught for a long time after they were taught it, then we assumed they had learned it well. That concept of learning seems inadequate today. In recent decades, scholars have detailed the Read More
There can be little question that characteristics of our brains differentiate humans from other creatures. Increasingly, cognitive scientists recognize our brains are designed for the social interactions that have allowed humans to cooperate, and this cooperation has enabled our species to avoid extinction. Cognitive and developmental psychologist Michael Tomassello (2014) described the importance of social Read More
The schools I attended (and that my children attended and that I still see) appear to be grounded int he assumption that learning is about information. “If students have the information,” it is reasoned, “they will now it and be able to use it.” Further, it is assumed that performance on tests and other assignments, Read More
I’ve written about this in the past on the blog, but the topic has come back into my professional thinking, so I’ve capturing it again. In 2008, I have a stroke and spent the summer learning to walk again. For the 20 years of my career in education until then, I had rejected the “back Read More
At several time over the last 20 years, I have helped schools create electronic portfolio projects– I wish these had been more sustained, but I’ve found there is a vast disconnect between what educators think they will be and what they really are. I discovered this summary of eportolfios that I prepared for a specific Read More
I decided to become an educator in 1980 or 1981. That means I’ve been paying attention (close attention) to learning for over 40 years, but I’m not sure I really understand it any better now than when I started. I have a much more sophisticate concept of learning, but damned if I can define it. Read More
After more than 30 years in education, I have become convinced that the systems we have created are grounded in an incorrect assumption of what constitutes human thinking. As educators, our goal is to increase and enhances students’ cognitive abilities. When they leave our classrooms, they should be able to observe more and more sophisticated Read More
I’m cleaning out some digital files… making sure I have copies of photographs and videos and deleting gigabytes of digital detritus. Luckily, I found a document written in 2002 on which I wrote: Learning. Such a simple idea. We all have done it for our whole lives. As humans, we have done it since the Read More
One of the issues I’ve seen raised in recent months, and one that I expect will become more common as we move into the “post-COVID” era of education is academic freedom. Specifically, I refer to the argument by faculty that they have the “right” to teach in any manner they see fit and that any Read More