Conversations about Cognitive Science in the Classroom

The science of learning is an extensive field that draws from research in disciplines including education, psychology, and neuroscience. The findings from cognitive science have influenced education practice in schools—and dominated discussions and debate around teaching and learning.

In 2021, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) published the report Cognitive science approaches in the classroom. It summarised the evidence for cognitive science approaches in school settings; it notes, “Cognitive science is being used increasingly to inform interventions, practice, and policy in education. Of particular interest to education has been research into motivation and reward, working memory and long-term memory, and cognitive load.” The EEF went on to add that over 85% of teachers surveyed report that cognitive science strategies were “central” to their practice. (Perry et al., 2021)

The influence of cognitive science has extended to education policy in England, including the Early Career Framework (ECF), published in 2019. The ECF ensures teachers new to the profession in England are receiving explicit training, guidance, and education necessary to build effective habits. A significant component of the frameworks centres on cognitive science and the application of the key principles in the classroom. The influence of cognitive science extends far beyond England and continues to attract interest amongst educators around the world; similar aspects drawn from cognitive science can be found in teaching standards in places like New York state, Australia, and Singapore, to name just a few.

We know that learning and memory are inexorably linked. Therefore an understanding of memory (such as an awareness of the limitations of working memory and harnessing the power of long-term memory) is essential for any educator—it is a vital aspect of learning. It logically follows that it is also important for students to possess a knowledge and understanding about memory and learning. This means that teachers should absolutely have conversations about cognitive science with the learners in their classroom!

Compared to their teachers, students do not require the same depth of knowledge about how memory works (and other areas from the field of cognitive science). However, having a basic understanding of cognitive science can be very beneficial to students’ own learning.

Consider a situation we’ve all found ourselves in at one point. A student may be called on to provide an answer, but suddenly completely forgets what they were going to say—something that could easily be a source of embarrassment! Instead of feeling humiliated or frustrated for forgetting, with an understanding of the limitations of working memory, a student can feel confident this is a normal occurrence. Discussions about working memory can also be the foundation for strategies students can implement to reduce distractions!

Another instance where an understanding of cognitive science may be warranted is where a teacher introduces a new strategy into their classroom practice. This is especially true when the strategy itself is drawn from research in cognitive science! An example might be regular retrieval practice with low stakes quizzing. Students should be explicitly told why low stakes quizzes are happening, what purpose they serve, and how that strategy can support learning. We do not need our rationale for effective teaching practices to be a secret from our students!

Having this understanding can encourage students’ “buy-in” to complete tasks as intended. We know that effective teachers activate hard thinking (Coe et al., 2020); but if students are tempted to take shortcuts instead of the hard thinking, learning is less likely to take place. Conversations about how we learn—and the inherent difficulty in it—can help motivate students.

In addition, students could take that cognitive science knowledge and apply it in other settings. Independent study, revision, or even developing hobbies and sports skills can benefit from this knowledge.

An understanding of memory, especially the limitations of working memory and the power to improve long-term memory, can potentially transform students’ attitudes to learning. In turn, this can increase their motivation and confidence, and ultimately can have a positive impact on outcomes. Conversations drawn from the science of learning should be a regular component of a classrooms and should occur throughout the learning process.

To find out more about memory and learning you can complete the Science of Learning Programme as part of the Great Teaching Toolkit; you can also download the free eBook Understanding Memory and Learning from the Evidence Based Education resource library.

References:

Coe, R., Rauch, C. J., Kime, S., & Singleton, D. (2020). Great teaching toolkit: Evidence Review. Evidence Based Education. https://evidencebased.education/great-teaching-toolkit/

Perry, T., Lea, R., Jørgensen, C. R., Cordingley, P., Shapiro, K., & Youdell, D. (2021). Cognitive science approaches in the classroom: A review of the evidence. Education Endowment Foundation.