Thinking about... what really makes a difference to learning (part one)

Over the past 12 months I have embarked on a journey to become more aware of what really makes a difference to learning. As the individual who possess the responsibility for Teaching and Learning within my school, it is my responsibility to ensure my colleagues are evidence-based practitioners. Teachers need to make decisions about the strategies they use in the classroom based on what works. In my opinion this is what is meant when teaching is referred to as being a ‘research-based profession’; making decisions about pedagogy based on research and not necessarily conducting it.

Whilst on my journey I have reflected and discovered that I, myself, did not know enough about how my pupils actually learn and I believe that this it true of the majority of my colleagues and the profession as a whole.

Momentum is starting grow thanks to recent publications, popular edu-reads and well-known professionals championing educators’ awareness of cognitive research. However, there is still a long-way to go.  The TES suggests that a lack of time, interest and support prevent teachers from implementing research into the classroom.

To support my colleagues in becoming more evidence-based practitioners I have attempted collate some research so that it is easy to digest. They will be presented as ‘rules for learning’. The connotations associated with ‘rules’ has been discussed at length; is it appropriate to present something to staff as rules? Will they feel patronised? Will they be accountable for evidencing these rules? Whilst these concerns need to be considered, I will make it explicit that they are simply referred to as ‘rules’ because research has indicated they work; following them increases the likelihood that learning will occur.

Over my next few blogs I will share these ‘rules for learning’, stating with the introduction below. Please consider that I do not claim to be an expert on cognitive research. I am simply documenting the discoveries of my journey (so far) in the hope that colleagues will join me in the attempt to becoming more aware of what really makes a difference to learning. Please get in touch and let me know your thoughts and/or direct me to what I am still yet to discover.

An Introduction to 'The Rules of Learning'

As educators, our main responsibility is to ensure that our pupils learn. The following outlines a set of recommended ‘rules for learning’ and for these the following definition for ‘learning’ will be used as we move forward:

‘Learning is acquiring knowledge and skills; and moreover having those skills readily available from memory as to make sense of future problems’ (Brown et al. 2014)

With this in mind Daniel Willinghamand Tom Bennett state that, ‘all teachers should understand how the basics of the memory work’, however, ‘a great deal of what we think we know about how to learn is taken on faith and based on intuition but does not hold up under empirical research’ (Brown et al. 2014).

The most recent example of practice within education that does not hold up under the scrutiny of research is: the grading and judgment of lesson observations. The popular belief, driven from Ofsted, is that learning is visible and therefore pupils must make ‘rapid and sustained’ progress every lesson.  However, after observing one lesson all we can see is what the pupils can do now (current performance).

Learning vs. Performance

Evidence suggests that learning and performance are separate and, worryingly, that current performance is a poor indicator of learning. In an attempt to prove progress, teachers have reduced the potential for error and therefore there has been a lack of challenge in lessons. The desirable goal is to make learning difficult. The most effective strategies for learning are counter-intuitive because they reduce performance. However, learning is deeper and more durable when it is effortful.

Teachers have been aspiring to create conditions within their classrooms which result in an ‘outstanding’ lesson observation grade. Although these lessons may be impressive to the observer, they are not necessarily conducive to learning.  These ‘rules for learning’ aim to challenge the perceptions of what makes an effective lesson and provide educators with a better understanding of how learning actually occurs.

How learning occurs

Image from: psychologicalscience.org

Remembering information is an active process of construction; it happens in layers. Embedding new learning into the long-term memory requires a process of consolidation, in which memory traces are strengthened, given meaning and connected to prior knowledge.

The active process of constructing memories occurs when pupils are engaged in thought. Information from the environment and the long-term memory is combined within the working memory and for the material to be retained it must reside there for some time.

The working memory has limited capacity meaning that if pupils try to juggle too much information they lose track and learning is greatly impeded. Understanding the limitations of the working memory can help teachers to identify ways to slow the learning process and break required knowledge apart so that is more likely to be learned

The difficulty with learning is not so much in the storing of information (getting knowledge into memory) but with getting this information out again it is needed. Memories have a storage strength and a retrieval strength; storage strength refers to how well-connected information is, and retrieval strength, is how accessible information is at the present moment. There is no limit on storage strength but there is on retrieval strength. The two are interrelated as storage strength determines how quickly retrieval strength is lost or regained. However, the higher the current retrieval strength the smaller gains in storage strength as a result of additional study.

Summary of how learning occurs

1.  The most effective strategies for learning are counter-intuitive.
2.   For learning to take place information must reside within the working memory for some time.
3.  Working memory has a limited capacity.
4.   Learning new content is a process of construction.
5.   Retrieval strength is dependent on storage strength. 

By considering how learning occurs and by providing effective strategies the recommended ‘rules for learning’, shared in future posts, will enable teachers to ensure that pupils acquire knowledge and skills and have them readily available when they are need to be recalled. 

Read part two of this blog here