Chalk & Talk

Transforming education through behaviour science with Kimberly Berens (Ep 34)

Oct 4, 2024

01:11:16

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Kimberly Berens, a behavior scientist and founder of FIT Learning, passionately discusses the intersection of behavior science and educational practices. She emphasizes measurable outcomes, effective reinforcement strategies, and the transformative impact of Direct Instruction and precision teaching, particularly in math. Kimberly also tackles issues like math anxiety and the need for personalized instruction to address diverse learning needs. Her insights advocate for systematic educational reform to enhance student performance through scientifically-backed methodologies.

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Quick takeaways

Understanding behavior science focuses on observable learning behaviors and emphasizes measurable outcomes to enhance instructional effectiveness.

Fluency in learning is vital as it reflects a student's speed and accuracy, indicating their mastery and ability to tackle new challenges.

Integrating Direct Instruction with behavior science promotes active student engagement and enables real-time progress measurement for data-driven instructional decisions.

Deep dives

Intro

3min

Behavior Science in Education

20min

Measuring Learning Through Precision Teaching

4min

Measuring Math Fluency

8min

Enhancing Education through Effective Teaching Methodologies

12min

The Urgent Call for Change in Education

4min

Measuring Understanding in Education

18min

Ending Notes: Gratitude and Educational Resources

2min

Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Kimberly Berens in Episode 34 of Chalk & Talk. Kimberly is a behaviour scientist, an author, and the founder of FIT Learning. They discuss the fundamentals of behaviour science, the importance of measurable outcomes, the role of reinforcement, and the application of behaviour science to effective instruction, particularly in math. They also cover concepts like fluency, retention, and endurance in learning. They discuss the effectiveness of Direct Instruction, precision teaching and curriculum-based measurement in bringing about significant improvements in student performance.

Kimberly is a passionate advocate for systematic educational change based on scientific approaches. This episode will be of interest to educators, parents, policy makers, and anyone with an interest in improving educational outcomes.

NOTE: The resource page contains a list of research articles mentioned in the episode: annastokke.com/ep-34-resources

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00:00] Introduction
[00:02:25] Understanding behaviour science
[00:05:23] Behaviour science vs. cognitive science
[00:08:28] Defining fluency
[00:12:40] Applying behaviour science to math instruction
[00:18:01] Do different students learn differently?
[00:22:43] How to measure learning
[00:28:47] Math anxiety, math trauma and the problem with labels
[00:34:56] Combining DI, precision teaching and curriculum-based measurement
[00:38:40] The problem with hand raising
[00:42:00] Flexible ability grouping
[00:47:20] Breaking ineffective traditions
[00:51:49] Measuring conceptual understanding
[00:57:41] Project Follow Through
[01:00:20] The Great Falls Precision Teaching Project
[01:03:28] Fit Learning's practices and outcomes
[01:06:37] Final thoughts and call to action

RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES

Ep 32. Identifying and educating advanced students with Jonathan Plucker
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-y6cxs-16ad6f1

Ep 30. Math fluency matters with Brian Poncy
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-pj6z6-166741e

Ep 17. Do timed tests cause math anxiety? with Robin Codding
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-9qahp-14aed8a

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-34-transcript

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.annastokke.com/ep-34-resources

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it
Blue Dot Sessions – Little Poder, Tall Harvey
Podington Bear – Camp, Kitten

Website: www.annastokke.com

X: @rastokke