The Learning Scientists Podcast Episode 37 - Bite-Size Research on Learning to Learn Effectively
Feb 20, 2019
Explore the fascinating research on how well undergraduate students grasp effective learning strategies. Discover surprising gaps in their metacognitive awareness and the impact of cognitive load theory. Dive into cognitive science techniques like mnemonic devices that can enhance learning experiences. An intriguing experiment reveals students' struggles in identifying effective methods, highlighting the urgent need for improved educational practices.
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Students' Poor Strategy Awareness
- Undergraduate students generally lack awareness of which learning strategies are effective based on cognitive science.
- Most students identified only one effective strategy out of six scenarios, with some never identifying any.
Mnemonic Device Scenario Example
- The study gave students scenarios comparing creating versus using provided mnemonic devices for learning.
- Students had to predict which would lead to better long-term recall, revealing their understanding of generative learning.
Training Boosts but Doesn't Perfect Knowledge
- Psychology instruction on learning strategies improves students' ability to identify effective strategies, but gaps remain.
- Even students extensively trained in all six strategies averaged recognizing only 4.3 out of 6 correctly.