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by Laura Page, Professor in the Teaching & Learning Centre
Hello, Colleagues! It’s time once again for the course that puts the “L” in the TL&C: The Science of Learning! My name is Laura Page, and I’m a professor in the Teaching & Learning Centre. Let me tell you a story about why I think the Science of Learning is so important.
My two children loved the exciting world of school in their early years. However, I noticed quickly that they were falling behind in reading, struggling with their school’s “whole language” approach. This method of reading acquisition (memorizing sight words, etc.) may feel right, but it does not work for every child. When children can’t easily “crack the code” of sounding out words, they don’t have the cognitive space to enjoy the story, leading to less time practicing reading and a well-established negative feedback loop (e.g., Stanovich, 1986). Research shows that a structured, phonics-based approach is much more effective for all learners. I was able to enrol both boys in a reading intervention program designed by psychologists at Sick Kids hospital, and now they’re able to enjoy the adventures of books along with their classmates. The science of learning to the rescue!
One stroll through the “Education” section of any bookstore will now reveal titles such as, How Humans Learn (Eyler, 2018), Outsmart your Brain (Willingham, 2023), Remembering and Forgetting in the Age of Technology (Miller, 2022), and Make it Stick (Brown, et al., 2014). In this burst of fascinating new data on how information gets into the brain (and eventually gets out again), what do college instructors really need to know about the Science of Learning?
This four-week fully asynchronous online course will explore questions such as: What tips should I give my students about how learning works and how to study? How can I tie new content to my students’ prior knowledge to create lasting connections? How can I leverage “desirable difficulties” to challenge students and lead to durable learning? After all, easy in, easy out!
This course digs into some of the most interesting and sometimes counterintuitive findings from this field over the recent years and provides a forum for sharing useful tips among a community of interested colleagues. Join us in helping our students make the most of their learning here at Seneca and carry that knowledge with them into future successful careers!
So come on out, earn a new badge, and raise your glass with me: To Science!
Our Science of Learning course begins on Mar. 6, 2023. Spaces are limited! Register in MyPD.
Get ready for a day filled with learning, technology, and excitement! Join us for Teaching & Learning Day Winter 2023 on Monday, February 27 at Newnham Campus. This event is dedicated to exploring educational technology and its impact.
Our keynote speaker is Dr. Robert Clapperton, Associate Professor in Professional Communication at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University and co-founder of Ametros Learning, a natural language understanding experiential learning platform. His keynote presentation, "The Promise and Peril of ChatGPT and other Large Models to Critical Thinking and Creativity," will explore the explosion of large language models on the academic scene in terms of risk and opportunity.
In the morning, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of workshops that focus on different aspects of educational technology. We have something for everyone: tech tools, classroom technologies, OERs, virtual reality, and more! In the afternoon, join us for a Tech Crawl; it's a fun way to learn about the latest technologies in education. And if you're feeling adventurous, take part in our AR Scavenger Hunt and you could win a prize!
Don't miss this opportunity to connect with experts in the field, learn about the latest advancements in educational technology, and have fun while doing it! Register now in MyPD for this free conference and join us on Feb. 27 (during Study Week) at Newnham Campus!
Header photo by Brett Jordan on UnsplashIn-article photo credit: Laura Page
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