The Science of Learning

Despite billions of dollars and concerted efforts spent reforming the Australian education system, students’ results continue to plateau. We've been depending on approaches rooted in educational myths that can trace their origins back to the 18th century. For example, the ideas that students can successfully direct their own learning, that rote learning is harmful or that learning should be experience and project-based.

It's time we brought our educational system into the 21st century and use teaching practices supported by the Science of Learning. The science of learning takes insights from cognitive science and educational psychology and uses those insights to inform teaching.

In her recent paper, “What is the Science of Learning,”? Trisha Jha argues Australia’s current education policy promotes teaching methods that do not align with the science of how children learn.

“Cognitive science tells us that the brain has specific ways of learning new information and using what’s in long-term memory, and this is effectively the same for all students,” Jha says.

Parents can use the science of learning become more informed about how their child will learn best and more empowered when selecting or having conversations with their child’s school. For policymakers the science of learning provides a foundation for future policy reform.

Importantly, the science of learning provides a framework through which teachers can design instruction in a way that is likely to lead to most students’ success with learning. Unfortunately, educators in general have limited awareness and understanding of it.

In a second paper, “Implementing the science of learning: teacher experiences,” author Trisha Jha draws on survey data, focus groups and interviews with teachers to learn about current teaching practices, barriers to advancing evidence-based practices, and how some schools are overcoming challenges.?

This report draws on data from surveys, focus groups and interviews with a group of educators to learn about their experiences, and derive insights about barriers and enablers to the further advancement of the science of learning.

Despite some pockets of excellence, the acquisition of this knowledge by teachers is more of a lottery than a deliberate, systematic process.

“They haven’t been trained at university nor guided adequately by school systems and policy to already be using best practice,” Jha says.??

Teachers are forced to rely on informal networks and opportunities to build up practice knowledge, and the Department of Education in some cases even provides contradictory advice.

Science of learning-based approaches can be an invigorating experience for teachers and contribute positively to their sense of professional identity.?We should be providing these tools to teachers.

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You can find both papers on the CIS website here and here. Trisha Jha is Research Fellow in the Education program at the Centre for Independent Studies.