A slightly longer run-up for this blog. I sometimes use a somewhat provocative example when discussing equal opportunities. Should we actually forbid parents from reading to their children in the evening? Not because reading aloud is a bad thing, quite the opposite. But because we know it helps. And therefore, not every child benefits from… Read More How something good can increase inequality: on reading enjoyment
Sometimes I have to read a lot of research before I find something worth blogging about. That was the case this time, to be honest. But then I came across this study, which is both very recognisable and has quite far-reaching implications. The press release summarises it like this: on days when people are mentally… Read More Why your performance depends on the day (not just your ability)
There are studies you read and immediately think: this is going to be interpreted in ways the authors did not intend. This is one of them. A new paper in the British Educational Research Journal analyses more than two decades of PISA data (2000–2022) across eleven European countries and asks a seemingly simple question: do… Read More Private schools sometimes perform better. But that’s not the full story
In my book, I discuss some of Mayer’s multimedia principles. They are increasingly becoming a default in how we think about instruction that combines words and visuals. Avoid unnecessary details, align text and images, combine modalities wisely… it all sounds familiar, and for good reason. But how solid is that whole framework when you stop… Read More Multimedia works. But not always the way we think.
I don’t want to write a rant every time a technology mogul has a bright idea, but it’s tempting. The latest example is a $10,000 “AI college”, backed by names like Khan Academy, TED and ETS. It promises the same things that we’ve seen being touted again and again: personalised learning, a focus on competencies,… Read More Khan, TED, AI colleges and the McDonaldization of higher education
More and more students aim to pursue a PhD. I did mine at a later age, in my own time. But imagine starting a doctorate. You work for years on a single project, often with a great deal of autonomy, yet at the same time within a relationship in which one person has enormous influence… Read More Bullying during the making of a PhD: not an exception, but a pattern
Google recently published a set of (easy) study tips built around Gemini. They sound familiar: organise your materials, generate study guides, turn notes into audio, visualise concepts, test yourself, and identify gaps through feedback. At first glance, this looks like a neat translation of learning science into practice. But look a bit closer and something… Read More Google published AI study tips to make learning easier. That’s exactly the problem.
Anyone who works through the literature keeps arriving at the same conclusion: one-on-one or small-group tutoring is among the most effective interventions we know. Meta-analyses of dozens to hundreds of studies show consistent and often relatively large effects. That’s not a marginal finding; it’s one of the most robust results in educational research. What’s more,… Read More Tutoring works. Organising it often less.
No, AI won’t be taking over the world, I think… I do love Sam Tucker’s videos! Check here for more Funny on Sunday.
“Learning needs to be fun” quickly turns into a familiar caricature: classrooms where everything has to be enjoyable, where substance gives way to entertainment. Bring it up in a debate, and people immediately know what you mean. And what they think of it. But in pushing back against that caricature, we may have dropped a… Read More Not everything has to be fun. But joy in learning still matters.