In an update to its landmark
reports on education research, the National Academies' new How People Learn II digs
into what science can tell schools about how to build on students' culture and
experience to improve learning. The report digs into the ways research suggests
students' experiences affect how they engage with education and vice versa.
While
the report covers research on learning from birth through old age, its
commission had some key conclusions for schools:
· To be effective, teachers must understand how students' prior
knowledge, experiences, motivations, interests, and language and cognitive
skills interact with those of the teacher's own experiences and culture and the
characteristics and culture of the classroom.
· Students should be supported in directing their own learning, via
targeted feedback, opportunities to reflect on what they've learned, challenges
matched to their abilities, and help in developing meaningful goals.
· Both curricula and instructional strategies should help students
connect their academic learning goals to what they learn and do outside of
school.
· Teaching not just science or history content, but the specific
language and practices of different disciplines, is critical to helping
students develop deep understanding of those subjects.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
(2018). How people learn II: Learners,
contexts, and cultures. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. https://dx.doi.org/10.17226/24783.
