Description
The course series, How Learning Works, focuses on practices for teachers that help translate John Hattie’s Visible Learning research into practice. The intent of these courses is the translation of findings from the science of how we learn into promising principles or practices that can be implemented in classrooms. It further extends how students can use these findings in their own learning journey.
Part 1 of this three-part series unpacks the science of learning by developing a description of what is meant by learning in the classroom, the diverse ways of thinking about learning, barriers to learning, and discovering the major findings from the science of learning. The science of learning offers promising principles or practices that may work in our classrooms. However, we must make adaptations to these principles or practices that reflect the local context of the classroom and then generate evidence that allows both educators and students to determine if learning has occurred. From there, this course takes a closer look at the first two promising principles and practices from the science of learning. This course is designed for K-12 educators who want to translate the science of learning into strategies for maximum learning impact in the classroom.
Course Outline
Week 1: Student Orientation
Week 2: What Does Learning Look Like in Your Classroom?
Week 3: What are Different Ways to Think About Learning?
Week 4: What are the Barriers to Learning?
Week 5: How Do Students Learn?
Week 6: Promising Principle 1: Motivation
Week 7: Promising Principle 2: Attention
Prerequisites
This is an intermediate level course for teachers, literacy coaches, curriculum specialists, professional development specialists, or other school personnel. Participants are expected to have regular access to computers with Internet access. In addition, participants should be proficient with browsing the Internet, uploading and downloading content, navigating to computer files, and with using word processing software, email, and attachments.
Required Materials
This course (and Part 2 and Part 3) requires the textbook How Learning Works: A Playbook, 1st Edition. It can be ordered in Kindle or spiral-bound formats for less than $27.00 on Amazon. All materials in this course are the property of the South Carolina Department of Education Office of VirtualSC PD. All course materials needed/required for the workshop, other than the book listed above, are available online.