How learners learn: Strategies for high impact teaching

What really happens when students learn and how can teachers make that learning stick? This course goes beyond classroom routines to explore the science of how learning works. Drawing on insights from cognitive science and educational research, it helps teachers design lessons that move from surface understanding to deep, lasting knowledge.

Teachers will discover what truly drives learning from memory formation and cognitive load to the role of prior knowledge and practice and learn how to apply these insights to make teaching more effective and efficient.

Key themes include:

– How learning changes long-term memory.
– Why activity isn’t always evidence of learning.
– Managing cognitive load to support thinking.
– Using retrieval, spacing, and overlearning to build fluency.
– How novices and experts learn differently.

Course outcome: Teachers will have a clear, research-informed understanding of how students learn, along with practical strategies to transform planning, delivery, and assessment. The course equips teachers to design learning experiences that are engaging, purposeful, and grounded in evidence of what truly makes learning happen.