Cognitive Sciences in Education 2024-2025

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Questions and Answers

What was compared in Bloom's study on vocabulary practice?

Group learning vs. individual learning in vocabulary acquisition

Three consecutive days of practice vs. two weeks of practice spread out

Ten minutes of practice over three days vs. 30 minutes on a single day (correct)

Daily practice for one week vs. intensive weekend practice

In the Goossens et al. study, how were vocabulary exercises spread across two weeks?

One exercise per week compared to six exercises in a week (correct)

A single exercise completed every day for two weeks

Daily exercises for six days in a week

Two exercises on the first day, one exercise on the following days

What type of experimental groups were included in the O’Hare et al. study?

Three spaced practice experimental groups and two control conditions (correct)

Only one group for experimental and control conditions

Equal numbers of students in all groups without control

Two experimental groups with no student control

What type of educational setting was primarily evaluated in the Svihla et al. study?

High school science inquiry units Signup and view all the answers

What outcome measure was used in the O'Hare et al. study to assess performance?

GCSE past paper as the outcome measure Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the approaches informed by cognitive science in education?

Acquiring and retaining knowledge Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT listed as a common concept in cognitive science approaches to education?

Emotional learning Signup and view all the answers

Cognitive science in education draws on which of the following interdisciplinary fields?

Anthropology and information sciences Signup and view all the answers

What technique helps manage the mental effort required for learning according to cognitive science?

Cognitive load management Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes 'spaced practice' in cognitive science?

Regularly reviewing information over extended periods Signup and view all the answers

Why is cognitive science considered central to the learning sciences?

It underpins the brain's role in processing and storing information. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using 'schemas' in teaching according to cognitive science?

To assist in organizing and interpreting information Signup and view all the answers

Which concept encourages mixing different subjects or types of problems in practice sessions?

Interleaving Signup and view all the answers

What is cognitive psychology primarily concerned with?

Mental processes such as perception and memory Signup and view all the answers

Which method is primarily used in cognitive neuroscience?

Functional imaging like fMRI Signup and view all the answers

What has been the dominant science influencing educational practices for several decades?

Cognitive psychology Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a strategy used in education according to cognitive science?

Gamification Signup and view all the answers

What role does cognitive load theory play in education?

It is recognized as having an important contribution to learning strategies. Signup and view all the answers

Which cognitive science area has grown in momentum due to new imaging technologies?

Cognitive neuroscience Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of cognition is a key focus of both cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience in education?

Short-term and long-term memory Signup and view all the answers

Which publication is mentioned as having aimed to make lessons from cognitive science accessible to educators?

Deans for Impact Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary reasons for integrating cognitive science into education?

It offers robust evidence regarding memory and learning. Signup and view all the answers

How does cognitive science potentially improve existing teaching methods?

By offering a shared understanding of why methods succeed or fail. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is highlighted as a concern about applying findings from cognitive science directly to classrooms?

The controlled settings of studies may lack ecological validity. Signup and view all the answers

What type of science should be considered alongside cognitive science for effective classroom practices?

Applied science. Signup and view all the answers

What challenge arises when translating basic scientific evidence into classroom practices?

It necessitates a broader understanding of different contexts. Signup and view all the answers

In what way might findings from cognitive science be considered reductive?

They may oversimplify teaching processes in research settings. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to understand learning fundamentals in the context of teaching?

It enhances the effectiveness of educational strategies across various contexts. Signup and view all the answers

What does the argument for high external validity suggest regarding cognitive processes?

Common basic cognitive architecture can be beneficial in learning. Signup and view all the answers

What is the duration of each intensive instruction element in the spaced learning model presented?

20 minutes or less Signup and view all the answers

How many teacher-led RCTs were included in the Churches et al. meta-analysis?

34 Signup and view all the answers

Which curriculum subjects were not mentioned as part of the teacher-led RCTs?

Music Signup and view all the answers

What type of activities were used as distractor activities in the spaced learning approach?

Spaces without the stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What was the maximum trial length for the RCTs included in the Churches et al. meta-analysis?

42 days Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about spaced learning is accurate?

It includes minor variations in the same content during instruction. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of the six studies included in the meta-analysis about spaced learning?

Spaced learning across multiple subjects. Signup and view all the answers

Which scientific areas were included in the studies represented in the meta-analysis?

Cognitive science areas Signup and view all the answers

What was the mean posterior distribution of the effect of distributed practice for Grade 7 students in the 6-week test?

0.79 Signup and view all the answers

What significant effect was observed for Grade 3 students regarding spacing?

Significant positive effect found for 1-week test only Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the inter-study interval (ISI) in 'short' spacing?

To allow students to work on unrelated tasks Signup and view all the answers

What length of time is typically designated for the inter-study interval in 'short' spacing?

10 to 15 minutes Signup and view all the answers

What is the basis distinction between 'short' spacing and interleaving?

Interleaving may include related topics as ISI Signup and view all the answers

Which approach was compared in the SMART Spaces programme as per O'Hare et al. (2017)?

Three treatment conditions against a control condition Signup and view all the answers

In the context of distributed practice, what was the 95% confidence interval mean for Grade 3 students in the 1-week test?

-0.50 to 1.20 Signup and view all the answers

What outcome did the distributed practice show for Grade 7 students in their performance after the last practice set?

Significant improvement in both tests Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cognitive Sciences Applied in Education (2024-2025)

Course material based on Education Endowment Foundation report on Cognitive Science in the classroom (2021)
Available in extended format from: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence/summaries/evidencereviews/cognitive-science-approaches-in-the-classroom/
Focuses on teaching and learning approaches informed by cognitive science, specifically acquiring and retaining knowledge.
Key cognitive science concepts for classroom practice:
- Spaced practice
- Interleaving
- Retrieval practice
- Strategies to manage cognitive load
- Working with schemas
- Cognitive theory of multimedia learning

Background and Rationale

Learning sciences interdisciplinary field that draws on different areas like cognitive science, educational psychology etc
Cognitive science is central to learning sciences as it focuses on crucial mental processes like perception, thinking, memory, and learning.
Cognitive psychology, a dominant area, provides lessons for educators in multiple publications.
Neuroscience research has grown in the area of education
Practices grounded in cognitive science have been influential in informing interventions, practices, and policies in education.
Key areas of cognitive science research relevant to education include brain structure and function, motivation and rewards, short-term and long-term memory, and cognitive load.
Ofsted uses the implications of cognitive science in its Education Inspection Framework (2019)

Spaced Learning

Spaced learning (also called spaced practice, distributed practice, distributed learning) describes the phenomenon that material is easier to learn when learning is spread out over an interval of time.
Spacing material can happen within a single lesson or across days, weeks, or months.
Examples of implementation:
- Revisiting a topic three times within a single lesson with intervening breaks
- Revisiting material three times over the course of a week

Interleaving

Interleaving involves switching between tasks or topics requiring slightly different knowledge and skills.
It is similar to spacing in that it involves spreading out learning, but instead of creating space between similar topics, it focuses on space between slightly different but related topics.
Examples of implementation:
- Students receiving 12 mathematics assignments across 9 weeks, each with 4 kinds of problems, and either the same type of problem in each, or problems of different types interspersed.
- Students practicing basketball skills, where different skills were interspersed across different practice sessions.

Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice concerns any activity that requires learners to retrieve information from memory rather than simply reviewing or restudying the information.
This can include open-ended, multiple choice, or short answer questions, or quizzes.
Examples of implementation:
- Using multiple-choice questions, true/false questions, fact questions, and short-answer questions.
- Using quizzes focused on vocabulary after a reading exercise

Managing Cognitive Load

Working memory has a limited capacity for information.
Strategies to manage cognitive load:
- Worked examples
- Scaffolding
- Collaborative problem solving

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

Dual coding theory suggests that information is easier to learn when it's presented using multiple modalities (words and images).
Multimedia principles to manage cognitive load and design multimedia learning experiences:
- Coherence, signalling, redundancy, spatial continuity, and temporal contiguity
Examples of strategies to manage cognitive load by manipulating presentation formats include using visual aids, diagrams, icons, and illustrations in addition to text.

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Description

This quiz explores cognitive science approaches applicable in educational settings, based on the Education Endowment Foundation report. Focused on effective teaching methods such as spaced practice and retrieval practice, it highlights the importance of cognitive strategies in enhancing learning and memory retention.