The Science of Learning

Why We Jump to Conclusions About What Works in Education

How compelling stories can lead us to mistake correlation for causation

Jun 27 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

38

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May 2026

No, Explicit Instruction Does Not Cause Learned Helplessness

A common claim [or should we say concern] in education and what the evidence actually shows

May 24 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

101

29

23

Teachers Deserve Better Access to Educational Evidence

How a new tool and generative AI can change the relationship between teachers and educational evidence

May 12 • Jim Hewitt and Nidhi Sachdeva

76

34

15

April 2026

You’ve Been Told It’s Research-Based. But Is It Really?

What teachers should ask when someone says “research shows this works.”

Apr 5 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

86

22

20

March 2026

Teacher-Led or Student-Centered? What the Research Says About Equity

What recent large-scale data suggest about narrowing the achievement gap.

Mar 4 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

119

24

49

January 2026

Why do I need to know this?

Why foundational knowledge matters

Jan 26 • Jim Hewitt and Nidhi Sachdeva

82

17

34

Ontario has a math emergency

The latest provincial testing results show only half of Grade 6 students are meeting the required standard.

Jan 5 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

38

6

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October 2025

The science of learning is not the same as “back to basics”

How teachers can move past educational pendulum swings to a more evidence-informed future.

Oct 27, 2025 • Jim Hewitt and Nidhi Sachdeva

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21

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September 2025

When Teacher Training Feels Like a Sales Pitch (and How to Push Back)

How to recognize the subtle tactics that steer your thinking.

Sep 19, 2025 • Jim Hewitt and Nidhi Sachdeva

59

6

16

August 2025

The Transient Information Effect: Why Great Explanations Don’t Always Stick

In this post, Dr. John Sweller describes how the Transient Information Effect can overload student working memory and what teachers can do about it.

Aug 13, 2025 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

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16

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July 2025

Beyond belief: Reframing teaching as a science-based profession

Some reflections on Douglas Carnine's classic article, "Why Education Experts Resist Effective Practices.”

Jul 8, 2025 • Jim Hewitt and Nidhi Sachdeva

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June 2025

Edu-Snippets

Why knowledge matters in the age of AI; What happens to learners' neural activity with prolonged use of LLMs for writing

Jun 23, 2025 • Nidhi Sachdeva and Jim Hewitt

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