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STUDENT LEARNING
With a foundation in the cognitive and psychological science of learning, these resources support instructors and students alike to understand better how learning happens in order to create effective learning environments and support student achievement.
ABOUT LEARNING
Understanding some of the key cognitive and psychological processes of learning can support instructors to design effective learning environments that encourage knowledge retention, build student expertise, and increase student motivation and sense of belonging.
An overview of research in cognitive science, this guide presents the differences between novice and expert learners, and provides implications for teaching that can support learners in developing their expertise.
These seven principles of learning are derived from foundational research in the science of learning, including the important roles that students’ prior knowledge, instructors’ targeted feedback, and classroom climate play in effective learning.
Based in social psychology research, a “mindset” refers to the underlying beliefs people hold about intelligence and their ability to learn. The mindsets of both students and instructors have been shown to influence learning environments, including student motivation, persistence, and ability to respond to academic challenges and setbacks.
Arguing that learning how to learn means more than gaining “mere study skills,” this article presents recent research on how to support students to become better learners and several strategies to employ in the classroom.
ASSESSING LEARNING
Encompassing a range of activities and approaches, assessment provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their learning and offers instructors valuable feedback on students’ achievement of learning goals. These resources offer research-based guidelines and practical strategies for effectively assessing student learning and using assessment to improve the learning environment.
Drawing from an extensive literature review, this guide presents 19 research-informed principles that can inform the assessment of student learning. These principles reach across disciplinary contexts and are intended to provide a framework for developing assessments and generating discussion about effective ways to support student learning.
Provides examples and recommendations for both formative and summative assessments that can support students to self-assess their own growth in relation to course learning outcomes.
These ten tips support instructors to use the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to design assessments of student learning, in order to ensure that assessments effectively align with the intended learning goals and to reduce barriers to reaching those learning goals.
This guide provides practical strategies for both defining and evaluating strong participation, such as through participation rubrics and student self-assessment.
Especially pertinent to instructors of writing-focused courses, this guide distinguishes types of feedback that are aligned with the learning goal of a writing assignment, and offers practical tips for marking papers that both are more effective for student learning and can save time.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNERS
To promote learner agency and self-assessment, these resources distill research on learning and support students to effectively study and plan ahead.
The Learning Scientists provides downloadable resources that explain effective strategies, based in research on cognitive psychology, for learning and studying.
A sample, adaptable assignment that supports students to set goals for a given course and create a plan for completing assignments, utilizing campus resources, and applying strategies for managing competing deadlines and unexpected challenges.