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Newsletter

Information about education provided online, with recent results of scientific research and useful information for teachers, parents, students and the general public. Contributing to an informed debate.

Ludmila Nunes

Ludmila D. Nunes is the Senior Director for Science Knowledge and Expertise at the American Psychological Association (APA). She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Lisbon, and has conducted research in human memory and learning at Washington University in St. Louis, Purdue University, and the University of Lisbon. In addition to her research, she has taught classes in Cognitive Psychology and Human Memory at Purdue University, has been a reviewer for several scientific publications, and a science writer.

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Educational videos: do they work?
Latest Science 10.04.2023 Reading time: 3 min

Educational videos: do they work?

Educational videos proliferate on the Internet, but they might not be good pedagogical tools. A very recent study indicates that, in mathematics, educational videos only provide superficial learning. However, combining videos with effective learning strategies, such as retrieval practice, might increase the instructional value of the videos.


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How to learn better all the topics at any age?
Latest Science 27.10.2022 Reading time: 4 min

How to learn better all the topics at any age?

Retrieval practice and study spacing are two very effective learning strategies. A review of several scientific articles indicates that the benefits of these methods do not depend on the level of education or discipline. Combining these two practices might event create a super strategy with guaranteed results.


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Interleaved study increases problem-solving abilities
Latest Science 29.09.2022 Reading time: 4 min

Interleaved study increases problem-solving abilities

Presenting students with different types of interleaved (interspersed) problems instead of grouping them by topic benefits their memorization of concepts and their ability to solve more difficult problems on future tests. A recent study demonstrates these results in a classroom context, with college students in a physics class.


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What works best? Many tests distributed in time or fewer contiguous tests without repeating information?
Latest Science 05.01.2022 Reading time: 3 min

What works best? Many tests distributed in time or fewer contiguous tests without repeating information?

Distributing tests over time helps learning facts and concepts and applying them. A recent meta-analysis supports the use of this learning strategy and suggests that it does not matter if the time between tests remains stable or increases until the final test, the important thing is that the tests are separated in time.


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In education, those with prior knowledge often reap the benefits
Latest Science 02.11.2021 Reading time: 4 min

In education, those with prior knowledge often reap the benefits

Answering questions and receiving feedback can help students learn, but are these tactics equally helpful for all students? Students with higher prior knowledge in a given field might benefit more from such approach than students with lower prior knowledge. Students’ curiosity, rather than their ability to learn, appears to be a key factor to understand why students with more knowledge within a domain can learn better than those with lower prior knowledge. We still don’t know which attribute came first: was this curiosity sparked by the students’ prior knowledge, or was this curiosity the reason why they acquired their prior knowledge in the first place? Notwithstanding, the benefits of providing students with a solid base of knowledge to be used afterwards appears undeniable.


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Can accelerated education have negative consequences on students’ well-being?
Latest Science 26.10.2021 Reading time: 4 min

Can accelerated education have negative consequences on students’ well-being?

Students with more advanced knowledge and skills than their peers may intellectually benefit if they are placed in more advanced classes or in more demanding and fast-paced education programs for their age. However, many teachers and educators consider this practice poten-tially harmful to the social and emotional development of students. A recent study indicates that there seems to be no reason for concern: students who received accelerated education do not report more socio-emotional problems or less psychological well-being throughout life than students who received regular education.

Motivation is important but it's not enough
Latest Science 23.03.2021 Reading time: 4 min

Motivation is important but it's not enough

Students who are more motivated, feel safe in their school environment, know how to manage their feelings and behaviors, and whose parents are involved in their education can have better educational outcomes than their peers. A new study supports this old idea. However, this study also indicates that these factors, not very related with intelligence or school aptitude, appear to benefit more the students who already have a good achievement than the students who still must develop a solid knowledge base.


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Four strategies to boost student’s transfer and application of their knowledge to new contexts
Latest Science 01.02.2021 Reading time: 4 min

Four strategies to boost student’s transfer and application of their knowledge to new contexts

Retrieval practice—taking practice tests—is a powerful study strategy. However, does the learning gained from the test transfer to other contexts and contents different from the ones tested? A meta-analysis indicates that, under the right circumstances, using practice tests can indeed lead to a transfer of learning to different contexts and contents (i.e., using prior learning in a novel context).

“Zoom Fatigue” or how virtual meetings are leading to burnout and how to avoid
Latest Science 06.10.2020 Reading time: 7 min

“Zoom Fatigue” or how virtual meetings are leading to burnout and how to avoid

The need to work and study remotely that came with COVID-19 also brought us the widespread use of videoconferencing. On one hand, using video calls allows people to feel more connected bu, on the other hand, the constant use of these forms of communication can lead to exhaustion. This phenomenon was dubbed “zoom fatigue.” What causes it and how to avoid it?

To attain the highest levels of knowledge, does one really have to start from the bottom?
Latest Science 22.09.2020 Reading time: 6 min

To attain the highest levels of knowledge, does one really have to start from the bottom?

Do students have to practice and acquire the most basic factual knowledge separately before analysing and applying knowledge? Contrary to what one might expect, the answer is "no", especially if they test their knowledge along the way. Students who practice content retrieval at a high level or a mixture of content at low and high levels can achieve good results.

Grit: Is it important to Teach Passion and Perseverance?
Latest Science 16.06.2020 Reading time: 7 min

Grit: Is it important to Teach Passion and Perseverance?

School performance is influenced by several factors. In recent years a new concept has gained attention in that context: grit" or willpower

How to design – or choose – the best educational videos?
Latest Science 05.05.2020 Reading time: 6 min

How to design – or choose – the best educational videos?

At a time when teachers are looking for ways to teach their classes online, videos can be allies. Even more so when there are already materials online that can be easily used. Scientific research has been lefting some clues on how to choose or build videos that best help students learn.

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