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.
Célia Oliveira earned her PhD in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Minho. She also holds a BA in Psychology with a pre-specialization in School and Educational Psychology and earned her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at the same university.
She is currently a faculty member of Lusófona University in Porto, where she teaches several courses on cognition (Psychology of Memory and Psychology of Attention) and educational psychology (Educational Psychology and School Psychology). She is a member of HEI-Lab, the Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab, at the Lusófona University of Humanities and Technology, and integrates the University of Minho’s research group on learning and behavioral problems at the Psychology Research Center. Her interests and activities focus on learning, attention, and human memory.
Célia has extensive experience in clinical practice with children and adolescents and has been involved in scientific consulting for research projects as well as technical consulting in community-based settings.
Can vocabulary and knowledge be effectively developed in early childhood education? The benefits of a content-rich literacy curriculum
More people are learning to read than ever before. However, pupils’ performance in reading fluently and understanding what they read remains unsatisfactory — a trend aggravated by the covid-19 pandemic. As a result, reading comprehension has become an increasingly important focus of research. A 2025 study focusing on preschool education seeks to address two specific questions in this context. Does integrating vocabulary instruction with content knowledge help preschoolers’ reading comprehension? And do variables such as the children’s prior knowledge when they start preschool, their socioeconomic background, or the fact that they are being taught in a second language influence the outcomes?
Soraia Araújo
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Who's afraid of mathematics?
Research shows that a significant number of students are anxious about mathematics, which can affect their school performance as well as their academic trajectories and emotional well-being. It is important to understand this problem and identify the best strategies to address it. In a recent study, the authors concluded that the most effective strategy may ultimately be the training of mathematical principals.
Learning through mobile phones and tablets: Five ideas from psychological research for an effective result
At a time when distance learning has become urgent, it is important to understand the educational effects of using mobile learning. From what is known to date, the application of psychological theories to the educational use of these devices contributes to promote learning efficiency. Based on the most recent research in this field, five of these contributions are systematised.
Interleaved Practice: did you know that one learns more by alternating subjects of study?
Who doesn't remember studying mathematics by doing the same type of exercises over and over again? Or repeatedly practicing a musical or sporting skill? Blocked training is a popular strategy to consolidate knowledge. However, research indicates that the alternate study of different subjects is more effective. There is even a strategy that combines this practice with benefits in terms of learning, reasoning, and attention: it is interleaved practice and there is evidence of its effectiveness in the classroom.
Spaced Learning: Learning without "forgetting everything after the test"
Forgetfulness is a common complaint of teachers and pupils. "Studying for the test" and soon forgetting much of what has been studied is as frustrating as it is frequent.
Retrieval practice: to learn better, avoid rereading. Put yourself to the test!
What are the learning strategies that work, according to science? And how do teachers and students benefit from this knowledge?
Reading on paper or reading on screen?
Are digital media affecting reading comprehension? It seems the answer to this question is yes"."