What is Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)? Cognitive load theory (CLT) is an instructional design principle at the intersection of psychology and education which helps teachers optimize the learning potential of their students. CLT divides the storage in our brains into 2 fundamental buckets, short-term and long-term memory, and helps define instructional procedures and
What is a Reluctant Learner? How do educators find motivations for students and reluctant learners? Virtually everyone has encountered students who experience some degree of motivation challenges. A wide variety of complex reasons help explain "reluctant learners", including problems at school, problems at home, confidence challenges, and illness. And student engagement plummeted during
What Is Scaffolding in Education? Instructional scaffolding, or simply scaffolding, is an instructional strategy which helps students learn new skills by providing appropriate, flexible, temporary supports in their learning experience. It’s an iterative process of building a learning bridge between old and new material by systematically supporting new skills while building upon prior
Nationally, student K-12 math scores have been at an all-time low as measured by state accountability testing. Much of this started ten to twelve years ago, when state standards were updated to become more rigorous. Math was rightfully expanded to include not just basic numeracy (arithmetics) but also the application of mathematics in the
Introduction The ultimate goal of our educational system is to provide students with equitable school experiences that integrate academics, positive behavior, and community collaboration. But just a quick look at the graphic below from 2019 NASBE survey findings illustrates the conundrum that all teachers face – too many priorities and too little time
What is differentiated instruction? Differentiated instruction is a teaching strategy which uses different teaching methods for each student, depending on their needs and interests. It can be used with any subject. Differentiated instruction has been around for decades, but its effectiveness has proven elusive to quantify. The promise is sound, but like any
By Richard Capone, CEO/Co-Founder of Let’s Go Learn, Inc. Florida announced on March 15, 2022 that it is dropping FSA, its end-of-year state test, and replacing it with three shorter progress assessments to be given in the fall, winter, and spring of each year. It is the first state to recognize that high-stakes testing has indeed
Introduction to Education Technology and Education Reform The impact of educational technology on education reform is still in play as the system clings to a paradigm ill-suited to the 21st century. Over 20 years ago, Trilling and Hood (1999) advised educators to “remember education in the U.S. is firmly lodged in a political
As US educators struggle with how to achieve equity for all students, full-service community schools continue to rise to the top of solutions that demonstrate evidence of breaking the barrier to achievement. The Coalition for Community Schools estimated in 2018 that there are more than 5,000 community schools. The impetus to grow the number
Background: Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) To understand No Child Left Behind (NCLB), it’s necessary to quickly review its history as a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. ESEA was a significant part of President Johnson’s War on Poverty
