Time to Debunk Three Learning Myths

Tests are often seen as a necessary evil in education, but in reality, low-stakes tests have been shown to improve memory. Many teachers believe that students should be taught based on their preferred learning styles, but there is no evidence to support this. Contrary to popular belief, allowing students to struggle with learning material has actually been proven to be more effective in the long run.

To find out more about these common learning myths and what teachers can do instead, read Jonathan G. Tullis’s article titled “3 Common Myths About Learning—and What Teachers Can Do Instead” on Edutopia.

If you’re interested in learning more about the research mentioned in the video, you can explore the following links:

Pooja K. Agarwal, Ludmila D. Nunes, and Janell R. Blunt’s systematic review of applied research on the benefits of retrieval practice in schools and classrooms (2021)

Shana K. Carpenter, Steven C. Pan, and Andrew C. Butler’s review of the science behind effective learning through spacing and retrieval practice (2022)

Harold Pashler, Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, and Robert Bjork’s article examining the evidence for learning styles (2009)

Francis J. Di Vesta and Stephen T. Peverly’s study on the effects of encoding variability and processing activity (1984)

Dung C. Bui and Mark A. McDaniel’s study on enhancing learning during lecture note-taking using outlines and illustrative diagrams (2015)

Christian Andrä, Brian Mathias, Anika Schwager, Manuela Macedonia, and Katharina von Kriegstein’s research on how learning foreign language vocabulary with gestures and pictures improves vocabulary memory in school children (2020)

Robert A. Bjork and Elizabeth Ligon Bjork’s article on desirable difficulties in theory and practice (2020)

Manu Kapur and Katerine Bielaczyc’s research on designing for productive failure (2011)