Top 10 Studies Essential for Every Teacher

In the realm of education, our insights into effective classroom practices have evolved over the past decade. Cognitive scientists have delved into the inner workings of the brain during learning, emphasizing the crucial role of downtime. Simultaneously, researchers have meticulously analyzed numerous experimental studies to pinpoint strategies that truly yield results and ascertain the likely effect sizes when these strategies are rigorously implemented.

Impacting the field of learning are 10 recent studies that we believe hold significant potential and should be on every educator’s radar.

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### Power Up Your Review Sessions

Authoritative literature reviews conducted by [John Dunlosky in 2013](https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266) and [Shana Carpenter in 2022](https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00089-1) make substantial contributions to the compendium of effective learning strategies.

Resounding agreement exists in certain areas. Dunlosky and Carpenter both underscore the efficacy of low-stakes practice tests, whether in the form of ungraded multiple-choice, free-recall, true/false, or short-answer quizzes administered by teachers—or self-administered by students using “actual or virtual flashcards” or “practice problems from textbooks,” as outlined in Dunlosky’s study. More frequent low-stakes quizzes yield better results, with the positive impacts observed across various educational levels, from elementary to medical school.

Additional straightforward review methods such as brain dumps, self-explanation, and question-and-answer sessions have proven effective as well. However, Carpenter emphasizes a fundamental principle: for effective information processing, students must actively retrieve material from memory. Superficial strategies that demand less cognitive effort, such as rereading, highlighting, or copying, tend to be less productive.

According to Carpenter and her collaborators, a single review practice session can lead to enduring memory enhancements lasting up to 9 months, while the benefits of retrieval across multiple sessions can persist for at least 8 years.

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In the perennial debate between direct instruction and inquiry-based learning, a [comprehensive 2023 review](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1747938X23000295?via%3Dihub) on the subject suggests that both sides may be overlooking a crucial aspect.

The authors of the study assert that the direct instruction vs. inquiry discussion should transcend this dichotomy, as the effectiveness of each approach can heavily hinge on contextual factors. When imparting fundamental knowledge—such as the chemical formula for water or foundational mathematical skills—direct instruction may prove most efficient. In contrast, for more open-ended concepts or scenarios requiring application in novel contexts, inquiry-based approaches may engender deep conceptual understanding.

In actual classroom settings, teachers seamlessly transition between instructional modes, such as lecturing followed by student research and hypothesis formulation. They might establish a knowledge base via direct instruction before progressing to projects or research tasks where students generate knowledge within a domain.

Reviewing numerous case studies, the researchers find that the ever-evolving curriculum and individual student needs necessitate flexibility in instructional modes. Teachers are encouraged to adopt a blended approach, combining elements from both methodologies to design comprehensive classroom interventions realistically.

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