Cognitive science in the classroom
Notre Dame High School in Norwich serves over 1,400 students and has a high percentage of EAL students. In this film, chemistry teacher and network research lead Niki Kaiser and assistant headteacher Roger Higgins discuss how cognitive scienceThe study of the human mind, such as the processes of thought, memory, attention and perception informs their practice.
Insights from research into areas such as metacognition and memory emphasise the importance of encouraging students to retrieve information, activating their prior knowledge and enabling learning to take place. This has inspired a range of effective approaches to teaching, such as the use of self-quizzing for retrieval practice and modelling worked examples.
To see these approaches in action and hear of the benefits from the students themselves, watch the video below.
As you watch this clip, whether on your own or with colleagues, you may like to take some time to consider the work being presented, how they’ve achieved this, what they might have done differently and how the ideas might translate to your own practice or wider context.
This article was published in December 2019 and reflects the terminology and understanding of research and evidence in use at the time. Some terms and conclusions may no longer align with current standards. We encourage readers to approach the content with an understanding of this context.
