Social Brain Goes to School

Social Brain Goes to School: How Relationships Power Learning

• Hands-On Experiences - Experiential learning truly thrives when students actively par- ticipate in creation of collaborative tasks that showcase their understanding of the day’s learning purpose. Whether it involves creating a collaborative math poster to visually ex- plain a new concept, conducting a thoughtful analysis of historical leaders’ perspectives, or engaging in the design of a prosthetic arm, these activities offer specific requirements that empower learners to bring abstract ideas to life, enhance critical thinking skills, and cultivate deeper meaning. Through the acquisition of knowledge and collaborative efforts to consolidate understanding, students construct meaning by genuinely applying informa- tion to novel situations, thus establishing relevance to their learning journey. This approach makes the learning experience more relatable, tangible, and memorable. • Retrieval Practice – Engaging students in recalling previously learned information is a powerful way to strengthen long-term memories. It is about getting information out of memory. Retrieval Practice expert Pooja Agarwal, a cognitive neuroscientist, notes that while most instructional strategies are designed to get information into student memory, retrieval practice is a low-or no-stakes learning strategy, not an assessment , that focuses on getting information out of students’ heads. Students can struggle in retrieval, yet strug- gle is a good thing. “Easy learning is like easy forgetting. Students can retrieve, pull this information out, strengthen their learning, and be ready for more learning”. 19 While there are multiple approaches to implementing retrieval practice, a few easy ideas include infor- mal ungraded partner quizzes, entry and exit tickets, and quick writing prompts. The more learners practice retrieving, the stronger their memories become.