Rethinking Learning Design with Dr. Matthew Jensen Hays

Clear explanations and polished slides don’t guarantee learning. What matters is what students are required to generate. In this week’s blog, we explore why generation is not an instructional add-on, but a mechanism of learning itself. The generation effect is embedded in the Marzano Academies Instructional Model through recording, representing, and evidence-based assessment. When students generate, their thinking becomes visible. When thinking is visible, teachers can determine status, identify misconceptions, and plan next steps with precision. Cognitive engagement, after all, isn’t about seeing activity. It’s about seeing evidence of thinking. If you’re interested in strengthening cognitive engagement through generation—prediction, explanation, retrieval, and application—this post is for you.https://https://lnkd.in/eHw239bk

If we want students to learn, we need to accept that it is not about exposure to ideas but about generating them yourself. This blog discusses how the Marzano Academies Instructional Model supports the idea of generating knowledge through chunking, processing, and recording.

Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve Memory and Learning (Part 1) 1. Activating and Connecting Prior Knowledge Before engaging with new material—and throughout the learning process—intentionally recalling and making explicit connections between prior knowledge and new information helps learners strengthen encoding, enhance comprehension, and long-term retention. 2. Retrieval Practice Retrieval practice involves deliberately bringing information back from long-term memory, rather than passively reviewing it. It is a core component of deliberate practice: structured and goal-oriented learning activities designed to move learners toward mastery. Techniques such as low-stakes quizzes, flashcards, and self-explanation are far more effective than rereading or highlighting. Actively recalling information strengthens memory traces and significantly improves retention. “Rereading is relooking at the map; recalling is walking the territory.” 3. Apply Spaced Practice Spaced practice (or spaced repetition) is a well-established principle in cognitive science. It involves reviewing material at increasing intervals over time—rather than cramming in a single session (e.g., reviewing after 2 days, then 5 days, then 10 days). Although this approach may feel more effortful initially, it leads to stronger long-term retention and better transfer of knowledge. This aligns with the concept of “desirable difficulties” (Bjork, 1994). In this context, learning strategies that introduce short-term challenges contribute to producing lasting gains in understanding and memory. #FutureOfEducation #StudentEngagement #GrowthMindset #TeacherOfLinkedIn #EducationInnovation #LearningStrategies #PowerfulLearningCoachCommunity #CognitiveScience #LearningScience

A question recently stopped me in my tracks: “Who does the thinking in your classroom?” It made me reflect deeply on the power of designing learning experiences that place students at the center of thinking. When learning is designed well, the classroom becomes less like a lecture hall and more like a football field. Learners try, fall, adjust, and try again. They make decisions, test ideas, and learn from mistakes, while the teacher carefully designs the conditions that make meaningful thinking unavoidable. If the teacher is doing most of the thinking, learners may appear compliant, but they are not deeply learning. True, deep learning happens when students wrestle with ideas, justify choices, ask questions, and reflect on their thinking. As educators, our role is not to simplify thinking away, but to create experiences that invite struggle, curiosity, and growth. Intentional design shifts the cognitive load from the teacher to the learner, where it belongs. As we step into this new year, this question is worth revisiting: Who is really doing the thinking in our classrooms? #deeplearning #intentionallearningdesign #activelearning #shiftthecognitiveload #learneragency #studentcenteredlearning

I recently read a Forbes article by Keven Kruse, featuring learning scientist Lauren Waldman, on why corporate learning struggles—and how neuroscience can help us do better. What resonated most with me was how closely this aligns with what education has emphasized for a long time. I’ve always believed that K–12 education has evidence-based practices that translate well into L&D. Education has centuries of research behind it; L&D, by comparison, is still a young field. When designing learning, start with the basics: Who is the audience? What do they already know? Do they need priming? What’s the one thing they should take away? How can content be chunked to allow space for practice and reflection? How can they practice these new skills? These are foundational principles in education and learning science—and the neuroscience highlighted in the article reinforces why they matter. As an industry, this feels like an invitation to revisit the basics, using learning science and neuroscience to guide learning experiences that truly stick. https://lnkd.in/gVJRG_Qu

Strong classroom decisions come from evidence, not guesswork. This piece explores how UDL-aligned formative assessments tap into cognitive research on retrieval, feedback, and learning. https://buff.ly/4PQRZ9X #Assessment #ClassroomPractice

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 — 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀. I recently read Using Learning Science Strategies to Enhance Teaching Practices and Empower Adult Learners, and it reinforces a critical gap I see inside organizations every day: 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. This paper challenges persistent 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝘀 (like learning styles) and highlights 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 that actually improve how adults learn: 🔹 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 🔹𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 🔹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 🔹 𝗘𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🔹 𝗗𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 🔹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: • Training dollars are wasted when learning doesn’t transfer • Poor retention increases errors, rework, and safety risk • Cognitive overload slows time-to-competency • Employees lose confidence when they “should know this” but can’t recall it 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜/𝗢 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻. I/O Psychology helps organizations: • Design training around how people actually learn and perform • Align learning to job demands, risk points, and performance outcomes • Replace myths with data-backed instructional strategies • Build learner confidence, self-efficacy, and readiness to perform When learners understand how learning works, recall improves, stress decreases, and performance follows. If we want training that sticks, we have to stop designing for preference and start designing for 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝘀. Source: Rehak, K. M., & McGinty, J. M. (2023). Using learning science strategies to enhance teaching practices and empower adult learners. Adult Learning. #WorkplaceEngineer #IOPsychology #TrainingAndDevelopment #LearningThatSticks #ManufacturingExcellence #HumanCenteredDesign

Well done to our PhD student, Shofia Mawaddah for this great review paper, exploring the relationship between digital competency and mental health in online learning. The review highlights that there is some support for the idea that improved digital competence is associated with reduced anxiety, stress, loneliness and burnout as well as increased wellbeing and resilience. This has implications for the design of online as well as blended delivery and the support systems in place. Crucially, the review also identifies neurodivergent students as a key area for future research activity. Neurodivergent students are more likely to experience mental health problems and may have unique digital support needs.

The MYTH of "Learning Styles". What research actually shows. Many teachers and learners believe that people have a fixed “learning style” (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) and that teaching should be tailored to that style to improve learning. But recent research papers show there is no reliable evidence that matching instruction to a self-identified learning style leads to better learning outcomes. The results shows that: - Meta-analyses testing the “matching hypothesis” show an effect size close to zero (i.e. essentially no benefit). SpringerLink - Correlational findings often cited in favour of learning styles actually blur the line between style and strategy. That means what looks like a “style effect” may simply reflect the fact that learners who use effective strategies tend to do better, regardless of “style.” Despite this, many educators still believe in learning styles because it sometimes feels intuitive, or because of textbooks, training materials, or commercial tools promoting it. If you work with neurodiverse learners like kids or adults with learning differences, the “learning styles” myth can be especially risky. Assigning fixed labels (visual/auditory/kinesthetic) may limit learners’ potential and flexibility. Better approach for inclusive education: - Use evidence-based, flexible strategies such as scaffolding, feedback, varied formats, frequent retrieval, and real-life practice. These work for most learners regardless of preference. - Offer multiple pathways: not because each learner has a “style,” but because different content and contexts demand different approaches. This supports learners with diverse needs and strengths. - Avoid labels that pigeon-hole learners; instead, help them build adaptive learning skills. For example, metacognition, self-regulation, and strategy awareness help them to be more flexible in any environment. - If we want to support all learners, neurodiverse or not, the goal isn’t to match styles, but to empower learners with tools and strategies that help them succeed over time. Resources: https://lnkd.in/gb-Cmy_P https://lnkd.in/g4ZAaUpd https://lnkd.in/gqT5UqbV #LearningStyles #UDL #InclusiveEducation #DifferentiatedInstruction #TeachingIdeas #EducationForAll #StudentCenteredLearning #LearningScience #EducationMyths #TeachingStrategies #InstructionalDesign #Neurodiversity #InclusiveEducation #SEN #SpecialEducation #TeacherDevelopment #CognitiveScience #EvidenceBasedTeaching #Metacognition #LearningStrategies #ProfessionalDevelopment #EducationReform #TeachingTips #EdTech #ClassroomPractice

Most people think better learning comes from more information. But science says otherwise. The spacing effect, for example, has shown that people learn and retain far more when information is revisited over time, not crammed into a single session. As facilitators this matters when clients want real behavior change, we need evidence-based structure that matches how the brain actually works. When we design applied improv workshops or team development sessions, spacing principles guide the plan: -Short bursts of learning, revisited with intention -Practical repetition without redundancy -Opportunities to recall, not just receive -Tools teams can use immediately and again later The result? Higher retention, better transfer to real work, and teams who actually remember what they learned and use it. In a world full of training trends, science is the differentiator. #science #appliedimprov #corpdevstrategies #collaboration #retention https://lnkd.in/eRTv9vu8