Proceedings of The 6th International Conference on Research in Education, Teaching and Learning
Year: 2023
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33422/6th.icetl.2023.02.003
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Key pedagogical implications of learning sciences research for higher education teaching
Nuria López
ABSTRACT:
For more than a century, neurologists, cognitive psychologists, and experts from other disciplines have contributed to what now is an incredibly large body of research about how humans learn best. Despite this being key research for anyone in the teaching profession, there is still a gap between research and teaching practice in higher education. In the last thirty years, the learning sciences (LS), an interdisciplinary field that seeks the application of research to real teaching and learning situations, has made a significant contribution to bring research closer to teaching practice. The purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to present an updated review of learning sciences research, focusing on its pedagogical implications for higher education teaching; and secondly, to provide teachers with a series of guidelines to reflect and implement research-based knowledge in their teaching. LS research highlights the critical role that emotions play in the learning process. Teachers’ own emotions and attitudes are key to create safe learning environments where students’ positive emotions are fostered, and motivation and engagement are enhanced. Emotions also affect cognitive functions like attention and memory. Teaching techniques that promote curiosity and offer choice can maximise the power of positive emotions to catch and hold attention. Learning designs that provide scaffolding and align with learners’ prior knowledge are effective to avoid overloading working memory. Furthermore, research on learning has shown that learning environments are highly varied in terms of how learners engage, access information, and approach activities. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines address this variability and support the design of accessible and inclusive learning experiences, by offering learners multiple means of getting engaged, comprehending information, and expressing the knowledge and skills they have acquired.
keywords:attention; emotions; inclusiveness; memory; research-based teaching