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#LFE15 Learning is invisible
This document summarizes David Didau's presentation on invisible learning at the London Festival of Education. It discusses two definitions of learning, the difference between learning and performance, and challenges common assumptions about what constitutes effective teaching and learning. Specifically, it notes that performance does not necessarily indicate learning, that lesson observations are poor proxies for learning, and that introducing "desirable difficulties" like spacing, interleaving and testing can actually improve long-term learning compared to conventional approaches. The presentation argues teachers should separate learning from performance and question their own assumptions in order to better support invisible learning processes.
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#LFE15 Learning is invisible
- 1. Is Learning Invisible? David Didau LondonFestival of Education 28th February 2015
- 2. We can’t seewhen we’re wrong
- 4. If it lookslike a duck…
- 5. Two definitions oflearning: 1. The long-term retention and transfer of knowledge and skills 2. A change in how the world is understood.
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- 8. We believe “engagingin learning activities…transfers the content of the activity to the mind of the student…” But “as learning occurs, so does forgetting…” “learning takes time and is not encapsulated in the visible here-and-now of classroom activities.” Graham Nuthall (2005) The input/output myth
- 9. The myth ofprogress What we think progress looks like
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- 12. Learning vs performance •We can only infer learning from performance • Performance is a very poor indicator of learning • Reducing performance might actually increase learning
- 13. ‘Poor proxies’ forlearning • Students are busy: lots of work is done (especially written work) • Students are engaged, interested, motivated • Students are getting attention: feedback, explanations • Classroom is ordered, calm, under control • Curriculum has been ‘covered’ (i.e. presented to students in some form) • (At least some) students have supplied correct answers (whether or not they really understood them or could reproduce them independently) Robert Coe, Improving Education: a triumph of hope over experience
- 14. So where doesthat leave us? • Is lesson observation wrong?
- 15. The MET Project •If a lesson is given a top grade, there’s a 78% chance a second observer will give a different grade • If a lesson is given a bottom grade, there’s a 90% chance a second observer will give a different grade. http://www.metproject.org/downloads/MET_Composite_Estimator_of_Effective_Tea ching_Research_Paper.pdf
- 16. Do we knowa successful teacher when we see one? • Fewer than 1% of lessons judged inadequate are genuinely inadequate • Only 4% of lessons judged outstanding actually produce outstanding learning gains • Overall, 63% of judgements will be wrong Strong, M., Gargani, J., & Hacifazlioglu, O. (2011). Do we know a successful teacher when we see one? Experiments in the identification of effective teachers. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(4), 367–382.
- 17. So where doesthat leave us? • Is lesson observation wrong? • What about AfL? • Outstanding teaching? • Marking & feedback?
- 18. What can wedo? • Increasing retrieval strength only improves performance • Increasing storage strength depends on the power of forgetting:
- 19. The (New) Theoryof Disuse Retrieval strength (RS) Storagestrength(SS) Current telephone number New telephone number Telephone number you had 20 years ago What you learn in this session
- 20. “As learning occurs,so does forgetting…”
- 21. Desirable difficulties – Spacing –Interleaving – Variability – Testing – Reducing & delaying feedback
- 22. Hermann Ebbinghaus, 1885 Thespacing effect About 90%?
- 23. Blocking vs interleaving Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 Topic 5 Topic 6 Term1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6
- 24. Blocking vs interleavingTopic1 Topic6 Topic4 Topic3 Topic5 Topic2 1 6 4 3 5 21 12 Or… Term1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6
- 25. Liminality & thresholdconcepts
- 26. Threshold concepts inEnglish Impact Grammar Structure Analysis Evidence Context
- 27. The Testing Effect Whichstudy pattern will result in the best test results? 1. STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY – TEST 2. STUDY STUDY STUDY TEST – TEST 3. STUDY STUDY TEST TEST – TEST 4. STUDY TEST TEST TEST – TEST
- 28. Feedback: What Hattie actuallysays Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement, but this impact can be either positive or negative. Simply providing more feedback is not the answer, because it is necessary to consider the nature of the feedback, the timing, and how the student ‘receives’ this feedback (or, better, actively seeks the feedback) The Power of Feedback (2007)
- 29. With inefficient learners,it is better for a teacher to provide elaborations through instruction than to provide feedback on poorly understood concepts… Feedback can only build on something; it is of little use when there is no initial learning or surface information. The Power of Feedback (2007) Feedback: What Hattie actually says
- 30. The power offeedback Response type Feedback indicates performance… exceeds goal falls short of goal Change behaviour Exert less effort Increase effort Change goal Increase aspiration Reduce aspiration Abandon goal Decide goal is too easy Decide goal is too hard Reject feedback Feedback is ignored Feedback is ignored Dylan Wiliam
- 31. Bjork on feedback •Empirical evidence suggests that delaying, reducing, and summarizing feedback can be better for long-term learning than providing immediate, trial-by-trial feedback. • Numerous studies—some of them dating back decades—have shown that frequent and immediate feedback can, contrary to intuition, degrade learning. Learning vs Performance (2013)
- 32. But, why? • Immediatefeedback can prevent memorisation • Students can become dependent • Slows down pace of learning • Providing feedback of success is a waste of effort (opportunity cost)
- 33. What should wedo? • Separate learning from performance • Introduce desirable difficulties • Question your assumptions – be prepared to ‘murder your darlings’.
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