SoL: Developing Sophisticated Learners

PD for Educators on the Science of Learning

Developing Sophisticated Learners

Co-developed with the world’s leading experts on human learning, this robust yet flexible online PD curriculum distills 130 years of compelling research on human learning to provide insightful application to bolster teaching efficacy and improve your students’ ability to learn. The curriculum can be complemented with live synchronous group collaboration (expert guidance and coaching), assignments, and peer-based feedback opportunitiesto support educators.

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What Educators Learn

Discover each of our topics on the Science of Learning

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Who Educators Learn From

Learn from a team of global experts on the Science of Learning

How Educators Learn

Explore how we apply what we teach to how we teach it

What Educators Learn

Distilling the Science of Learning

Students become sophisticated learners when we teach them in a way that fosters learning while developing their ability to learn independently. Learn the core tenets of a sophisticated learner and how to design your lessons to ensure students learn optimally.

Skills Targeted:
Class participation; active listening; focus; student engagement; dual-coding; effective use of multimedia

Capture Student Attention

Attention is a core cognitive skill that plays a critical role in learning. While students are often told to “pay attention,” they are rarely taught how. Learn how to capture, keep, and gauge your students’ attention.

Skills Targeted:
Ability to process and integrate information; follow directions; listening skills; focus

Address Processing Speed

Processing speed refers to a learner’s ability to perceive, integrate, and respond to visual, auditory, or motor information. Learn how to discern and tailor your teaching to accommodate variations in processing speeds within your classroom.

Skills Targeted:
Ability to integrate and express what is learned; communication-skills; attention and self-regulation.

Leverage Working Memory

It is difficult to identify a learning task that does not rely on working memory, the ability to mentally juggle information. Become well versed in the ins and outs of working memory and learn classroom strategies that support and strengthen it.

Skills Targeted:
Activating prior knowledge; forming associations; decision-making; comprehension

Support Executive Function

Executive function skills predict academic and career success. Learn meaningful strategies to support your students’ acquisition of executive function and how to recognize and address Executive Dysfunction.

Skills Targeted:
Time management; organization strategies; self-regulation; initiation, self -management skills

Encoding Techniques

Studies show students rely on ineffective strategies to learn resulting in superficial learning. Learn how to foster your student’s ability to acquire knowledge using proven techniques that facilitate the encoding of new information.

Skills Targeted:
Study skills; accumulating knowledge; mastery; critical thinking, creativity and transfer 

Retrieval Strategies

Traditional instruction is focused on getting information into students’ brains. Compelling research reveals that pulling information out of the brain enhances learning. Learn how to incorporate retrieval practice into your teaching.

Skills Targeted:
Meta-memory; study skills; accumulating knowledge; mastery; critical thinking, creativity and transfer 

Foster Metacognition

Teaching metacognitive reflection is an effective strategy to accelerate student achievement. Learn how to provide students with practical strategies that foster metacognitive awareness and create the foundation for learning independently, effectively and efficiently.

Skills Targeted:
Reflection; self-regulation; decision-making; responsibility, problem solving; self-directed learning

Provide Effective Feedback

Research suggests effective feedback, formative assessments and peer-based learning are among the most effective ways a student can learn information. Learn how to integrate and apply these concepts into your classroom.

Skills Targeted:
Self-management skills; goal setting; collaboration; deliberate practice; resilience.

Emotions & Relationships

Learn how to foster positive emotions and behaviors that increase student engagement, effort and learning outcomes. Develop a better understanding of the interdependencies between cognition, emotion and behaviors to better support your students.

Skills Targeted:
Emotional regulation; growth mindset; resilience; perseverance

Engagement & Motivation

Student engagement often decreases with every year of schooling. Yet, student learning requires their engagement and motivation. Learn what research reveals about the most effective ways for educators to foster student motivation and engagement in the classroom.

Skills Targeted:
Class participation; task completion; meeting deadlines; self-starting, intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation; learning with purpose and transfer

Cognitive Diversity & Equity

Learning is a cognitive process. Every classroom is cognitively diverse. Learn how to associate learning difficulties to cognitive skills as well as refine your approach to how you teach through appropriate strategies to support their areas of difficulty.

Skills Targeted:
Effective personalization and differentiation; Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Who Educators Learn From

How Educators Learn: Research-Informed Instructional Design

We Practice What We Teach

Our programs incorporate the scientific principles of human learning into our instructional design. Learning is active, engaging, collaborative, and application-based. Invigorate your lesson planning with science-based tools that will enable your students to master what you teach.

COGx Program Leaders

Program Leaders are assigned to support your learning journey. They monitor the Program and respond to your questions. You can also contact your Program Leader for on-demand support.

Priming Activities

Priming quizzes and open-ended interrogatories are used to get learners to think about the subject matter they are about to learn.

Retrieval Practice

To foster durable, flexible, and enduring learning, we apply retrieval strategies throughout the program, including elaboration, spacing, self-testing, and interleaving.

Video Micro-Lessons

Video lessons are delivered by 12+ expert educators, and leading researchers experienced in the translation of research on the science of learning into classroom application.

Classroom Application Guides

Takeaway posters are provided throughout the modules to guide the effective implementation of the concepts covered.

Peer-Based Feedback & Reflection

Learners receive and provide peers with anonymized feedback on lesson plan application assignments for deeper learning.

Discussion Boards

Modules include Discussion Forums to share ideas, collaborate, and provide and receive valuable peer feedback. Program Leaders are also constantly available seek clarity or ask a question on any topic throughout the learning journey.

Alumni Practitioner’s Platform

Program alumni (Science of Learning Practitioners) can join an online platform to share resources and strategies for ongoing application of concepts and guidance.

Application Hour

Under the guidance of the Program Leader, educators apply academic research to their specific student population and subject matter during live, virtual training sessions.

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