We are very good at assessing retrieval through multiple choice questions (MCQs): they are easy to write and quick to … More
Author: BenRogers
18 years secondary teacher: 4 years primary. MA in SciEd. Author of 'Big Ideas of Physics and How to Teach Them.' Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy for Paradigm Trust.
It’s Hand-Wavy, But in a Good Way
In class, I’m mostly watching hands. There’s a problem I like to set which gets people’s hands waving like windmills. … More
ResearchEd Ipswich Presentation
I’m really excited to be presenting at ResearchEd Ipswich next weekend. I’m talking about the power of visuals in science … More
Developing better diagrams for problem solving
This post about an approach to developing better diagrams for problem solving from Barbara Tversky’s book: Minds in Motion. I’ve … More
Why Gestures are Important
This post summarises the findings of a paper by Barbara Tversky: Gestures for Thinking and Explaining (2005). The author demonstrates … More
Cartoons and Abstract Visuals
Barbara Tversky (Minds in Motion) discusses the cognitive power of cartoons to explain abstract concepts. In these three images, I … More
Using Visual Explanations Leads to Better Performance
I have been listening to Barbara Tversky’s wonderful new book: Mind in Motion, about the roots of thinking in the … More
Up and Down the Ladder of Abstraction
Yesterday I wrote about the importance of physical, experiential knowlegde of physics: a sense of forces and flow; of motion … More
A Visceral Hinterland in Physics
Underneath it all, physicists think with their bodies. They know what it feels like. Einstein described his approach to problem-solving … More
A Short Booklet on What Research Says About Using Visuals in Teaching
Dear all, I have been thinking hard (and reading a lot) about using visualisations in class. Here is a booklet … More
Reading for Learning 