I have been worrying about Learning Intentions for a quarter of a century. Occasionally I discreetly ask someone I trust … More
Category: teaching
Using Visual Representations to Help Solve Abstract Physics Problems
By year 6, pupils are skilled mathematical problem solvers. They can solve multi-step questions involving abstract concepts. This sounds like … More
When knowledge is wrong…
Babies are born knowing physics. They express surprise when an object appears to be suspended in mid-air or pass through … More
What are the Cognitive Loads of reading and how can we reduce them?
Reading is a physics problem that doesn’t receive much attention in class. I think it should. Science professionals read a … More
The single most important thing for teachers to know…
Dear Reader, There is a lot being written about Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and how important it is. I have … More
Integrating Questions and Diagrams to Reduce Cognitive Load for Novice Physicists
I think this will be the last of my problem-solving blogs for a while – it’s a little one about … More
Haven’t We Got Enough To Do Already? Why Science Teachers Should Teach Vocabulary and How to Make it Stick
There are words in the English language that science teachers wish the English department would teach – words like … More
Science: A Great Source of Metaphor…
Have you got time to read two very short science texts? Both of them are surprising and wonderful. First text: a … More
Definitions
Definitio. I. Quantitas materiæ est mensura ejusdem orta ex illius densitate et magnitudine conjunctim. Definition I The quantity of matter … More
Silent Reading: What’s Going On Inside?
The student is silent. Eyes flick across the page. The page turns. It’s a good book. What could go wrong? … More
Reading for Learning 