Bitesize Research: The Curse of Knowledge!

 

Dear WA colleagues,

I would like to share this article that I think we all need to remind ourselves of from time to time. Cognitive bias!

The Curse of Knowledge: A Barrier in Education and How to Overcome It

In 1989, economists Camerer, Lowenstein, and Weber introduced the concept of "the curse of knowledge," a cognitive bias where individuals assume others share their level of understanding. This bias can make it challenging for experts to communicate effectively with novices, as highlighted by Chip and Dan Heath in 2010: “Once we know something, we find it hard to imagine what it was like not to know it. Our knowledge has ‘cursed’ us.”

This phenomenon is particularly problematic in education, where teachers' deep expertise can become a barrier to explaining concepts clearly to students. The curse of knowledge can lead to poor communication, creating obstacles in teaching and learning.

The Paradox for Teachers

For educators, the curse of knowledge presents a paradox: the more knowledgeable they are, the harder it can be to teach beginners. Teachers must be aware of this bias when planning and delivering lessons to avoid assuming students have the same foundational knowledge.

This issue isn't limited to students; it affects any situation where knowledge transfer is necessary, including professional development sessions for colleagues. Teachers and trainers need to recognize and address the curse of knowledge to ensure effective communication.

Strategies to Overcome the Curse of Knowledge

1. Patience and Empathy: Recognise that learning is challenging and that each student progresses at their own pace. Patience and understanding are crucial, especially in mixed-ability classes.

2. Avoid Assumptions: Instead of assuming prior knowledge, teachers should check students' understanding and provide necessary explanations. This is particularly important for students with English as an additional language or other barriers to comprehension.

3. Encourage Questions: Create a safe environment where students feel comfortable asking questions. Many students may hesitate to seek clarification, fearing judgment from peers or teachers.

4. Use Formative Assessments: Regularly assess students' understanding to identify gaps in knowledge. This helps teachers tailor their instruction to meet students' needs effectively.

5. Provide Clear Support: Design lesson materials with prompts and cues to aid comprehension. Use clear language, concrete examples, and encourage students to explain concepts in their own words.

6. Leverage Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Effective teachers understand common misconceptions and sticking points in the curriculum. This knowledge helps them anticipate and address areas where students might struggle.

7. Collaborate with Colleagues: Experienced colleagues can offer valuable insights into common areas of misunderstanding, helping teachers refine their approach.

Conclusion

Acknowledging the curse of knowledge is the first step in overcoming it. By being mindful of this cognitive bias, educators can improve their teaching strategies, ensuring that they communicate effectively and support all learners in their journey from novice to expert.

Camerer, C., Loewenstein, G., & Weber, M. (1989). The curse of knowledge in economic settings: An experimental analysis. Journal of Political Economy, 97(5), 1232–1254. https://doi.org/10.1086/261651

Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Made to stick: Why some ideas survive and others die (1st ed.). Random House.

Coe, R., Rauch, C. J., Kime, S., & Singleton, D. (2020). Great teaching toolkit: Evidence Review. Evidence Based Education. https://evidencebased.education/great-teaching-toolkit/

T&L Blog (w/c 10-06-24): Pros and Cons of Multiple Choice Question Assessments

Dear WA colleagues,

Maximising the Benefits of Multiple-Choice Questions in the Classroom

This week, I want to share an article shared by Kate Jones published by Evidence Based Education about how Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are a versatile and valuable tool for teachers, useful at various stages of the learning process. Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of using MCQs in your teaching strategy.

Pros of Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Flexibility: MCQs can be used at different points in a lesson for both formative and summative assessments. They are suitable for various subjects and age groups.

2. Accessibility: These questions support retrieval practice for younger students and those with learning difficulties by making retrieval more accessible and boosting confidence and motivation.

3. Time Efficiency: MCQs can be answered quickly, allowing more content to be covered in less time. This also leaves room for meaningful feedback and discussion.

4. Responsive Teaching: Well-designed MCQs can help identify and address misconceptions from previous lessons.

5. Objective Grading: Answers are straightforward to grade, reducing the need for moderation. Digital tools can provide instant feedback, and students can self- or peer-assess under teacher supervision.

6. Reusability: A well-constructed MCQ quiz can be reused for regular spaced retrieval practice.

7. Consistency: MCQs can promote content consistency across year groups and departments. They can be adapted for different delivery methods, such as digital tools or presentations with mini whiteboards.

Cons of Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Quality Design: Poorly designed MCQs may lead to superficial recognition rather than meaningful retrieval. Creating plausible distractors can be challenging and time-consuming.

2. Perception of Stakes: If used for high-stakes assessments, MCQs might not be seen as low-stakes retrieval tasks, which can affect student perception and stress levels.

3. Guesswork: Students may guess answers, making it hard to determine if they truly know the material. This can be mitigated with elaboration and further questioning.

4. Timing Issues: Online tools with timers can pressure students to rush, leading to errors, especially for those with learning difficulties or English language learners.

5. Lack of Reflection: Students may focus on scores rather than learning from their mistakes. Encouraging review and reflection is crucial for progress.

6. No Partial Credit: MCQs do not recognize partial knowledge, which can be frustrating for students.

7. Limited Retrieval Practice: Relying solely on MCQs for retrieval practice is insufficient. They should be supplemented with other strategies, such as free recall and elaboration.

Conclusions:

• Despite their limitations, MCQs are a valuable addition to classroom strategies, helping to check for understanding, identify misconceptions, and support regular retrieval practice. 

• They also aid in maintaining curriculum consistency and managing teacher workload effectively. 

• When well-designed and appropriately used, MCQs can significantly enhance the learning experience.

Thanks,

Russell.

T&L Blog (20-05-24): No Opt Out (Teach Like a Champion)

 Dear WA colleagues,

A brief summary of Teach Like a Champion: No OptOut

"No Opt-Out Cold Calling," a technique from Doug Lemov's "Teach Like a Champion," aims to ensure that all students are engaged and accountable for their learning. Here are the key points for teachers:

Purpose: This technique encourages full participation and reinforces the idea that every student is capable of answering questions.

1. No Opt-Out:

• If a student cannot answer a question, do not move on. Instead, help them find the correct answer.

• You can rephrase the question, give hints, or scaffold the answer with easier steps.

• Once the student has the correct answer, have them repeat it to reinforce their learning.

2. Cold Calling:

• Randomly select students to answer questions rather than relying on volunteers.

• This keeps all students attentive and prepared to participate at any time.

• It signals that every student's thinking is valued and important.

3. Implementation:

• Use these techniques consistently to create a classroom culture of high expectations.

• Be mindful of tone and body language to maintain a positive and supportive environment.

• Combine "No Opt-Out" and "Cold Calling" to maximise engagement and accountability.

By incorporating "No Opt-Out Cold Calling," teachers can create a dynamic and inclusive classroom where all students are encouraged and expected to contribute to the learning process.

Here are some examples, including me over 10 years ago 🙂

Example 1: Lesson on Immigration

Example 2: RPE teaching with no opt-out IB Geography

T&L Blog (w/c 06-05-24): Long-Term Impacts of Coaching

 Dear WA colleagues,

The Long-term Impact of Coaching on School Culture

By Ruhina Cockar

As we come to the close of our latest round of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) I wanted to highlight the importance of coaching in various aspects of our life at Westminster Academy to encourage you to continue the coaching culture beyond the PLCs.

We approach our PLCs from a coaching perspective - its objective is to use coaching to gain a better understanding of our professional learning target for performance management, including the challenges and options we have to improve and develop it. 

It challenges you to ‘Start with Heart’ to ensure that you consistently return to what is important or fulfilling for you about your target. What are the values behind wanting to improve, and wanting to improve on this particular target? Working on a target that is linked to your professional passions are clear drivers to motivating you to implement change.

The PLCs then challenges you to consider the options, ideas and strategies you have to pursue this target - how creative do you want to be? How creative can you be? This is the ‘Head’ part of the coaching model and is your chance to read that piece of research you’ve been meaning to read, ask that teacher friend about that great pedagogical strategy they used that made impact and aligns with your goal, have a go at learning how to implement something you observed another teacher do effectively for your authentic teaching style, read more about implementing group work more systematically as an authentic assessment tool (even though you might have an element of fear of this failing, “praiseworthy failure” is an important part of growth - see here).

What next? Time to plan your route. This is the “Step” part of the model - what strategy are you going to commit to implementing to explore your target, by when and how will you assess its impact. There is a clear sense of purpose that comes from action planning your goal from point A (today, where the ‘Heart’ is beating strong) to point B (at some point in the future, the goal). 

How can these principles be used outside of the PLC, in your approach to improving your ways of working collaboratively or improving your ways of communicating with students or improving your curriculum design?

Let’s hear from Sophia Evans about her experience of taking coaching outside of the PLC and into her role as a Curriculum Designer for Maths:

“Coaching has been very impactful to my personal development as a curriculum designer. In particular, having the opportunity to be guided through the heart, head, step process allows me to think through in depth about what I want to do, why and how to go about it.  Before my coaching meetings I can often feel scattered, lost and even sometimes overwhelmed, but the structure (and sometimes looseness) of a coaching conversation always brings me to consider next steps.

An example of this would be Y10 maths assessments this term. As we didn’t have a KS4 coordinator last year, these were inconsistent and poor quality. Through coaching with Bec Dennis I was able to talk through strategies for getting the team involved with producing these, in order to get them fully tailored to our current Y10 students. Delegation has always been an area for development for myself, so this was at the centre of our conversation. We discussed why it was important to me for us to involve all team members with the assessment process, anticipate who would have the buy-in and who wouldn’t, consider different approaches to delegating making the assessments, and set steps as actions for the week ahead. I feel that this process comes with much more ease now that I’ve been coached through it, and represents just a small example of the impact coaching can have on a middle leader.”

And from David Madden about using coaching to build metacognitive talk in his lessons:

“I have been coaching my Year 12s to think more metacognitively.  I am currently completing an NPQ in Leading Teacher Development and the implementation project I am developing is ‘What is the impact of high quality teacher education on metacognitive practices with ECTs’.  I plan to ‘coach’ the ECTs on metacognitive thinking during one of their forthcoming CPS sessions and I am also coaching my Year 12 AISL class to think more metacognitively as they problem solve in their Maths lessons.  For example, as the Year 12s are completing their Do Now, I have been asking them to complete a short form to get them to think more about the process and thinking they need to do: Problem Solving using Metacognitive Techniques”

In our Anatomy coaching course we discuss the practice of being “coach-like” in as many aspects of our day-to-day life - this is the act of being genuinely curious about the topic in front of you, the problem in hand or the person you are speaking to through asking Effective Questions, really listening and always going back to the Heart. This is the mindset of stepping away from advice giving or seeking advice/solutions from others. This is the mindset that you are the expert of yourself and your topic/problem. This is the mindset where you might respond with an observation in place of advice - “I noticed..”, “I wonder if…”, “It sounds like…”. When you feel stuck, ask yourself the question: What benefit can approaching this from a coaching perspective bring?

I’d love to see and hear more coach-like conversations around Westminster Academy!

What’s the next opportunity for using coaching or being coached for you?

If you’d like to be coached in a more formal way, please get in touch with Ruhina Cockar for a match up!

Further Reading:

1. Building a Coaching Culture in Irish Schools; Challenges and Opportunities: A Mixed-Methods Study 

2. Coaching Improves School Culture 

For the Anatomy trained coaches: Being Coach-Like in Your Life

T&L Blog (w/c 29-04/24): Effective Instruction

 Dear WA colleagues,

Learning ‘Thought Night’

Effective Instruction 

Guiding questions

• What are the characteristics of effective classroom instruction?

• What makes the most effective teaching instruction and why?

• What makes the least effective teaching instruction and why?

Linking memory to instruction

In a recent book, I read Cognitive load theory in practice Examples for the classroom (CESE (2018). the book highlights research that indicates that the less knowledge pupils have in long-term memory, the more support and guidance they will need from the teacher. Thinking back to the simple model of memory (Willingham, 2009), without long-term memory knowledge, new information can quickly feel overwhelming, and the learner may experience cognitive overload (Sweller et al., 2019). Pupils lacking prior knowledge benefit from fully guided, explicit instruction to manage the load on working memory (Kirschner et al., 2006). This means methodically taking pupils through an explanation or process step-by-step, leaving no gaps. Without this explicit, fully guided instruction, pupils lacking prior knowledge are prone to developing misconceptions (Kirschner et al., 2006). 

To teach explicitly, we can break down explanations and models into steps, deliver them explicitly, and regularly check pupils' understanding (Rosenshine, 2012). 

Working memory, where information is consciously processed, is limited in capacity. When pupils are processing information, distractions may cause pupils to completely lose track of what is being explained (Gathercole et al., 2006). 

Explicit teaching coupled with good behaviour for learning is likely to focus pupils' attention on the critical knowledge, skills, and concepts they need to know. It helps to manage pupils' cognitive load, which should be a key consideration when as teachers, we deliver our lessons.

Fully guided, explicit instruction when successful carried out, will help pupils gain:

• more organised knowledge in long-term memory, 

• Stronger mental models and 

• Greater expertise. 

As pupils gain expertise, we can look to reduce scaffolding and support (CESE, 2018; Kalyuga, 2007). Pupils can be shown how to tackle more complex problems and questions (Pashler et al., 2007). 

Pupils need subject-specific knowledge of what they are evaluating if they are to do it well. For example, these pupils will not be able to evaluate the most important cause of the Great War without subject-specific knowledge of it.

• teachers need to build pupils’ subject-specific knowledge so pupils can use skills in relation to this knowledge. 

• the method of instruction his teachers use should depend on the prior knowledge of their pupils. 

• Pupils will benefit from a lot of support and guidance (scaffolding) which can be gradually removed as they become more knowledgeable.

Take Aways:

For effective practice, there is the need to improve the way as teachers we explain new concepts to pupils to avoid pupils being cognitively overloaded. 

We need to develop our understanding of how to best manage pupils’ cognitive load through teachers’ instructional practices backed by research.

Research Explanations

Learners understand new material in relation to what they already know (Willingham, 2009). 

Application: 

• Teachers should start by explicitly linking the concept they are explaining to pupils’ prior knowledge (Rosenshine, 2012). 

• Avoid giving pupils too much information simultaneously (Deans for Impact, 2015). 

• Make it obvious and explicit precisely what you want pupils to take from the explanation. 

• Breaking down explanations into bite-sized chunks may help pupils focus better on the content and avoid cognitive overload. 

• Use examples. Teachers' examples during their explanations are essential for pupils’ understanding (Wittwer & Renkl, 2010). Abstract concepts are particularly challenging for pupils to understand. 

• Select examples carefully to make abstract concepts such as ‘urbanisation’ in geography or ‘covalent bonding’ in chemistry more concrete for pupils. It can then be effective when delivering these examples to interleave (alternate) the concrete and abstract examples and help pupils draw links between them so they understand the abstract concept. 

• When explaining concepts directly and explicitly, do not talk about everything (Deans for Impact, 2015). Get input from pupils and ask questions to check that they understand. 

Effective instruction relies on pupils knowing what success looks like. Using models and questioning to support pupils’ understanding helps us as teachers develop our practice. There is a need to continue to provide learners with high-quality models and expose the key features and thinking behind them.

T&L Blog (18-03-24): Formative Assessment

 Dear WA colleagues,

I recently came across an impactful blog. In the EEF Blog, Prof. Rob Cole looks at the different assessment purposes to help teachers and school leaders. Revisiting our assessment practices in Term 4, considering the basic and simple strategies that can significantly impact our practice on student outcomes and incorporating them to support our learners' achievement will make small steps hugely impactful in our practice. Objectives: To understand some of the key aspects of Formative Assessment and how to incorporate them effectively in our practice. 

Summary: Formative Assessment is a set of teaching and learning processes that empower children to progress and become owners of their learning. Summative Assessment is the measuring or testing of learning so far and is quite different in its design. Formative Assessment is about teaching and learning and enabling progress to be measured. Think of formative assessment ass the following elements, all of which overlap and depend upon each other to maximise their effectiveness: 

• Setting the scene to create confident learners. 

• Organising effective talk and discussion 

• Establishing learning intentions and success criteria so that children know the purpose of their learning and to reach goals. 

• Uncovering children’s understanding through questioning and on-the-move feedback. 

• Helping children know how to identify success and understanding how to improve. Elements of Formative Assessment A learning culture that: A self – efficacy and knowing how to learn. 

• Sharing Learning intentions and success criteria • Feedback which focuses on success and improvement 

• Effective talk: activating students as learning resources for one another. 

• A continuing quest to reveal student understanding. How does this impact me and my practice? Some reflections arising from this that might be helpful to consider are:  

• What experiences of student loneliness have I noticed? 

• What have I done about it so far? 

• What support do I need about it? 

• How might Formative assessment strategies support supports improve their learning and be metacognitive? 

Further Reading: 

• Embedding Formative Assessment https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-andevaluation/projects/embedding-formative-assessment 

• EEF Blog: Assessing learning in the new academic year (Part 1 of 2) – three key questions for school leaders to consider. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-assessing-learningin-the-new-academic-year-part-1 

• Feedback https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teachinglearning-toolkit/feedback 

By Mary Acquah

L&T Blog (w/c 03/06/24): Multiple Choice Question Assessments (The Pros and Cons!)

Dear WA colleagues,

Maximising the Benefits of Multiple-Choice Questions in the Classroom

This week, I want to share an article shared by Kate Jones published by Evidence Based Education about how Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are a versatile and valuable tool for teachers, useful at various stages of the learning process. Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of using MCQs in your teaching strategy.

Pros of Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Flexibility: MCQs can be used at different points in a lesson for both formative and summative assessments. They are suitable for various subjects and age groups.

2. Accessibility: These questions support retrieval practice for younger students and those with learning difficulties by making retrieval more accessible and boosting confidence and motivation.

3. Time Efficiency: MCQs can be answered quickly, allowing more content to be covered in less time. This also leaves room for meaningful feedback and discussion.

4. Responsive Teaching: Well-designed MCQs can help identify and address misconceptions from previous lessons.

5. Objective Grading: Answers are straightforward to grade, reducing the need for moderation. Digital tools can provide instant feedback, and students can self- or peer-assess under teacher supervision.

6. Reusability: A well-constructed MCQ quiz can be reused for regular spaced retrieval practice.

7. Consistency: MCQs can promote content consistency across year groups and departments. They can be adapted for different delivery methods, such as digital tools or presentations with mini whiteboards.

Cons of Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Quality Design: Poorly designed MCQs may lead to superficial recognition rather than meaningful retrieval. Creating plausible distractors can be challenging and time-consuming.

2. Perception of Stakes: If used for high-stakes assessments, MCQs might not be seen as low-stakes retrieval tasks, which can affect student perception and stress levels.

3. Guesswork: Students may guess answers, making it hard to determine if they truly know the material. This can be mitigated with elaboration and further questioning.

4. Timing Issues: Online tools with timers can pressure students to rush, leading to errors, especially for those with learning difficulties or English language learners.

5. Lack of Reflection: Students may focus on scores rather than learning from their mistakes. Encouraging review and reflection is crucial for progress.

6. No Partial Credit: MCQs do not recognize partial knowledge, which can be frustrating for students.

7. Limited Retrieval Practice: Relying solely on MCQs for retrieval practice is insufficient. They should be supplemented with other strategies, such as free recall and elaboration.

Conclusions:

• Despite their limitations, MCQs are a valuable addition to classroom strategies, helping to check for understanding, identify misconceptions, and support regular retrieval practice. 

• They also aid in maintaining curriculum consistency and managing teacher workload effectively. 

• When well-designed and appropriately used, MCQs can significantly enhance the learning experience.

Thanks,

Russell.