The Evidence Based Education Podcast The Elements of Great Teaching – Dimension 4, Element 1
Jan 20, 2025
They unpack structuring lessons so tasks connect clearly to learning aims. They discuss desirable difficulties, varied practice, and when to delay feedback to deepen thinking. They warn against performative evidence and explain matching task formats and questioning to purpose. Practical tips include scaffolding on demand, protecting learning time, and building a narrative across lessons.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Structuring Shows How Tasks Fit Learning Goals
- Structuring means sequencing tasks to show students how activities connect to learning goals.
- The toolkit says objectives alone are insufficient; teachers must show example tasks and stories that explain how work meets aims.
Desirable Difficulties Improve Long Term Learning
- Introducing varied, desirably difficult practice harms short-term performance but improves long-term learning.
- Adam describes a beanbag study where mixed-distance practice beat constant two-metre practice on the delayed test.
Morning Starters Fix Yesterday's Misconceptions
- Adam uses a morning starter routine to fix misconceptions from previous lessons.
- He notes pupils often correct misunderstandings in an eight-minute morning activity after struggling the day before.