LSAC April eKeynote: Barbara Oakley, "Inclusive Teaching for Diverse Student Groups"

Inclusive Teaching for Diverse Student Groups

This virtual talk will describe the process of making links in long-term memory—the essence of learning. We will then explore the vital importance of the “black box” of the procedural “habit” learning system in helping students succeed. 

We will rethink the role of active learning to bring it in line with contemporary neuroscientific findings.

 We’ll also discover what is happening in the brain when students take brief breaks—even as short as fifteen seconds. You will learn why your students with lower capacity working memory need more explicit instruction (guidance) and more practice to solidify and strengthen their neural links in long-term memory. A few subtle tweaks in your teaching can lead to enormous gains in your students’ success!

Bio

Barbara Oakley is a Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Her work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behaviour. She created and teaches Coursera--UC San Diego’s “Learning How to Learn,” one of the world’s most popular massive open online course with over three million registered students.