Education

How do people learn? What’s encouraging about the latest science? Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain has much more capacity for development than was believed in the past and that many of the ideas on which the traditional education paradigm is based are flat-out wrong. Math educator Jo Boaler shares some research that gives us all hope. Keep reading to discover what we now know about how people learn.

Are you a slow learner? Do you feel pressure to learn faster? How much do you learn when you cram for a test? Imagine that the tortoise and the hare are in a learning race. Now, imagine the tortoise crossing the finish line first. In Limitless Mind, math educator Jo Boaler explains why slow learning gives you an advantage. Keep reading to learn how being a slow learner can put you ahead.

What’s conceptual knowledge? Is it superior to the rote learning method? In Limitless Mind, math educator Jo Boaler shares the latest science about how people learn. Based on the research, she argues that flexible approaches to learning and teaching are more productive than older, more rigid practices. Continue reading to compare the two approaches of rote learning and conceptual knowledge in education.

How do our brains work differently when working with others? What happens when we’re exposed to other ways of thinking? In Limitless Mind, published in 2019, Jo Boaler explains how neuroscience research has overturned our age-old beliefs about how learning works. Based on what we now know, she says that we must foster true collaboration so that students are exposed to many ways of thinking. Read more to discover the benefits of collaborative learning.

When students struggle, what if we took advantage of that difficulty rather than trying to “fix” it? What’s a productive alternative to marking test answers as wrong? In Limitless Mind, math educator Jo Boaler shows that the brain is capable of learning new skills and incorporating new ideas throughout our lives and that struggling to learn and making mistakes are integral parts of cognitive growth. With this in mind, she urges us to rethink education. Keep reading to learn several education reform ideas put forth in Boaler’s book.