Harnessing the Science of Learning: Success Stories to Help Kickstart Your School Improvement

Drawing together the worlds of classroom practice, school leadership and scientific research, this is an essential how-to guide for initiating and maintaining a school improvement journey based on the science of learning.

What we now know about learning and teaching is vast; yet often, wading through the thousands of articles and books on this subject can leave even the most seasoned educator overwhelmed. This guide instead offers a distillation of key understandings―for teaching, literacy, mathematics, curriculum and implementation―to launch your school improvement work.

Harnessing the Science of Learning also features contributions from thought leaders across the fields of learning sciences and educational practice: Pamela Snow, Tanya Serry, Zach Groshell, Reid Smith, Toni Hatten-Roberts, Simon Breakspear, Katie Roberts-Hull, David Morkunas, Steven Capp, Shane Pearson and Eamon Charles.

This book illustrates practical ways to harness this knowledge, using a series of exemplary school case studies. These insightful narratives of transformation are interwoven with summaries of powerful teaching practices, forming a roadmap to drive improvement.

In this volume, you will learn how even discrete changes in a school can have marked impacts. It is suitable for those already versed in such principles, as well as anyone curious to plunge into what the science of learning has to offer.

Nathaniel Swain, PhD, is a teacher, instructional coach and teacher educator. He is a Senior Lecturer in Learning Sciences at La Trobe University School of Education, Australia. Dr Swain has taught a range of learners in schools, and founded a community of teachers committed to educational excellence and equity: Think Forward Educators. His website can be found here: https://www.nathanielswain.com/