Where it is used
Each entry identifies the volume, edition, chapter or appendix in which the work appears.
The evidence behind the series
Follow the research.
Explore every source.
Browse the scientific research and professional literature used across all seven volumes of The Science of Learning for Educators.
7book volumes
8author ranges
1searchable library
Search the collection
Find a paper, author or idea.
Choose an author range, search a title or concept, or narrow the collection by source type. Open any result to see where it appears in the books, read its evidence summary and follow available source links.
1 reference
-
- Vol 1 RE: Chapters 2, 5, App B
cognitive sciencememory and thinkingfactual knowledgeconcrete examplesdeliberate practicecritical thinkingknowledge transfercognitive loadBook Evidence summaryAt a glance
Willingham translates nine principles from cognitive science into implications for teaching. He argues that people are curious but effortful thinking is slow and uncertain, so problems engage students when success seems attainable and relevant knowledge is available.
Key ideas
Memory is the residue of thought: learners remember what they attend to and think about, making meaningful questions more important than entertaining presentation alone. Factual knowledge supports comprehension, reasoning, and further learning; abstract ideas are generally understood through concrete examples; and proficiency requires extended practice. The book distinguishes disciplinary thinking from generic critical-thinking skills, questions matching instruction to supposed learning styles, and explains how knowledge and practice contribute to learner differences. Its chapters synthesise research rather than reporting one intervention trial, and applications require teacher judgement.
Why it matters
Practical implications include designing problems at an appropriate level, organising material around coherent meaning, revisiting essential knowledge over time, varying examples to support transfer, and using stories or structures that direct thought toward what should be remembered. Cognitive principles constrain good teaching, but do not prescribe one method for every classroom.
View or buy the cited work >>Read a similar article free online >>
A transparent research trail
More than a bibliography.
What it contributes
Evidence summaries explain the central idea and why the source matters to educators.
How to access it
Entries link to lawful full text where available, or to a publisher, library or purchase page.
Edition abbreviations
- TE
- Teacher Edition
- PE
- Practice Edition
- RE
- Research Edition
Citation checks
References are checked against publisher records, scholarly indexes, DOI or ISBN metadata, repositories and author records where available. An entry marked [Citation not verified] preserves the wording found in the relevant volume without attributing findings to an unconfirmed work.
From sources to a coherent pathway