Teach Me

 Ted Talks worth talking about in educations. 1. Jane McGonigal: "Gaming Can Make a Better World" https://janemcgonigal.com book: https://a.co/d/9J6GS6Q In this TED Talk, game designer Jane McGonigal argues that gaming can be harnessed to solve real-world problems. She highlights how gamers are adept at collaboration, problem-solving, and perseverance. McGonigal introduces the concept of "urgent optimism"—the desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle—and suggests that by channeling this mindset into real-life challenges, we can address issues like hunger, poverty, and climate change. She presents examples of games designed with this purpose, such as "World Without Oil" and "Superstruct," which simulate global crises to encourage players to develop innovative solutions. ​ Glasp +1 Glasp +1 2. Brenda Romero: "Gaming for Understanding" Game designer Brenda Romero discusses how games can be powerful tools for conveying complex ...

Rethinking Memory: What Every Teacher Should Know About How Students Learn By Jason T. Rogers There’s a powerful shift happening in education—one that doesn’t start with curriculum or testing. It starts with something much simpler: how memory actually works . I recently listened to a conversation with Jared Cooney Horvath , an educational neuroscientist and former teacher, who broke down what memory really is—and more importantly, what it isn’t . The talk was packed with wisdom, but not in a complicated, academic way. Just honest, down-to-earth insights that every teacher, parent, and learner needs to hear. Here’s what stuck with me. 📌 1. We Remember Only What We Pay Attention To That might sound obvious. But Jared walks through example after example showing how easily distracted the brain really is —how much we think we’re absorbing, but aren’t. If students aren’t actively tuned in, nothing gets stored . Multitasking? That’s not a strength. It’s a memory killer. Every time ...

I'm going to dive into the weeds of what neurosciences have categorized in memory. I'm not sure where to apply this knowledge and how it could help someone like me. But I feel like it is useful and worth pondering on.  ​ Neuroscientists have extensively studied and categorized various types of memory, leading to a comprehensive understanding of how information is processed and stored in the human brain. These classifications help delineate the mechanisms behind learning, recall, and the overall functioning of memory systems. ​ 1. Sensory Memory: This is the initial stage of memory that briefly retains sensory information after the original stimuli have ended. It includes: ​ PMC Iconic Memory: Visual sensory memory that holds a brief snapshot of what we have just seen. ​ PMC Echoic Memory: Auditory sensory memory that retains sounds we have just heard for a short duration. ​ Haptic Memory: Tactile sensory memory related to the sense of touch. ​ These forms of s...

  What Game Design Teaches Us About Learning Design By Jason T. Rogers I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how people learn—not just what they learn, but how the experience is built. And the more I explore that question, the more I find myself circling back to one unexpected source: game designers . That’s right—people who build video games might actually have something important to teach us about building better classrooms, better training environments, and better learning systems overall. I recently watched a video called "Why Game Designers Use Maslow" by Extra Credits. It’s a short, sharp explanation of how good game design lines up with something we usually only hear about in psychology class: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs . Watch here → Why Game Designers Use Maslow – Extra Credits And it got me thinking—maybe it’s time educators started thinking more like game designers. The Levels of Learning… and Why They Matter If you’ve ever seen Maslow’s pyramid, you ...

  12 Areas That Transform a Classroom Book review of The New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert Marzano. By Jason T. Rogers I’ll be honest—I've read a lot of teaching frameworks over the years. Some are packed with theory but hard to apply. Others give you checklists but forget the heart. But I did enjoy the book  The New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert Marzano.  It’s not about gimmicks or trends—it’s about building a classroom where learning sticks and students grow. There are 12 key areas in this framework. I want to walk you through. I’ll share quick example moments from a story story I call  Mrs. Lacey’s fifth-grade science class . You’ll see these ideas come to life in a way that’s simple, doable, and inspiring. 1. Providing and Communicating Learning Goals Mrs. Lacey starts class with a clear goal: “I can describe the planets in our solar system and explain their unique characteristics.” Every student sees it. They track it. They own i...

  VISIBLE LEARNING Making Learning Visible: Insights from John Hattie Dr. John Hattie, a leading education researcher, has transformed how educators understand effective teaching and student achievement. In his groundbreaking work, Visible Learning , Hattie synthesizes decades of global research to uncover what truly impacts learning outcomes. One of his core messages is simple yet powerful: "When learning is visible, students know what to do, how to do it, and where to go next." In the video “What Works Best in Education: John Hattie at TEDxNorrköping” , Hattie dives deep into the data, revealing the factors that most significantly affect student success. He explains the importance of teacher clarity, feedback, and setting high expectations. Rather than relying on popular trends or assumptions, Hattie uses evidence-based findings to guide instructional practices. One of the most striking ideas from the video is that it's not about what teachers do—but about how studen...

The Parts of Learning By Jason T. Rogers I’ve been trying to learn electronics lately. There’s this idea in my head—this vision—of building my own computer parts a few years from now. Not just tinkering, but really understanding what’s happening inside the circuits, the components, the flow of energy. I don’t want to just use technology. I want to shape it. But I’ve also realized something: learning is rarely a straight line. It’s more like a cycle of excitement, frustration, curiosity, confusion, and rediscovery. Over and over again. A Delicate Balance There’s this delicate balance between desire, curiosity, exploration, and how I feel about my progress . That last part—how I feel about it—turns out to be one of the biggest pieces. Sometimes I come across a complicated spec sheet or a dense diagram, and my brain just stops. It's like trying to read another language. I feel overwhelmed. Depressed, even. I find myself thinking, how long is it going to take before I can actually und...