Veronica Yan
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veronicayan.bsky.social
Veronica Yan
@veronicayan.bsky.social
Learning scientist. Cognitive and educational psychologist studying desirable difficulties, metacognition, and long-term learning. Assoc. Prof at UT Austin. Cat mom. #PsychSciSky #Cogpsyc #EduSky #LTHE
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So many new faces here, so time for a re-introduction. 👋🏻 Associate prof in ed psych, researching desirably difficult learning strategies and empowering self-regulated learners. I like being transparent about what "success" looks like, so here's my CV of failures
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
CV of Failures
http://sites.edb.utexas.edu/slam/ This “CV of Failures” is not my original idea; I saw an article about Johannes Haushofer doing this, who in turn had read a Nature paper by Melanie Stefan. A regul...
docs.google.com
Reposted by Veronica Yan
The title doesn't match the topic of the podcast, which is more about how GenAI can replace desirable difficulties and other productive challenges, subverting learning and meaning-making. It also sounds like a rundown of the ideas and concepts I teach in my classes! #PsychSciSky #AcademicSky #EduSky
Frictionless and Forgettable: How Tech Undermines Friendship and Creativity
Podcast Episode · PsyberSpace: Understand Your World · 09/29/2025 · 24m
podcasts.apple.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
The U.S. government has shut down after failing to reach a budget deal, leaving federal funding for R&D in 2026 endangered. The U.S. House and Senate have so far rejected proposed deep cuts to R&D funding, but they must continue to push to pass full-year appropriations bills. https://bit.ly/4nwaPsl
AAAS Statement on Government Shutdown | American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Shutting down the government is no way to unleash U.S. innovation. This act delays setting clear priorities for our nation's research enterprise and amplifies uncertainty that has enveloped the scientific community.
bit.ly
October 1, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
Last chance to register for our workshop THIS THURSDAY, August 14! 5 cognitive scientists, 50+ teachers, informal discussion, and back-to-school teaching tips. Group discount (5 or more): 15% off! @veronicayan.bsky.social @lkfazio.bsky.social #EduSky scienceoflearningworkshop.eventbrite.com
August 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
ICYMI: Join me for a back-to-school workshop on the science of learning on Thursday, August 14 on Zoom, with @veronicayan.bsky.social and @lkfazio.bsky.social. We're cognitive scientists AND teachers. Early bird: Get $10 off if you register by this Friday! www.eventbrite.com/e/science-of... #EduSky
August 5, 2025 at 5:10 PM
As someone who uses the em-dash a lot in their own writing, I really hate that it's supposedly the "tell" for generative AI!! 😫
August 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Exciting announcement 🚨!

Come to our Science of Learning workshop and with not just one but FIVE cognitive scientists and teachers: Drs Janell Blunt, Shana Carpenter, Pooja Agarwal, Lisa Fazio, and myself.

Aug 14 (early bird reg by 8/10)
#edusky #teacherlife #k12 #highered
Ready to strengthen students' long-term learning? Gain practical tips from cognitive scientists who are also teachers! Join me, @lkfazio.bsky.social, and @veronicayan.bsky.social for a workshop on August 14. Early bird: Register by August 8 for $10 off! www.eventbrite.com/e/science-of... #EduSky
Science of Learning Workshop on Zoom
Ready to strengthen your students' long-term learning? Gain practical teaching tips from cognitive scientists who are also teachers!
www.eventbrite.com
August 3, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
Come and work with me and my colleagues. We're nice!
the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago is hiring SIX faculty. open area

Otago is the second-largest research university in New Zealand, and, among other nice things, is located near some of the best wineries on the planet

www.seek.co.nz/job/85709111
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor - Psychology Job in North Dunedin, Otago - SEEK
The University of Otago’s Department of Psychology is a highly ranked, internationally respected hub of research and teaching excellence.
www.seek.co.nz
July 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
New paper with Allison Zengilowski, Abubakir Siedahmed, @veronicayan.bsky.social, and Neil Heffernan at Learning at Scale published today:

"Encouraging Metacognitive Reflection through Prompts in a Computer-Based Learning Platform: Failure to Find a Benefit in a Large-Scale Randomized Trial"
July 17, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago is hiring SIX faculty. open area

Otago is the second-largest research university in New Zealand, and, among other nice things, is located near some of the best wineries on the planet

www.seek.co.nz/job/85709111
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor - Psychology Job in North Dunedin, Otago - SEEK
The University of Otago’s Department of Psychology is a highly ranked, internationally respected hub of research and teaching excellence.
www.seek.co.nz
July 14, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
These funds could sustain the National Science Foundation for 17 years and make the US a great country. Instead, they'll be used to terrorize people in the US.
ICE Set to Vastly Expand Its Reach With New Funds
www.nytimes.com
July 14, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.

President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to move forward with the abolition of the Department of Education. It gives no explanation for its order. All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...

From Sotomayor's dissent:
July 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
NEW: Concepts and skills in real life are like a tie-dyed t-shirt: all mixed up. www.retrievalpractice.org/strategies/i...

Get tips from Dr. Veronica Yan (@veronicayan.bsky.social) on how to use interleaving. Mix up concepts, problem sets, vocabulary words, etc. All student ages, all subject areas.
Like a tie-dyed shirt: Mix it up with interleaving and boost learning
Get tips from cognitive scientist Dr. Veronica Yan , the world’s leading expert on interleaving . Boost student learning by mixing up concepts : problem sets, vocabulary words, different types of s...
www.retrievalpractice.org
July 2, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
The undergrad Cognitive Studies major at Indiana is a model for the field and is now on the chopping block bc enrollment is under the state's new guidelines
IU has the oldest Folklore Department in the country--no longer a major. Cognitive Science? gone! PhD programs also sacrificed. Full list here: www.in.gov/che/files/In...
www.in.gov
June 30, 2025 at 9:39 PM
This is where I really wish there was a better way to bookmark things on bluesky
If you teach cognitive psychology or related topics & are willing to share your favorite teaching resources (e.g., demos, videos), please reply to/quote this post, tag me in a new post, or send me email. I'll compile them, share the list, & keep updating it this summer. Let's inspire each other!
I teach an undergrad cognitive psychology class. I've been thinking about assembling useful teaching resources (demos, videos, etc.) from other cogpsy instructors & sharing them in a single place. If there's enough interest here, I'll make a separate post & ask you to share your favorite materials.
June 15, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
Here's the link to @mattcrumplab.bsky.social's amazing website for his introductory cognitive psychology class, which includes virtually everything, including the free textbook he's written: "Instances of Cognition." Check it out!
Thanks for collecting these resources @amiyake.bsky.social

To add to the pile, I put most of my intro to cognition course (syllabus, slides, free textbook, assignments) on this website:

www.crumplab.com/cognition/

Everything is licensed on Creative Commons, feel free to copy, reuse, etc.
June 15, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
And @veronicayan.bsky.social giving their J. Don Read Early Career Winner Talk! Congratulations again from us all t #sarmac2025!
June 13, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
J Don Reed early career winner @veronicayan.bsky.social giving her award address at #sarmac2025. College is a really important time for students to develop skills of self-regulated learning. Students have a lot of supports for their learning in high school- much more on their own in college. 1/
June 12, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
A wonderful plenary talk from Early Career award winner @veronicayan.bsky.social - pictured with her proud nominator @lkfazio.bsky.social and @officialsarmac.bsky.social Awards Committee member @aminamemon.bsky.social
June 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
PhD studentship available in developmental cognitive neuroscience, in Cambridge - please publicise.

Open to women candidates, as the student will be based at Newnham College.
Funded PhD opportunity with @sjblakemore.bsky.social and I, at Cambridge. We are looking for someone interested in developmental science, to start in the coming academic year. Please share it with anyone you think might be interested (see details attached 😁).
drive.google.com/file/d/1RIvg...
Funded PhD opportunity.pdf
drive.google.com
May 27, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
If you burn down a forest, you don't miss out on lumber for just that season. You have to replant all the trees, nurture them, and wait for them to grow.

The science and research budget cuts happening now are wanton, senseless arson. Recovery, if it ever happens, will take generations.
June 3, 2025 at 9:02 PM
At this point, most professors I know who have grants have had grant terminations. The scale of the impact is mind-boggling and so hugely underestimated by the broader public.
NSF Physics was cut by 85%, basically wiping out most of its capacity for supporting research.

NSF Astronomy was cut by 53%

Undergrad education was cut by 71% and research on learning by 79%

Graduate education was cut by 100% to ZERO.

#GiftLink ⚛️🔭

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades (Gift Article)
The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more.
www.nytimes.com
May 22, 2025 at 7:18 PM
We also had our wonderful 3rd annual LONESTAR (un)conference on strategic learning! Thank you to @carltonfong.bsky.social for hosting us at Texas State this year!
May 20, 2025 at 3:54 AM
May brings celebrations, of endings and new beginnings. The EDP dept and the HDCLS program celebrated Dr Toni Falbo and her retirement after 49 years!!
May 20, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
www.science.org
May 9, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Veronica Yan
Academic friends, if your NSF grants have been terminated by the administration, FABBS is hosting a webinar Friday about appealing the decisions. It's important that as many people appeal as possible to show we're not accepting this targeting of science. Link to the webinar registration is below.
May 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM