Peps
@pepsmccrea.bsky.social
Keeping you (teachers) informed // Director of Education, Steplab // Author of Evidence Snacks, a weekly 5-min email read by 25k+ teachers → https://snacks.pepsmccrea.com 🎓
SUMMARY
• At appropriate points, prompting students to externalise their thinking can boost learning.
• Such as getting them to talk, write, or draw.
• This works via boosting attention, strengthening encoding, and forcing clarity.
👊
• At appropriate points, prompting students to externalise their thinking can boost learning.
• Such as getting them to talk, write, or draw.
• This works via boosting attention, strengthening encoding, and forcing clarity.
👊
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
SUMMARY
• At appropriate points, prompting students to externalise their thinking can boost learning.
• Such as getting them to talk, write, or draw.
• This works via boosting attention, strengthening encoding, and forcing clarity.
👊
• At appropriate points, prompting students to externalise their thinking can boost learning.
• Such as getting them to talk, write, or draw.
• This works via boosting attention, strengthening encoding, and forcing clarity.
👊
🎓 For more, check out this review of the generation effect and its underpinning mechanics:
link.springer.com/article/10....
link.springer.com/article/10....
Theories of the generation effect and the impact of generation constraint: A meta-analytic review
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review - The generation effect is the memory benefit for self-generated compared with read or experimenter-provided information. In recent decades, numerous theories have...
link.springer.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
🎓 For more, check out this review of the generation effect and its underpinning mechanics:
link.springer.com/article/10....
link.springer.com/article/10....
Externalised thinking works best when we provide as few clues as possible to the answer (eg. free recall tends to be more powerful than MCQs), while still ensuring that students think the right thing (and if not: we provide immediate feedback & prompt re-thinking).
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Externalised thinking works best when we provide as few clues as possible to the answer (eg. free recall tends to be more powerful than MCQs), while still ensuring that students think the right thing (and if not: we provide immediate feedback & prompt re-thinking).
Note → Despite these benefits, externalising our thinking can sometimes feel less productive, in part because it tends to require more effort.
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Note → Despite these benefits, externalising our thinking can sometimes feel less productive, in part because it tends to require more effort.
It’s not that internal modes aren’t useful—just that they can be enhanced when combined with external modes, because this can:
• Increase the chances of attention being paid
• Strengthen encoding, via neural activation
• Force greater clarity of thought
• Increase the chances of attention being paid
• Strengthen encoding, via neural activation
• Force greater clarity of thought
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
It’s not that internal modes aren’t useful—just that they can be enhanced when combined with external modes, because this can:
• Increase the chances of attention being paid
• Strengthen encoding, via neural activation
• Force greater clarity of thought
• Increase the chances of attention being paid
• Strengthen encoding, via neural activation
• Force greater clarity of thought
Externalisation is the product of things like talking, writing, or drawing… in contrast to more internal thinking processes generated by things such as reading, watching, or listening.
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Externalisation is the product of things like talking, writing, or drawing… in contrast to more internal thinking processes generated by things such as reading, watching, or listening.
This is a fairly basic idea that will be intuitive to most teachers. However, just because it’s basic doesn’t mean it’s easy to apply in sophisticated ways.
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
This is a fairly basic idea that will be intuitive to most teachers. However, just because it’s basic doesn’t mean it’s easy to apply in sophisticated ways.
For example, instead of just explaining an idea, if we also ask students to discuss it... or instead of just reading something, we also ask students to create a written summary in their own words... they are more likely to understand and remember better.
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
For example, instead of just explaining an idea, if we also ask students to discuss it... or instead of just reading something, we also ask students to create a written summary in their own words... they are more likely to understand and remember better.
At appropriate points in our teaching, if we prompt students to externalise their thinking, it can lead to stronger learning than if we just let them think in more internalised ways.
November 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
At appropriate points in our teaching, if we prompt students to externalise their thinking, it can lead to stronger learning than if we just let them think in more internalised ways.
SUMMARY
• One reason learning styles may be so popular is due to their ‘moral appeal’.
•They align well with our admiration for individuality, choice, and natural approaches.
• However, applying such liberal ideals to the process of schooling may limit our ability to achieve liberal outcomes.
👊
• One reason learning styles may be so popular is due to their ‘moral appeal’.
•They align well with our admiration for individuality, choice, and natural approaches.
• However, applying such liberal ideals to the process of schooling may limit our ability to achieve liberal outcomes.
👊
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
SUMMARY
• One reason learning styles may be so popular is due to their ‘moral appeal’.
•They align well with our admiration for individuality, choice, and natural approaches.
• However, applying such liberal ideals to the process of schooling may limit our ability to achieve liberal outcomes.
👊
• One reason learning styles may be so popular is due to their ‘moral appeal’.
•They align well with our admiration for individuality, choice, and natural approaches.
• However, applying such liberal ideals to the process of schooling may limit our ability to achieve liberal outcomes.
👊
🎓 For more, check out this analysis of the wonky moral intuitions that underlie the learning styles myth:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
Why the learning styles myth appeals and how to persuade believers otherwise
Many teachers and researchers, among others, continue to believe, despite the lack of evidence, that learning will be more effective if educators matc…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
🎓 For more, check out this analysis of the wonky moral intuitions that underlie the learning styles myth:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...
In these reactions, we are merely reflecting the deeply held moral positions of our society. However, despite the best of intentions, when we let such gut feelings get in the way of the evidence, we risk thwarting the very values we seek to advance.
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
In these reactions, we are merely reflecting the deeply held moral positions of our society. However, despite the best of intentions, when we let such gut feelings get in the way of the evidence, we risk thwarting the very values we seek to advance.
and why some folks—including me—can find ourselves experiencing an negative emotional response to things like consistent routines, centralised curricula, and choral response (at least until we better understand the cause and effect of the classroom).
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
and why some folks—including me—can find ourselves experiencing an negative emotional response to things like consistent routines, centralised curricula, and choral response (at least until we better understand the cause and effect of the classroom).
Liberal overreach explains why notions such as student-led education, personalised learning, and inquiry teaching have such intuitive appeal (irrespective of their efficacy)...
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Liberal overreach explains why notions such as student-led education, personalised learning, and inquiry teaching have such intuitive appeal (irrespective of their efficacy)...
This represents a particularly pernicious form of means-ends conflation, which we might call ‘liberal overreach’.
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
This represents a particularly pernicious form of means-ends conflation, which we might call ‘liberal overreach’.
For example, the more we provide students with choices during their schooling, the more we may inadvertently limit their ability to make choices in the future (because they’re not always in a good position to make wise decisions about the what and the how of their learning).
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
For example, the more we provide students with choices during their schooling, the more we may inadvertently limit their ability to make choices in the future (because they’re not always in a good position to make wise decisions about the what and the how of their learning).
However, we find ourselves in a logical pickle when we fail to recognise that sometimes applying liberal ideals to the process of schooling can limit our ability to achieve liberal ideals as the outcomes of schooling.
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
However, we find ourselves in a logical pickle when we fail to recognise that sometimes applying liberal ideals to the process of schooling can limit our ability to achieve liberal ideals as the outcomes of schooling.
Through this lens, the allure of learning styles begins to make sense. It reflects our desire to protect and promote the uniqueness of our students and to honour their natural inclinations.
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Through this lens, the allure of learning styles begins to make sense. It reflects our desire to protect and promote the uniqueness of our students and to honour their natural inclinations.
We live in a society that places a high value on individuality, personal choice, and the inherent superiority of natural traits.
Understandably so—these are the cornerstones of liberal democracy and romanticism, the grand narratives upon which many Western nations have been built.
Understandably so—these are the cornerstones of liberal democracy and romanticism, the grand narratives upon which many Western nations have been built.
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
We live in a society that places a high value on individuality, personal choice, and the inherent superiority of natural traits.
Understandably so—these are the cornerstones of liberal democracy and romanticism, the grand narratives upon which many Western nations have been built.
Understandably so—these are the cornerstones of liberal democracy and romanticism, the grand narratives upon which many Western nations have been built.
The myth of learning styles is pervasive across society (and even education). But what exactly makes it so attractive?
One compelling—albeit more theoretical than empirical—argument is that such concepts hold a modern-day ‘moral appeal’.
One compelling—albeit more theoretical than empirical—argument is that such concepts hold a modern-day ‘moral appeal’.
October 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The myth of learning styles is pervasive across society (and even education). But what exactly makes it so attractive?
One compelling—albeit more theoretical than empirical—argument is that such concepts hold a modern-day ‘moral appeal’.
One compelling—albeit more theoretical than empirical—argument is that such concepts hold a modern-day ‘moral appeal’.
SUMMARY
• The idea that we should tailor our teaching to student learning preferences is unhelpful.
• A better (yet still related) maxim is to focus instead on the best medium for the message.
• Students with SEND stand to gain the most from evidence informed approaches.
👊
• The idea that we should tailor our teaching to student learning preferences is unhelpful.
• A better (yet still related) maxim is to focus instead on the best medium for the message.
• Students with SEND stand to gain the most from evidence informed approaches.
👊
October 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
SUMMARY
• The idea that we should tailor our teaching to student learning preferences is unhelpful.
• A better (yet still related) maxim is to focus instead on the best medium for the message.
• Students with SEND stand to gain the most from evidence informed approaches.
👊
• The idea that we should tailor our teaching to student learning preferences is unhelpful.
• A better (yet still related) maxim is to focus instead on the best medium for the message.
• Students with SEND stand to gain the most from evidence informed approaches.
👊
🎓 For more, check out this review of the evidence around learning styles, from Professor Daniel Willingham:
www.aft.org/ae/summer20...
www.aft.org/ae/summer20...
Ask the Cognitive Scientist: Does Tailoring Instruction to “Learning Styles” Help Students Learn?
www.aft.org
October 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
🎓 For more, check out this review of the evidence around learning styles, from Professor Daniel Willingham:
www.aft.org/ae/summer20...
www.aft.org/ae/summer20...
What about students with SEN (Special Educational Needs)?
Well, SEN is an unhelpfully broad label… but in general (aside from highly specific needs), students with SEN need this approach more than ever...
because they are often less equipped to compensate for wonky teaching.
Well, SEN is an unhelpfully broad label… but in general (aside from highly specific needs), students with SEN need this approach more than ever...
because they are often less equipped to compensate for wonky teaching.
October 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
What about students with SEN (Special Educational Needs)?
Well, SEN is an unhelpfully broad label… but in general (aside from highly specific needs), students with SEN need this approach more than ever...
because they are often less equipped to compensate for wonky teaching.
Well, SEN is an unhelpfully broad label… but in general (aside from highly specific needs), students with SEN need this approach more than ever...
because they are often less equipped to compensate for wonky teaching.