More Than One Approach: Learning Science in Practice

Learning science is becoming increasingly influential in education - but many conversations reduce complex ideas about teaching into overly simplified approaches. This discussion explores what learning science actually means when applied in real classrooms.

Conversations about explicit instruction, inquiry learning and evidence-based practice are often framed as competing approaches, creating the impression that effective teaching can be reduced to a single method or philosophy.

In this episode, Dr Stoo Sepp and Matt Fyfield explore what learning science actually tells us about how students learn, and why applying these ideas meaningfully in classrooms requires nuance, context and professional judgement.

Together, they discuss cognitive psychology, memory, attention and explicit instruction; the tensions surrounding current education debates; and why effective teaching often relies less on choosing one approach over another, and more on understanding when and how different strategies best support learning.

(00:00) What Learning Science Actually Means
(04:08) Why Learning Science Matters Now
(07:46) Explicit Instruction and Inquiry Learning
(12:14) What Learning Science Looks Like in Schools
(15:49) Memory, Attention and Cognitive Load
(17:43) Professional Judgement in the Classroom
(21:38) How Students Respond to Learning Science Approaches
(25:10) Translating Theory Into Practice
(31:01) Where Learning Science Gets Oversimplified
(35:00) Supporting More Flexible Teaching Approaches

Special Guests: 

Dr Stoo Sepp
Senior Lecturer, School of Education and Culture
Faculty of Education, Monash University
Specialising in learning science, cognitive psychology and learning design.

Dr Matt Fyfield
Lecturer, School of Education and Culture
Faculty of Education, Monash University
Focused on translating evidence-informed teaching approaches into classroom practice.

Resources:

• Deans for Impact - The Science of Learning

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