Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

According to the authors, “Each of us is an astounding bundle of perceptual and cognitive abilities, coexisting with the seeds of our own undoing” (123). Explain how some of the brain’s functions both support and distort learning (you can revisit Chapter 5 or the myths surrounding massed practice discussed throughout the book, etc.).

What revelations about the science of learning did you find the most surprising or counterintuitive? Discuss 2-3 examples.

The introduction asserts that “This is not a book about how education policy or the school system ought to be reformed. Clearly, though, there are policy implications” (xi). Did the book make you question any of the common learning practices you encounter or employ as a learner in a formal educational setting? If so, what are some promising solutions?