What is the most important skill students can develop during their time in school?

Learning how to learn.

Over the past several years, there has been significant exploration on the science of learning for K-12 students. This research offers windows into how the brain works, how learning happens throughout our lives, and the ways societies and cultures impact learning. Much of this research, which has happened in academic settings, builds on and resonates with the experiences of practitioners in our network and beyond. This has powerful implications for classroom teaching and learning, the design of learning environments, and educational technologies. 

The more schools become spaces for open conversations about the science of learning, the more opportunity there is for students to understand themselves as learners. When students graduate with awareness and agency about how they learn, they are prepared for a world that will present them with challenges that we haven’t yet solved—and some that we haven’t even anticipated. 

Unfortunately, most educators do not have time to read hundreds of pages of research, surface the best information, and reimagine their practices accordingly. There are also few (though growing) accessible opportunities to learn from other educators who have experienced firsthand the power of learner-centered education. As designers committed to contributing to a world where K-12 educators and learners thrive, we are exploring the following opportunity: 

How might we reduce the hunt for educators seeking high quality research on learning to inform their practice? 

The K12 Lab has developed and is testing design methods that help students (and the rest of us!) learn how to learn. We will be sharing learning science research and practitioner experience with K-12 educators in digestible formats so that they can act on or remix them in their contexts.