Cognitive Connections: Elaboration and Learning with Dr. Megan Sumeracki, Mind the Gap, Ep.83 (S4,E20)

On this episode of Mind The Gap, Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are joined by Dr. Megan Sumeracki, co-founder of The Learning Scientists. Megan shares her journey from being an educational psychology professor to co-creating The Learning Scientists, highlighting the motivation and challenges behind making cognitive science research accessible. The discussion delves into the concept of elaboration, exploring how connecting new information to existing knowledge enhances learning. They also touch on memory and aging, addressing how cognitive processes change over time and strategies to mitigate these effects. Megan provides practical suggestions for effective retrieval practices, emphasizing techniques that help students retain and recall information more efficiently. Lastly, they discuss the complexities of translating research into real classroom practices, offering insights on bridging the gap between theory and application to foster evidence-based teaching.

Dr. Megan Sumeracki is a cognitive psychologist specializing in learning and memory. She received her Masters in Experimental Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Purdue University. She is now an Associate Professor at Rhode Island College teaching, advising, writing, and conducting research with students. She co-founded the Learning Scientists in January 2016 and is the author of three educational books, the most recent being The Psychology of Memory. Follow her on X @DrSumeracki

Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specialising in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@teacherhead⁠⁠⁠

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Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,’ a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Follow Emma on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emma_turner75⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/