Human Learning: How We Learn & Why it Matters
summary
Covers evidence-backed tactics: cognitive load theory and working memory 3–4 items (not 7±2), the forgetting curve and the testing effect, plus spaced retrieval with tools like Anki spaced repetition to strengthen recall. Recommends concrete practices that work: worked examples and Parsons problems to scaffold coding, subgoal labeling to improve documentation, reducing split attention (show values inline as IntelliJ does), and concept maps to expose gaps. Claims are tied to experiments and randomized studies rather than vague “learning styles.”
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chapters (17)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:04Defining human learning
- 5:46Memory and knowledge
- 7:28Working memory architecture
- 9:20Building strong connections
- 11:45The forgetting curve
- 13:36Retrieval practice
- 18:05Disfluency and evidence
- 18:55Working memory limits
- 21:24Cognitive load theory
- 23:13Practical instructional design
- 26:41Avoiding extraneous overload
- 30:37Techniques for teaching code
- 33:25Designing better materials
- 37:19Concept maps
- 39:12Debunking learning myths
- 45:00Q&A and conclusion
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