How to Organize Your Teaching A practice guide titled Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning was developed by an expert panel convened by the Institute of Education Sciences. It offers a set of seven research-based recommendations. A summary of the research evidence and a level-of-evidence rating are provided for each recommendation. The seven recommendations in the guide have been synthesized to result in the four recommended practices on this website. This Practice Guide is the foundation for all the Doing What Works content on how to organize your teaching.
Multimedia Overview How to Organize Your Teaching
Research in cognitive psychology suggests several ways teachers can organize instruction to improve their students' learning. Use this multimedia overview to learn about research-based strategies to improve students' memory, strengthen problem-solving skills, and build conceptual understanding. (4:41 min)Explore these recommended practices:
- <<Spacing Learning Over Time
Space learning over time with review and quizzing. - <<Examples With Practice
Alternate worked examples with problem-solving practice. - <<Abstract-Concrete Connections
Connect abstract and concrete representations of concepts. - <<Higher-Order Questions
Use higher-order questions to help students build explanations.
Visual Diagram How to Organize Your Teaching: Improving Students' Memory and Understanding
Organizing teaching and learning experiences so that students both remember and understand has a number of facets. Four research-based practices for improving student learning are represented in this visual diagram. The purpose of the diagram is to orient teachers to the topic, provide a visual overview of the practices illustrated on the website, and offer a tool for professional developers.Expert Interview
Key Concepts in Organizing Instruction and Study
Hal Pashler, Ph.D.University of California, San Diego
This interview features Dr. Hal Pashler, chair of the expert panel that produced the Practice Guide, Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning. Dr. Pashler describes how research in cognitive psychology can help us understand and address common problems in teaching and learning. He gives an overview of four research-based practices, discusses how they might be used in schools, and provides implications for professional development. (7:45 min)