Background: Coding has become an integral part of STEM education. However, novice learners face difficulties in processing codes within embedded structures (also termed nested structures). This study aimed to investigate the cognitive mechanism underlying the processing of embedded coding structures based on hierarchical complexity theory, which…

Despite the challenges posed by expository instruction materials, including unfamiliar text structure and abstracted and isolated representation of the contents, they constitute a primary means of studying scientific concepts in higher education. Conversely, utilizing narratives to present the to-be-learned content was conjectured to mitigate some…

This paper describes applying a new brain-based instructional approach called "Tailored Instructions and Engineered Delivery using Protocols" (TIED UP) in an engineering classroom. Brain-based strategies leverage our knowledge about the functioning of the human brain to deliver the course information effectively. Although brain-based…

Through research-backed strategies and practical applications, author Julia A. Simms explores self-regulated learning, instructional sequences, and brain-based learning. She examines the development of cognitive and metacognitive skills, working memory, and effective explicit instruction, offering step-by-step guidance for teachers to facilitate…

The computations involved in statistical learning have long been debated. Here, we build on work suggesting that a basic memory process, "chunking," may account for the processing of statistical regularities into larger units. Drawing on methods from the memory literature, we developed a novel paradigm to test statistical learning by…

This paper examines how research in second language acquisition has approached the study of cognitive individual differences in the process and product of L2 writing from a theoretical and empirical perspective, paying special attention to the three empirical studies included in this special issue. The paper is divided into three sections. The…

Cognitive load can be induced by both learning tasks and self-regulated learning (SRL) activities, which compete for limited working memory capacity. However, there is little research on the relationship between cognitive load and SRL. This study explored how cognitive load interplayed with SRL behaviors and their joint effects on task performance…

Math development in children relies on several underlying cognitive functions, including executive functions (EF), working memory (WM), and visual-motor abilities, such as visual-motor integration (VMI). Understanding how these cognitive factors contribute to children's math performance is critical to supporting math learning and long-term math…

Teaching practices that are aligned with how students learn improve educational outcomes for all students. Empirical evidence gained over recent decades has provided important new insights about the learning process common to students across learning contexts. These processes explain why some teaching practices are more effective than others. In…

Spaced and interleaved practices have been identified as effective learning strategies which sometimes are conflated as a single strategy and at other times treated as distinct. Learning sessions in which studying information or practicing problems are spaced in time with rest-from-deliberate-learning periods between sessions generally result in…

When people perceive the world, what they see is based on the physics of light reflecting off surfaces and entering their eyes. Their brain then processes the raw data so that photoreceptor activity becomes perceptual awareness. Most textbooks and chapters on sensation and perception follow this formula, building student understanding of…

The field of cognitive training (CT) has been researched for over a century. However, there is still a debate regarding its ability to produce cognitive improvement, especially in working memory (WM) indices. This meta-analysis examined whether there is an advantage in training gains by comparing the results of two specific WM training approaches,…

E-learning systems, which are used for teaching complex software, can facilitate learning if they provide an appropriate teaching approach that decreases learners' cognitive load in addition to providing practical knowledge. We believe there is lack of cognitively guided educational recommendations on how to effectively and efficiently design such…

Musical instrument training has been linked to improved academic and cognitive abilities in children, but it remains unclear why this occurs. Moreover, access to instrument training is not always feasible, thereby leaving less fortunate children without opportunity to benefit from such training. Although music-based video games may be more…

Parents want to work with their children's teachers to help them succeed in school. "What Brain Research Says about Student Learning" provides parents and teachers the most recent findings in brain research and learning theory in a very approachable way. The reader will see how the child's brain develops, learns, remembers, and creates…