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Tired of rote memorization? Tired of NCLB? Try mindful learning. In this episode I explore psychologist Ellen Langer’s concept of mindful learning. What does it mean to teach and learn in a mindful way? How does this concept differ from what is being encouraged in the new report on the teaching of math called the Foundations of Success? Find out the answers to all these questions in this episode of The Psych Files podcast.
Resources on Mindful Learning
- Here’s an excellent powerpoint presentation on Ellen Langer’s concept of mindful learning (clicking on this link will download a pdf version of the presentation). This presentation was created by Micah Fierstein, Ed.D, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska. Dr. Fierstein has created exercises he calls “practice fields” (safe spaces for students to engage in deeper learning) based on Langer’s work. You can contact him at micah@uaa.alaska.edu for more information on his work with mindful learning.
- Here’s a short article by Ellen Langer in which she discusses mindful learning (a pdf file). This article appeared in Current Directions in Psychological Science.
- Here is Ellen Langer’s homepage at Harvard University.
- The Power of Mindful Learning
- Mindful Learning: 101 Proven Strategies for Student and Teacher Success
- Here’s a nice summary of the main points in Ellen Langer’s book.
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