Posts tagged 2025
Explicit teaching’s ‘robotic’ tag cast aside as new podcast showcases great practice
Explicit teaching’s ‘robotic’ tag cast aside as new podcast showcases great practice

Australian Teacher Magazine, April 22, 2025, By Sarah Duggan

A new podcast that is aiming to blow apart the misconception that explicit teaching is robotic and inflexible is set to hand teachers a ‘front row seat’ to some of the best classrooms in the world.

Launched by prominent NSW school leader Rebecca Birch and LaTrobe University senior lecturer Dr Nathaniel Swain, ‘Chalk Dust‘ will zero in on footage taken from real classrooms to unpack the seemingly subtle but highly impactful ways in which teachers are applying the science of learning.

Read More
MagazineNathaniel SwainEducationHQ, Teacher Magazine, 2025Comment
Study tips to combat the 'forgetting curve'
Study tips to combat the 'forgetting curve'

School Shorts, Season 1, Episode 7, April 7, 2025, with Melissa Chan Green

The Forgetting Curve is a useful tool in understanding how best to try and remember all the learning that goes on at school - or anywhere for that matter!

Nathaniel Swain is a teacher, researcher and coach of great techniques to help children learn. In this episode he shares the importance of regular review instead of cramming for exams.

The discussion also touches on strategies for supporting young learners, the role of cultural context in education, and the need for personalised learning approaches. This episode will be useful for people of all ages who want to remember things!

Read More
Media, Magazine, RadioNathaniel Swain2025, Radio, listenComment
Dr Swain and the Brain
Dr Swain and the Brain

The Community Connection Podcast, February 6, 2025, with Nathaniel Provencio and co-host Dr. Eric Worcester

In this episode of The Community Connection, we sit down with Dr. Nathaniel Swain, author of Harnessing the Science of Learning: Success Stories to Help Kickstart Your School Improvement. Dr. Swain, a leading expert in learning sciences, shares insights on bridging research and practice to enhance teaching and student outcomes. We explore key strategies from his book, real-world success stories, and how educators can apply cognitive science to transform their classrooms. Don’t miss this engaging conversation on the power of evidence-based teaching!

Read More
Media, Magazine, PodcastNathaniel Swainlisten, science of learning, podcast, 2025Comment
How to Guarantee you are using a Deep Knowledge Curriculum
How to Guarantee you are using a Deep Knowledge Curriculum

Have a Life Teaching Podcast, February 4, 2025, with John Schembari

In some schools, curriculum is prescribed. In other places, teachers put together their own learning materials.

In either case, how do we know that what we are providing students, in terms of materials and content, will promote learning acquisition, extend thinking, and foster creativity? How do we know that it aligns with the science of learning?

In this episode, my guest Nathanial Swain, professor of teaching at La Trobe University and author of the book "Harnassing the Science of Learning", discuss the elements that should be in any knowledge rich curriculum.

Read More
Media, PodcastNathaniel Swainlisten, science of learning, podcast, 2025Comment
Beautiful ‘TeacherTok’ classrooms might hinder learning: researcher
Beautiful ‘TeacherTok’ classrooms might hinder learning: researcher

Australian Teacher Magazine, February 3, 2025, By Sarah Duggan

TikTok is fuelling a certain type of classroom aesthetic which may not be conducive to learning, one researcher has warned…

La Trobe University's Dr Nathaniel Swain has previously argued that the focus should be on scaling back what’s in classrooms. The less visual ‘noise’ and distraction, the better, he's said.

Read More
MagazineNathaniel SwainEducationHQ, Teacher Magazine, 2025, whole class, explicitComment
Whole class explicit teaching the best start for all learners: expert
Whole class explicit teaching the best start for all learners: expert

Australian Teacher Magazine, July 2, 2024, By Sarah Duggan

Whole class teaching has been wrongly deemed an out-of-date and exclusionary instructional approach, but in reality it facilitates equity in the classroom and is more effective than differentiation when done well, one expert says.

According to former primary teacher Dr Nathaniel Swain, now a senior lecturer in learning sciences at La Trobe University, too many Australian teachers do not draw upon responsive and adaptive whole class teaching as a means of catering to classes with diverse learning needs. 

Read More
MagazineNathaniel SwainEducationHQ, Teacher Magazine, 2025, whole class, explicitComment
NAPLAN starts this week. Here’s what the changes mean for students and parents
NAPLAN starts this week. Here’s what the changes mean for students and parents

The Age, March 13, 2023, by Lucy Carroll and Adam Carey

In 2023, NAPLAN was moved from May to March, shifted entirely online, and introduced new proficiency standards to provide earlier insights into student learning. These changes raised concerns about student stress and equity. While not commenting directly on NAPLAN, Dr. Nathaniel Swain advocates for evidence-based teaching and a knowledge-rich curriculum, aligning with the goal of using assessments to better support learning.

Read More
Media, Magazine, RadioNathaniel Swain2025, Radio, listenComment