October 23, 2024

Short on time? Get started in an hour or less

October 23, 2024/ Pooja K. Agarwal

If you’re new to the science of learning, including research-based teaching strategies like retrieval practice, spacing, and interleaving, it might feel like there’s a buffet of resources with too many options. Here are links to get you started in an hour or less.

October 16, 2024

Practical tips and class activities to reduce student test anxiety

October 16, 2024/ Pooja K. Agarwal

How can we support students during exam time and reduce test anxiety? Learn more about my research on student test anxiety and get quick lesson ideas to reduce anxiety with retrieval practice. It might sound counterintuitive, but the more students practice retrieval, the more comfortable they become with high-stakes tests.

July 25, 2024

Re-designing a course? Get creative with these reflection questions

July 25, 2024/ Pooja K. Agarwal

It’s easy to reflect on what went well and what didn’t go well in a course you taught recently. Engage in deeper reflection about how to re-design your course to transform it into a rewarding learning experience for you and your students.

April 29, 2024

Switch from reviewing to retrieving in 5 minutes or less

April 29, 2024/ Pooja K. Agarwal

It’s exam time. Here’s how to switch your review sessions to *retrieve* sessions with a 5-minute brain dump. Reduce anxiety, increase confidence, improve metacognition, and boost students’ memory for course material beyond their final exam.

January 15, 2024

Worried about AI? Here are 8 flexible prompts for retrieval practice

January 15, 2024/ Pooja K. Agarwal

Retrieval practice doesn’t require more class prep for us or ChatGPT for our students. Here are 8 no-prep prompts for retrieval practice I’ve developed over my 10+ years of teaching. I’ve also included a variety of new resources I highly recommend.

October 23, 2023

Here's how to request mid-semester feedback that's refreshingly helpful

October 23, 2023/ Pooja K. Agarwal

Here is a Google Form template you can use to request mid-semester feedback from students. By using the “start, stop, keep” approach as a reflection tool, combined with some simple retrieval practice, you can shift the vibe away from complaints and dislikes, and instead, toward celebrating students’ learning and accomplishments.