Unmasking instructional illusions with Paul Kirschner, Carl Hendrick and Jim Heal (Ep 56)

In this episode, Anna Stokke welcomes three leading experts in education, Dr. Paul Kirschner, Dr. Carl Hendrick, and Dr. Jim Heal for a fascinating discussion about their new book, Instructional Illusions. Drawing on decades of experience and research, they explore key ideas from the book, including how to bridge the gap between educational research and classroom practice. Together, they discuss the science of learning, evidence-informed teaching, and how educators can apply research insights to improve instruction. This engaging conversation is a must-listen for anyone passionate about effective teaching and student learning.

Register for the Masterclass: Evidence-informed Mathematics Teaching, La Trobe School of Education

Read the book, Instructional Illusions, here: https://tinyurl.com/instructional-illusions

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00:22] Introductions

[00:05:15] What are Instructional Illusions?

[00:07:30] The difference between illusions and myths

[00:11:13] The discovery illusion

[00:12:50] Why do people believe in discovery learning?

[00:19:50] The curse of knowledge

[00:24:29] The innovation illusion

[00:30:01] Unmasking the innovation illusion

[00:32:59] The expertise Illusion

[00:38:04] The Dunning-Kruger effect

[00:43:48] Unmasking the expertise illusion

[00:47:50] The uniqueness illusion

[00:50:52] The engagement illusion

[00:57:10] Shifting the focus to cognitive engagement

[01:01:28] The student-centred illusion

[01:05:00] Unmasking the student-centred illusion

[01:06:23] Is the science of learning a fad?

RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES

Evidence Based Teaching Strategies with Paul Kirschner https://chalkandtalkpodcast.podbean.com/e/ep2-evidence-based-teaching-strategies-with-paul-kirschner/

Mindsets and Misconceptions with Carl Hendrick

https://chalkandtalkpodcast.podbean.com/e/ep-22-mindsets-and-misconceptions-with-carl-hendrick/

EPISODE RESOURCES

Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Teaching: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15326985ep4102_1

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/transcripts/ep-56-transcript

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it Website: www.annastokke.com X: @rastokke LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anna-stokke-3a1b4c Bluesky: @rastokke.bsky.social