School Talk: UAE
Welcome to "School Talk: UAE," your go-to podcast for all things education in the United Arab Emirates.
Join us as we sit down with teachers, experts, and parents to explore schools across the UAE.
Each episode provides valuable insights and perspectives from those directly involved in shaping the educational experience.
Whether you're a parent, an educator, or simply curious about the state of education in the UAE, "School Talk: UAE" is your window into the dynamic world of learning in this region.
School Talk: UAE
ResearchEd Dubai: Turning Cognitive Science Into Classroom Practice
What if teaching was as evidence-based as medicine? This question sits at the heart of ResearchEd, a movement transforming education by bridging the gap between cognitive science research and classroom practice. In this illuminating conversation with Sarah Warncken (Secondary Vice Principal) and Ben Cooper (Primary Principal), we dive deep into how neuroscience is revolutionizing teaching and learning.
Our guests share their excitement about recently hosting ResearchEd Dubai, which brought together over 400 educators from diverse backgrounds to explore research-informed teaching practices. They explain how the movement, founded by Tom Bennett, focuses on sharing what actually works in education, debunking ineffective practices, and empowering teachers with practical, research-backed strategies.
A fascinating thread throughout our discussion is what the guests call the "knowing-doing gap" – understanding scientifically how students learn is one thing, but implementing those insights effectively in busy classrooms is another challenge entirely. We unpack how traditional professional development often fails because it lacks deliberate practice, comparing this to how other professions train their practitioners. As Ben notes, "Doctors practice on oranges before operating on patients, but teachers rarely rehearse their techniques before teaching students."
Perhaps most provocatively, we explore how teaching might reclaim its professional status through evidence-based practice rather than ever-changing trends. "Every other profession is based on research," Sarah points out. "Policing training is based on research of how to police, based on best practice." The same should be true for education.
The conversation also highlights the extraordinary impact of early years education, parent partnerships, and the importance of understanding that while students may seem different, the cognitive science of how we all learn remains remarkably similar across ages and cultures.
Whether you're a classroom teacher seeking practical strategies, a school leader looking to improve professional development, or simply someone interested in the science of learning, this episode offers invaluable insights into creating more effective education systems. Subscribe now and join us in exploring how cognitive science is transforming teaching one classroom at a time.