Should we encourage learners to memorize through repetition—or is rote learning counterproductive? Neuroscience gives us a clear answer: repetition without effort can backfire. The study by Piazza et al. shows that when the brain encounters the same information over and over without variation or challenge, its activity actually decreases. Learning slows down because the brain tunes out what feels too familiar. Real learning requires effort, variation, and spacing ... not endl

Have you ever wondered how many times a learner needs to revisit the same concept before it truly sinks in? According to large-scale research led by Koedinger et al., the sweet spot appears to be seven spaced activations. After about seven opportunities to retrieve or apply the same knowledge, learning tends to plateau. This insight has profound implications for how we plan lessons, review material, and build durable learning habits.

Neuroplasticity is a vague concept and rare studies have been able to capture it in action. Check out this video showing live neuroplasticity.

OK teachers! I hate to break it to you, but the school year is about to start. This doesn’t have to be a dreaded moment. How about you...