Chalk & Talk

All Episodes (26)

From new to old

From new to old From old to new

1. 

   1. Cognitive load theory in math class with David Morkunas (Ep 26)

   In Episode 26, math professor Anna Stokke is joined by David Morkunas, who is an Australian teacher and numeracy learning specialist.  Their conversation focusses on practical applications of cognitive load theory and explicit instruction for teaching math. They discuss David’s role in overseeing a primary math program.  He shares strategies for incorporating cognitive science principles into daily math reviews.  They discuss the significance of standard algorithms and explore David’s strategies

   May 03,2024 56:25
2. 

   2. Understanding math reform ideology with Tom Loveless (Ep 25)

   In this episode, math professor Anna Stokke is joined by education policy expert, Dr. Tom Loveless.  They discuss the National Math Advisory Panel and some of the recommendations in from its final report.  They talk about the influential 1989 NCTM standards and their global impact on math education as well as the history of the math wars.Tom discusses some of his concerns about the California Math Framework and whether its recommendations are aligned with those in the National Math Advisory Pane

   Apr 12,2024 01:09:54
3. 

   3. Raising student achievement with Dylan Wiliam (Ep 24)

   In Episode 24, Anna Stokke interviews Dr. Dylan Wiliam, who is an education researcher renowned for his expertise on formative assessment.  They begin by discussing PISA scores and the need to improve math proficiency. They then focus on Dylan's two primary recommendations for raising student achievement – a knowledge-rich curriculum and investing in enhancing teacher effectiveness. They also discuss both formative and summative assessment. Dylan provides some concrete examples for how educators

   Mar 22,2024 01:01:28
4. 

   4. Red flags in education research with Ben Solomon (Ep 23)

   Join math professor, Anna Stokke, for a discussion with Dr. Ben Solomon in the final episode of the first season of Chalk & Talk.  Ben is a psychology professor and a researcher in math assessment and intervention, known for his expertise in research methodology. One of the goals of this episode is to provide teachers, parents, and the wider public with tools for critically evaluating claims in education.  The resource page for this episode describes five red flags to watch for in education rese

   Jan 26,2024 01:08:20
5. 

   5. Mindsets and educational misconceptions with Carl Hendrick (Ep 22)

   Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with author and educator Dr. Carl Hendrick.  They begin by discussing research on growth mindset. Then, they discuss whether motivation is a precursor to academic success or if, in fact, success is more likely to lead to motivation. They talk about whether engagement is a valid measure of learning and whether it's possible to teach generic skills like critical thinking. Anna asks Carl how we might define the science of learning and they discuss t

   Jan 12,2024 59:01
6. 

   6. Ep 21. The right to learn math with Daniel Ansari

   Join math professor, Anna Stokke, as she interviews Dr. Daniel Ansari, who is a Canada Research Chair in developmental cognitive neuroscience.  They discuss the importance of early numeracy skills and his research on symbolic representations. They talk about similarities and differences between math and reading. They also debunk the misconception of gender differences in math.Responding to a question from a teacher, Daniel discusses the role of manipulatives in teaching math. He also discusses d

   Dec 15,2023 57:34
7. 

   7. Ep 20. Reading and math: parallels and pitfalls with Matthew Burns

   Join math professor, Anna Stokke, for a discussion about reading and math with Dr. Matthew Burns.  He is well-known for his research in reading instruction, including research on the effectiveness of the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System.  He has also published research on math interventions.  He gives a brief history of reading instruction and explains how ideas about how to teach reading became pervasive despite lacking scientific evidence.  They then move on to discuss parallels w

   Nov 24,2023 58:18
8. 

   8. Ep 19. The Calculus Project with Adrian Mims

   Join Anna Stokke in conversation with Dr. Adrian Mims.  He is the co-founder and CEO of the Calculus Project, which is a non-profit organization that aims to increase the number of Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and low-income students taking calculus, starting with support in middle school.They discuss why he started The Calculus Project, the various components of the program, and its overall impact.  They talk about what he calls “the quiet crisis,” in reference to declining math scores, and why

   Nov 03,2023 57:24
9. 

   9. Ep 18. Education myth-busting with Daisy Christodoulou

   Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Daisy Christodoulou.  Daisy is a teacher, an author and the Director of Education at No More Marking. They begin by discussing the myth that facts prevent understanding and the importance of content knowledge, with a side discussion on why it is important to memorize math facts.  They discuss why basic knowledge cannot just be outsourced to computers.  They talk about some common myths about exams and whether exams help students learn. Anna

   Oct 13,2023 59:57
10. 

    10. Ep 17. Do timed tests cause math anxiety? with Robin Codding

    In Episode 17, Anna Stokke sits down with Dr. Robin Codding to talk about timed tests and math anxiety.   Robin is a psychology professor who researches math interventions, assessment tools and math anxiety. She is  one of the founding members of the group The Science of Math.  In this episode, Anna asks Robin to shed some light on claims that timed tests cause math anxiety. They discuss the relationship between math achievement and math anxiety, whether it's important to include timed practice

    Sep 22,2023 56:57
11. 

    11. Ep 16. Applying cognitive science to education with Daniel Willingham

    In Episode 16, Anna Stokke talks to cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Willingham. Dan shares some of the strategies in his latest book, "Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy."They begin by addressing the learning styles myth. They discuss what constitutes retrieval practice in a math context and why retrieval practice is more effective than simply reading. They talk about how to help students recognize and solve variations in math problems

    Sep 08,2023 57:34
12. 

    12. Ep 15. Modern relevance in the math curriculum with Brian Conrad

    Join Anna Stokke in discussion with Dr. Brian Conrad, who is a math professor and director of undergraduate studies in math at Stanford. They discuss some modern-day applications of math, and he gives some advice for parents who wonder what type of math their kids should learn to be ready for a four-year college degree in STEM or other quantitative fields. Listeners will receive an update on what happened with the California Math Framework since the two episodes featuring Jelani Nelson (Episodes

    Aug 25,2023 01:01:48
13. 

    13. Ep 14. Stress and learning with Dan Rosen

    Join Anna Stokke in discussion with Dr. Dan Rosen, who is a teacher and school leader.  They explore the impact of stress on learning.  They talk about the biology of stress, the difference between anxiety and stress, and common factors that trigger stress for students in the classroom.They also discuss misconceptions about stress.  For example, stress may actually enhance learning at certain stages of the learning process.  They discuss the claim that timed tests cause math anxiety and talk abo

    Aug 11,2023 54:54
14. 

    14. Ep 13. Powerful teaching with Patrice Bain

    In Episode 13, Anna Stokke discusses teaching with Patrice Bain, who is a co-author of the book Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning.  Patrice was one of the first K-12 teachers to partner with cognitive scientists so that research could be conducted in a classroom setting.  This episode is all about using research-based power tools to transform teaching.  They discuss retrieval practice, spacing, interleaving and metacognition.  Along the way, they give practical teaching tips, wi

    Jul 28,2023 57:49
15. 

    15. Ep 12. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson Part II

    This is the second episode of a two-part series featuring Dr. Jelani Nelson.  He is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley.  Dr. Nelson, and other STEM leaders, have publicly raised concerns about the proposed California Math Framework (CMF).   In this episode, Anna Stokke and Jelani Nelson discuss whether students should have the option of accelerating in math in middle school.  First, Jelani describes how he founded the non-profit AddisCoder

    Jul 09,2023 46:54
16. 

    16. Ep 11. California’s math controversy with Jelani Nelson Part I

    This is the first episode of a two-part series featuring Dr. Jelani Nelson.  He is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley.  Dr. Nelson, and other STEM leaders, have publicly raised concerns about the proposed California Math Framework (CMF).   In this episode, much of the discussion surrounds the CMF’s promotion of data science and changes to math requirements in the University of California system.Anna Stokke and Jelani Nelson discuss what so

    Jul 08,2023 01:11:11
17. 

    17. Ep 10. Maximizing learning through explicit instruction with Zach Groshell

    Join math professor, Anna Stokke, as she chats with Dr. Zach Groshell.  He is an instructional coach and a passionate advocate for evidence-informed teaching.  They discuss whether it’s possible to expand working memory, the characteristics of a successful explicit instruction lesson, effective approaches for delivering feedback and more.  They also tackle a question sent in by a listener who asked whether teaching math through open-ended problems is effective.  This episode will resonate with  

    Jun 29,2023 57:48
18. 

    18. Ep 9. The tweet that roared with Tom Bennett

    Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Tom Bennett.  He is a teacher, author and founder of the grass roots, non-profit organization ResearchED.  Tom has a captivating sense of humour, making this a great listen.  They discuss many things in this episode, such as education research, group work, cell phones in schools and evidence-informed teaching.  But the conversation begins with the story of ResearchED, which has started an evidence revolution in education. It all started with

    Jun 15,2023 01:04:22
19. 

    19. Ep 8. Lessons from around the world with Lucy Crehan

    In this episode math professor, Anna Stokke, interviews Lucy Crehan, who is a teacher and an author.  In her book, Cleverlands, she presents her first-hand observations of the education systems in different countries.They discuss teacher qualifications in Finland and Singapore, teacher professional development in Japan and math lessons in Shanghai. They cover some commonalities in high-performing countries, such as the use of high-quality textbooks, and the role of practice and memorization in E

    Jun 01,2023 52:30
20. 

    20. Ep 7. How to excel in math and other tough subjects with Barbara Oakley

    Join Anna Stokke as she interviews Dr. Barbara Oakley, an engineering professor whose work focusses on the relationship between neuroscience and social behaviour.  She is an expert on learning tough subjects and has written several books for teachers and students that detail science-based techniques for learning. They cover learning techniques such as chunking and deliberate practice.  They explore why being a slower learner may not necessarily be a drawback and consider whether it’s possible to

    May 18,2023 58:57
21. 

    21. Ep 6. Math teaching tips with Barry Garelick and JR Wilson

    In this episode, Anna Stokke is joined by two experienced teachers, Barry Garelick and JR Wilson. They have recently published a book called Traditional Math: an effective strategy that teachers feel guilty using. Throughout the interview, Barry and JR share strategies and practical advice that they have used in their own classrooms with great success.They cover topics that will resonate with teachers, including how to get students excited about math, how to effectively use the “I do, we do, you

    May 04,2023 55:57
22. 

    22. Ep 5. Critical issues in education with Matt Henderson

    Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Matt Henderson, an assistant superintendent of a school division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, challenges with online teaching, and the pervasive use of cell phones and social media. They also discuss the implications of AI, particularly ChatGPT, on education.  The conversation then turns to math teaching, as Matt shares his insights on the challenges facing math teachers and ap

    Apr 20,2023 57:54
23. 

    23. Ep 4. Cognitive load theory with Greg Ashman

    In this episode, math professor Anna Stokke sits down with Dr. Greg Ashman, an Australian teacher, writer and researcher with a wealth of knowledge on cognitive load theory.  Dr. Ashman shares his journey into education writing and research, including some of the challenges he has faced along the way.  He shares some pitfalls of education research studies and discusses what happened when he tried to track down the references for a claim that timed tests cause math anxiety. The conversation also

    Apr 06,2023 01:01:02
24. 

    24. Ep 3. The Science of Math with Amanda VanDerHeyden

    Join math professor Anna Stokke as she interviews Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden, a leading expert in using evidence-based methods to improve math instruction in schools.  Dr. VanDerHeyden is a co-founder of The Science of Math, a group of experts advocating for evidence-based math instruction. Dr. VanDerHeyden shares the origins and goals of the Science of Math movement, as well as addressing common misconceptions. Do timed tests cause math anxiety?  Do standard algorithms hinder understanding?  Is ex

    Mar 25,2023 59:21
25. 

    25. Ep 2. Evidence-based teaching strategies with Paul Kirschner

    Join math professor, Anna Stokke, in conversation with Dr. Paul Kirschner, a renowned  educational psychology researcher and speaker.  This episode will be of interest to anyone involved in teaching, whether they work with children or adults, or simply have an interest in education.Dr. Kirschner explains how we process information in our brains, and how this can be applied to improve teaching practices. He shares insights on effective teaching techniques such as spaced practice, scaffolding, the

    Mar 11,2023 52:20
26. 

    26. Ep 1. Math and the Myth of Ability with John Mighton

    In this episode, math professor Anna Stokke sits down with mathematician and best-selling author John Mighton to discuss his passion for teaching math and his founding of JUMP Math, a charity dedicated to helping children achieve their full potential in mathematics.Mighton shares his insights on the persistent myth that some people are not wired to be good at math and how this false belief has held back many students from realizing their full potential. They discuss the science of learning and t

    Feb 24,2023 49:45