Smarter: Lessons from the New Science of Learning

What does cognitive psychology really tell us about how people learn – and why does it matter for both teachers and learners?

This book offers a deep dive into more than half a century of research into learning, examining evidence from psychology and neuroscience to help educators and learners create more effective and efficient methods of teaching and learning.

Drawing on behavioural, social, and cognitive aspects of learning, as well as recent developments in cognitive neuroscience and instructional design, this book offers a clear, accessible, yet critical look at the science of learning, grounded in cognitive psychology and written with educators in mind. It explores how learning happens, what helps it stick, and why it so often goes wrong. It looks at learning in the classroom and into adulthood, highlighting how our ability to learn changes throughout the lifespan.

Full of examples, case studies, and helpful definitions, this book offers a valuable guide to learning for educators working across all phases. It shows that learning is more than remembering, and that context and meaning are crucial for the development of knowledge.

Author Biography

Marc Smith is a chartered psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, freelance writer, and former secondary school teacher. He is the author of The Emotional Learner, Becoming Buoyant, and Psychology in the Classroom (with Jonathan Firth).