Special Event - Achieving Academic Success With the Science of Learning

Join award winning professor Dr. Joe Kim from the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour as he discusses how the science of learning can help students of all ages enhance their performance.

What can students do to achieve academic success? According to the science of learning there are some key strategies that can help students form better study habits, create efficient long term learning, and become more organized through improved time management skills.

Dr. Joe Kim will discuss the following interesting facts:
- Why using pretty highlighters to underline text is actually a poor form of studying
- Why cramming provides adequate short term results but extremely poor long term learning
- Why creating to-do lists is very beneficial
- Why exercise breaks during study sessions are important
- Why a daily planner can be a student’s best friend

This special presentation is meant for anyone with an interest in applied cognition, especially teachers, parents and students. While high school students will gain valuable knowledge from this talk in preparation for university or college, students of all ages, from middle schoolers to mature students, will benefit since a student is never too young (or old) to learn how to learn better.

Joe Kim is an Associate Professor in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University and is actively involved in the scholarship of teaching and learning. He co-ordinates the innovative McMaster Introductory Psychology program which combines traditional lectures with interactive on-line resources and small group tutorials. The program has been prominently featured in Maclean’s, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and numerous education media outlets.

He directs the Applied Cognition in Education Lab which aims to understand how cognitive principles such as attention, memory and learning can be applied to develop evidence-based interventions in education and training. The lab uses a variety of tools including cognitive and behavioural testing, eye-tracking and EEG. Current research interests include: retrieval practice, interleaving, mind wandering, and exercise-learning interactions. He also organizes the annual McMaster Symposium on Education & Cognition which brings together cognitive scientists, educators and policy makers to explore how cognitive science can be applied to educational policy and instructional design.

Follow him on twitter @ProfJoeKim