Learning Sciences at Monash
The Learning Sciences team brings together researchers who study the evidence behind effective teaching, learning, and development, including when and how particular approaches work best. Our shared aim is to understand the conditions under which people learn and thrive, and to translate that understanding into practices that make a real difference in classrooms, schools, and beyond. A distinctive focus of our work is the role of teachers’ professional judgement, and how it interplays with research evidence to bring about change that is not only effective but also sustainable and feasible in real classrooms and schools.
Our work spans the breadth of the field. Team members investigate the cognitive foundations of learning, including memory, cognitive load, and how movement and multimedia shape understanding, along with the behavioural science principles that explain how instruction, feedback, and environmental design influence learning. We also explore the motivational, wellbeing, and social-emotional factors that help students and teachers flourish, and the design of instruction and technology that supports high-quality teaching and learning. Another area of expertise is in inclusive education and evidence-based behaviour support, examining how learning environments can be designed so that all learners, including those with disability and additional needs, can participate and succeed. This work extends to the Krongold Clinic Tier 3 Academic Intervention Project, which translates evidence-informed assessment, instruction, and data-based decision making into intensive, individualised literacy support for children with persistent difficulties.
Across these strands, a common thread is our commitment to rigorous evidence and to understanding not just whether an approach works, but for whom, in what contexts, and why.
Learn more about the specific areas of expertise of each team member below.