Dr Sean Warren, co-author of Living Contradiction: A Teacher’s Examination of Tension and Disruption in Schools, in Classrooms and in Self
The format for each chapter in Test Enhanced Learning is helpfully divided into three segments – the literature, takeaways and a case study to illustrate an application of principles presented. I used this rational order to engage with the material on metacognition as I had enough prior knowledge to navigate the research studies. However, when encountering the chapters I was less familiar with, I accepted the invitation to adapt due to my needs as a learner.
On occasion, I chose to engage with the case studies first, for these got my attention. I recognised the scenarios and readily associated them with teachers’ dilemmas. I attained an appreciation of the principles within the chapter and how they might contribute to a solution within the reality of schools.
I also allowed myself to be creative with the takeaways. Before reading the research studies, I used them as signposts and revisited them at the end. The initial encounter provided me with essential hooks to process the significance of detailed literature. Whereas the case studies offered qualitative terms and phrases such as ‘more’, ‘less’, ’greater’ and ‘improved’, the cited studies complemented with quantitative data. The comprehensive coverage served to reassure me that the author had done the groundwork for the conclusions he had reached.
Kristian has weighed, tasted and sampled the complex ingredients within the subject matter. The format in each chapter affords you the option of digesting the content as either a set menu or a mezze, in accordance with your bespoke needs and appetite.