The Global Connection Series is a brand-new initiative designed to connect educators across the globe. Our mission is to foster a vibrant community where teachers share best practices in education, social-emotional learning, and active learning with Google.
Below is a recap of our very first episode along with a complete recording of the conversation! Be sure to follow along, as a brand-new episode and educator spotlight will be released once a month.
Host: Claudia Fisanotti @CFisanotti
Guest: Stephanie Howell @mrshowell24
Session Name: Learning Science Meets Google
Our inaugural session dove into an evidence-based instructional framework centered on a vital pedagogical shift: moving students from passive listeners to active participants.
🔬 Active Learning Framework
The session explored a research-backed model designed to deepen student understanding and facilitate the transfer of knowledge directly into long-term memory. At the core of this framework are three key pillars:
- Explicit Modeling: Providing clear, guided examples to show students what success looks like.
- Collaborative Work: Creating opportunities for students to build knowledge together.
- Retrieval Practice: Utilizing active recall to strengthen memory and mastery.
🛠️ Implementation Strategies
How do we make student thinking visible? We discussed practical, scalable techniques that thrive in both high-tech and low-tech environments:
- "Think-Alouds": Modeling cognitive processes to demystify complex tasks.
- Purposeful Feedback Cycles: Ensuring students receive timely, actionable guidance.
- Scaffolding: Using tools like sentence stems and checklists to provide essential support for executive functioning.
🤖 The Role of Technology
Modern tools—including AI like Gemini—are powerful allies in this work. We explored how educators can leverage these tools to:
- Differentiate instruction to meet diverse learner needs.
- Identify student misconceptions early, allowing for proactive intervention.
- Generate higher-order questions that spark curiosity and critical thinking.
- Foster a culture of belonging, creating a safe space where students feel encouraged to take risks, fail forward, and share bold ideas.
📚 Useful Resources
- Reading Detective
- Connect with our Guest: Stephanie Howell on LinkedIn
- Connect with the Host of the Day: Claudia Fisanotti on Linkedln
💡 Next Steps for Our Community
We invite you to put these active learning strategies into practice in your upcoming lessons! Whether you are piloting a new feedback cycle or integrating Gemini to differentiate a task, we want to hear about it.
Join the conversation: Post your thoughts, comments, and classroom implementation results in the comments below. Let’s learn and grow together!
To nominate an educator, become one of our hosts, or explore our monthly recap library send a private message to @Sabina_Hussaini!
Stay tuned for our next episode of the Global Connection Series!
This content was created by a human and refined by Gemini.
Recording
