Notes from various articles, books and videos concerning the strategies of generative learning.

Generative Learning in Action (2020) by Zoe & Mark Enser

Generative Learning in Action is refreshing after the heavy doses of Rosenshine I’ve been consuming recently. There are two aspects to the GL approach I find particularly engaging: it approaches learning from the learner’s perspective rather than that of the instructor (the “flip-side” that the Ensers repeated point out) plus it’s a constructivist theory which insists that learning is mediated through the prior experiences and knowledge of the learner (it’s great to see Piaget referenced these days!). The theory leans heavily on Mayer’s SOI (select-organise-integrate) model of memory which is presented early in the book. It also draws on Cognitive Load Theory and Rosenshine and claims that the eight strategies dovetail nicely with them. None of the strategies should be anything new to experienced teachers but it is welcome to see child-centred approaches championed in the current educational climate.