Javier

The cognitive science of storytelling We remember stories better than bullets. But are characters and drama really needed to learn better? A guide to storytelling in education that keeps the focus on outcomes.

This is an excerpt from my latest article on storytelling. If you're interested, take a look and consider subscribing to my newsletter: it's free!

kognitivo.net/p/storytelling

Quote by Javier Santana saying Homer describes in unexpected detail how Aeneas’ spear cuts through Achilles’ shield’s many layers of metal (cuts through bronze, stops at a layer of gold). For centuries, scholars assumed Homer provided a technical description of shield construction. More recent scholarship shows the design would make the shield useless

Not all storytelling is focused on learning.

Take the Iliad:

A practical guide to learning anything: how value drives encoding Your brain won’t memorize because you asked nicely. It will when you quietly raise the cost of not knowing. Here’s how to do exactly that, so you can make learning stick on purpose.

More on this topic: www.kognitivo.net/p/encoding

Learning happens when the brain processes information by performing cognitive actions that require understanding of the information (such as summarizing, connecting or grouping information). Learning happens once those actions have been correctly performed, but it is not a distinct action by itself.

Learning is not an action.

You can tell ChatGPT was made by US Americans because it praises every sentence you type, even the dumb ones: “That’s a great question!” Honey, I know it wasn’t, just give me the answer.

If it were made by Germans:
“Can you help me write an email?”
“Nein.”

Where does the AI-calculator analogy truly break down?

With LLMs, skill erosion happens by default unless they're used with intent. Even so-called “higher-order thinking” depends on the skills being eroded, so the idea of “making room” for it falls apart.

www.kognitivo.net/p/ai-calcula...

Refusing to speak it is the best way to never speak it.

I live in Germany, so quite a lot!

Here’s how I became fluent in German in just 3 months:
- I didn’t :’)
- It was more like 5 years!!
- I sounded stupid in German for 4.9 years
- I nearly quit every other month

Real learning is messy. It takes time and effort. Don’t trust marketing claims!

🎉 I'm very happy 🎉 to announce that I’ve started a NEW BLOG! 🥳

It's called ✨KOGNITIVO✨ and it's about the Science of Learning!

My last article is on “Retrieval practice”, one of the best ways to learn according to science.

I’m sure you'll find it interesting!

👉 open.substack.com/pub/kognitiv...

🫶🫶🫶

If you read closely you’ll realize that I never said the opposite: I wrote “you can *also* say”. However, there’s a difference: as opposed to what happens in English or Spanish, where the most idiomatic version is “to have hope”, in those cases I mention the most idiomatic way is a different verb.

😍😍😍🥹

Nurturing hope is such a beautiful collocation, you can also say that in other languages like French and Spanish ☺️

In most languages, "hope" is something you "have", like a possession. But in French you can also "guard" it, like a letter you never send but always carry. In German, you can "draw" it, like water from a deep well. And in Japanese you can "embrace" it, like a baby in your arms. Beautiful, isn’t it?

4) Cuidado con via Garibaldi: puede ser una calle sombría donde te atracarán o una calle encantadora.
5) Elige una persona al azar por la calle. Cuéntale que tomaste un café horrible en Milano (no importa si nunca fuiste) y pregúntale dónde puedes tomarte uno en condiciones. Siempre funciona.

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Guía para visitar cualquier ciudad italiana 🇮🇹

1) Empieza siempre por la Piazza del Duomo.
2) Busca cualquier cosa que se llame Vittorio Emanuele (calle/galería/monumento). Te va a gustar.
3) Mantente alejado de la stazione.

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Recuerdo cuando visité el Mt. Saint-Michel. Qué maravilla 😍

Exactooo 👏

Sí, jejejeje.

😂😂😂 Oye pues no lo será pero Murcia es bien bonita.

Exactoo 🎉🎉🎉

Albacete 😂😂😂😂

No, pero está también en el sur. 😜

¿A que no sabéis qué ciudad italiana es esta? 😌

Berlín

Son una maravilla. Busca en Google Sakura forecast, normalmente es fácil saber cuándo son.

Si quieres ver los sakura tienes que darte prisa

Quiero volver a Tokio 🥹