Javier

Fin de la penalización de la homosexualidad en España

El 26 de diciembre de 1978, hace hoy 47 años, se modificó la ley de peligrosidad social del franquismo. Esto marcó el fin de la persecución legal de la homosexualidad en España. 🏳️‍🌈 👏

Desirable difficulties in learning: no pain, no brain Effortless learning isn't learning. Real expertise needs the right kind of struggle: what cognitive scientists call “desirable difficulties.” Learn how to apply them.

Full article 👉 www.kognitivo.net/p/desirable-...

Isn’t learning supposed to be fun?

I’m really proud of my last 4 articles on the Science of Learning: kognitivo.net

The science of learning with videos Videos revolutionized learning but not always for the better. What does the science say? Mayer’s now-classic principles show that true innovation comes from cognitive science, not just flashy media.

👉 Full article: www.kognitivo.net/p/multimedia...

A friend said that learning videos belong to the past. I disagree. What’s your take?

The science of learning with videos Videos revolutionized learning but not always for the better. What does the science say? Mayer’s now-classic principles show that true innovation comes from cognitive science, not just flashy media.

ull article 👉 kognitivo.net/p/multimedia-principles

Learning videos have been around for years and many still overlook what studies show again and again: if a video shows text on the screen plus a voice reading it, your brain checks out.

The science of learning with videos Videos revolutionized learning but not always for the better. What does the science say? Mayer’s now-classic principles show that true innovation comes from cognitive science, not just flashy media.

Videos were once considered the future of learning.
Now, they're the present.

On YouTube, learning videos get 500M views... PER DAY.

But not all learning videos are great. Adding motion and narration doesn't magically improve learning.

So, what makes a great learning video? Find out here:

How do you teach empathy?

Hard skills fill your CV but it's often soft skills that lead to success. Science shows why we learn them differently. Spoiler: language learning is a mix.

www.kognitivo.net/p/hard-skill...

The instructional power of analogies Ever explained something by saying “it’s like…”? Discover why analogies are one of teaching’s most powerful tools and how the right one can make complex ideas unforgettable.

Full article:
👉 kognitivo.net/p/analogies

Is learning a language similar to learning how to play a sport?

The instructional power of analogies Ever explained something by saying “it’s like…”? Discover why analogies are one of teaching’s most powerful tools and how the right one can make complex ideas unforgettable.

The instructional power of analogies

Ever explained something by saying “it’s like…”? Discover why analogies are one of teaching’s most powerful tools and how the right one can make complex ideas unforgettable.

www.kognitivo.net/p/analogies

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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