How does deep learning happen?

Should learning be easy or effortful? What’s the zone of failure and why is it useful for learning? How can teachers design tasks for deep learning? In this episode, Nina talks to Manu Kapur, Professor of Learning Sciences and Higher Education at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. When Manu was a teacher of grade 12 mathematics, he noticed that student understanding was quite shallow, even when explanations were very clear. This inspired him to study why that happens, and what can be done about it. The science shows that deep learning happens “in that zone which is beyond your current skill sets and abilities”, Manu says. Tasks need to be in that zone of failure for students to learn something new. Next Nina hears from primary school teacher Katharine Young who works in Spain. Katherine sees a move away from teachers simply passing on information. “We have to present meaningful learning situations”, she says. Katherine focuses on active, project-based learning, where students learn by doing. Nina also meets Toyin Awofeso from Rwanda DOS International Montessori School in Rwanda. In Montessori classrooms, lots of autonomy is given to the students, but teachers plan for every child. Toyin lets her students figure things out on their own in their projects, leading to aha moments. “Having them discover the concept you are trying to teach them makes the memory everlasting for them”, Toyin says. Join the Teachers' Voices WhatsApp group and read the community guidelines . Guests and resources Manu Kapur: website , book , PDF book chapter , LinkedIn , Instagram Katharine Young: LinkedIn Toyin Awofeso: LinkedIn

You can listen to How does deep learning happen? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

How does deep learning happen? is an episode from Teachers' Voices by BOLD and Nina Alonso.

This episode is 21:46 long.

This episode was published on Apr 14, 2025.

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