Grasp

The Science Transforming How We Learn

By: Sanjay Sarma, Luke Yoquinto

Narrated by: Neil Shah

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

A groundbreaking look at the science of learning: how it works both in the mind and in the classroom, which teaching techniques are most effective, and how schools should (and absolutely should not) use instructional technology. This is an essential resource for teachers, anyone interested in cutting-edge research into learning, and parents considering the educational alternatives available to their children.

As the head of Open Learning at MIT, renowned professor Sanjay Sarma has a daunting job description: to fling open the doors of the MIT experience for the benefit of the wider world. But if you're going to undertake such an ambitious project, you first have to ask: How do we learn? What are the most effective ways of educating? And how can the science of learning transform education to unlock our potential, as individuals and across society?

Grasp takes listeners across multiple frontiers, from fundamental neuroscience to cognitive psychology and beyond, as it explores the future of learning. Some of its findings:

• For educators teaching remotely, online instructional tools have been proven to be a powerful ally when used appropriately — and a dangerous impediment when misapplied.
• By structuring its curriculum to better incorporate cutting-edge learning strategies, one law school in Florida has rocketed to the top of its state in bar exam passage rates.
• Scientists are studying the role of forgetting, exposing it not as a simple failure of memory but a critical weapon in our learning arsenal.
• New developments in neuroimaging are helping us understand how reading works in the brain. It's become possible to identify children who might benefit from specialized dyslexia interventions — before they learn to read.

Along the way, Sarma debunks long-held fallacies (such as the noxious idea of "learning styles"), while equipping listeners with a set of practical tools for absorbing and retaining information across a lifetime. He presents a vision for learning that's more inclusive and democratic — revealing a world bursting with powerful learners, just waiting for the chance they deserve.

Drawing from the author's experience as an educator and the work of researchers and educational innovators at MIT and beyond, Grasp offers scientific and practical insight, promising not just to inform and entertain listeners, but to open their minds.

©2020 Sanjay Sarma and Luke Yoquinto (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Grasp is an absolute pleasure to read.... An important contribution to the literature on learning science and higher education change...Grasp can provide the foundations of what learning-science-informed teaching might look like, with some fantastic real-world examples." (Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed)

"Compelling.... Delightful as well as convincing in its plea that educators place learning over winnowing and access over exclusivity.” (Kirkus)

"A remarkable book, both lively and scholarly. I strongly recommend it for anyone interested in the history of ideas about learning and who is interested in improving teaching and learning." (Henry L. Roediger, III, coauthor of Make it Stick)

Wow! A way to turn learning on its head!

This book walks us through the modern history of learning and why we use modern teaching methods. The author then describes an alternative approach that actually helps students learn at a much deeper level. If you are at all interested in learning and a different model then pick up this audiobook. It will open your mind!

Fantastically Written Treatise on Learning

I loved every minute of this book it was fantastic from start to finish. If you ever want to have a great experience learning about the history of learning where there has been terrible mistakes and learning and how to avoid those going forward as we employ our new tools, this is the book. I highly recommend picking this up if you ever intend to teach anybody anything in the future or be of any consequence at scale as an influencer teacher or luminary. Do yourself a favor and start reading this now.

Informative

This was not what I expected. I anticipated learning new ways to learn. What I received was more of a history lesson on the educational system, how it came about/was developed, key influencers involved in the current system and new system(s), where it's been, and where it going; which is fine. I love learning about the history of many things so this was no different. It just wasn't what I expected.

boring and tough to follow

didn't like it, tough to follow and speaker is difficult to understand. it doesn't flow very well

Just a history of education

It's basically just a history of education. I think there were two interesting paragraphs. Skip it.