Pooja K. Agarwal's Avatar

Pooja K. Agarwal

@retrievelearn

I make teaching and learning memorable. She/her, Ph.D., cognitive scientist, associate professor, author of Powerful Teaching and Smart Teaching Stronger Learning Newsletter: retrievalpractice.org/subscribe Follow me: linktr.ee/retrievelearn

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11.06.2023
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Latest posts by Pooja K. Agarwal @retrievelearn

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Professional Development Here are five free resources to create your own professional development – created by cognitive scientists, all free, here to make your life easier.

Professional development needs to be rewarding and memorable. Learn how to create your own long-lasting PD and find out more about my virtual and in-person workshops.

09.03.2026 14:41 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Download Our Free Resources In our 100+ free resources written by cognitive scientists, we condense research on teaching strategies, why they enhance learning, and how to implement them in the classroom.

I love free teaching resources (and I bet you do, too). I have more than 100 free downloads on my website. Download it all from my Google Drive!

02.03.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Five reading challenges to learn about the science of learning Nerd alert: Here are our five reading challenges to learn about the science of learning. Read a book, a free download, recommended research articles, or all 100+ resources at retrievalpractice.org!

Here are five reading challenges to learn about the science of learning. Read a book, a free download, recommended research articles, or all 100+ resources on my website!

23.02.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Practical tips to reduce student test anxiety Learn more about research on student test anxiety and get quick lesson ideas to reduce anxiety with retrieval practice. The more students practice retrieval, the more comfortable they become with high-stakes...

Did you know that retrieval practice reduces student test anxiety? Learn more about my research and get some quick lesson ideas

16.02.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Short on time? Get started in an hour or less If you’re new to the science of learning, including research-based teaching strategies like retrieval practice, spacing, and interleaving, it might feel like there’s a buffet of resources with too...

If you’re new to the science of learning, it might feel like a delicious buffet with too many options. Here's how to get started in an hour or less.

09.02.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Brain Dump: A small strategy with a big impact With the end of the semester within sight, we feature a small strategy that makes a big impact on student learning – based on decades of cognitive science research . In scientific lingo, we call it...

Are you and your students tired of cramming information, only to forget it later? There's a better way: brain dumps, the secret to long-lasting learning.

02.02.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Had a blast sharing how I teach and research from the science of learning with 50+ educators around the world during my free Zoom Party!

What's one word that comes to mind when you think about learning?

Subscribe at retrievalpractice.org/subscribe to access the registration link for February

26.01.2026 22:36 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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Smart Teaching Stronger Learning In the book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning, 10 renowned cognitive scientists share innovative teaching strategies that strengthen student success. Written for busy educators and leaders in K–12, higher...

One thing I love about my book, Smart Teaching Stronger Learning: It's short! 10 chapters, only 10 pages each. I hope you'll check it out and download free resources!

26.01.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Details for the SLAM summer fellows program

Details for the SLAM summer fellows program

🚨 πŸ“£ Summer Fellows Program Call for undergraduates interested in education research: What are the barriers to effective learning in college? How can we support motivated learning?

For more details, visit: sites.edb.utexas.edu/slam/fellows/

#cogscisky #edusky #academicsky #psychscisky

20.01.2026 22:07 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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No time to prep? Use a brain dump (not a movie) If you're behind on prep, you might revisit a past lesson or play a movie (sad, but true). If you need a lesson fast, use a brain dump. It can be stretched into a 30-minute activity and students actually...

If you need a lesson fast, use a brain dump. It takes little to no prep and students actually learn β€” no filler movie needed.

19.01.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Terrell R. Morton, Whitney N. McCoy, & ReAnna S. Roby Dr. Terrell R. Morton, Dr. Whitney N. McCoy, & Dr. ReAnna S. Roby join podcast host Dr. Jeff Greene to discuss their recent Educational Psychologist article, "Black girl embodied motivation: A critica

Many of educational psychology's foundational theories were developed with homogeneous samples. What would a model of motivation look like if it was built specifically for Black girls? Find out in this podcast - available on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify! #PsychSciSky #AcademicSky #EduSky

07.01.2026 15:00 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I wrote this guide to engaging teaching a few years ago but we spruce it up now and then - this edition has updated links to work of @sarahesilverman.bsky.social @drtolunoah.bsky.social & others and addressed what I felt was some ableist advice from 2019-Sarah!

We, and the field, evolve.

13.01.2026 14:27 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Two red flags to watch out for at conferences There are two red flags I always watch out for at conferences, and you should, too: Outdated citations and neuromyths . Replace cringeworthy citations with my list of recent research and get tips on how...

Going to a conference soon? Watch out for these two red flags: outdated citations and neuromyths. Don't fall for it!

12.01.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Start these 3 classroom habits ASAP! Here are 3 learning habits to establish in your classroom ASAP and tons of retrieval practice activities you should incorporate right now. Don’t wait until later in the semester β€” students already...

Want to unlock your students' full potential? It starts with daily habits in the classroom. Discover simple yet powerful strategies to help your students learn more, retain better, and succeed beyond the test.

05.01.2026 15:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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D5 of #DitchSummit - Can I just say how much I ❀️retrieval & how much it's already part of my classroom?! In a cool circle of events, I originally learned about RP on DS from @retrievelearn.bsky.social & @patricebain.bsky.social ,who even gave me a pg in her book! Thank U to Dr. Blunt for more ideas!

28.12.2025 16:40 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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It's #DitchSummit Day 5! Today @ditchthattextbook.com talks to Dr Janell Blunt about Cognitive Science and Memory Strategies for the Classroom.

β€ͺ#sketchnote #sketchnoting‬

19.12.2025 14:09 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Learn more about how to use #retrievalpractice with white boards from my BFF teacher and cognitive scientist Dr. Janell Blunt at #DitchSummit @ditchthattextbook.com! Sign up at ditchsummit.com to access her video and hundreds more

19.12.2025 17:31 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit A free, online conference for teachers. Sessions on technology, pedagogy and more. Offered annually in December. Hosted by DitchThatTextbook.com.

I HIGHLY recommend signing up for Ditch Summit. It's a collection of free self-paced online videos. I've gotten some of my best teaching ideas from it. Whether you're in K–12 or higher ed, Ditch Summit is truly my PD highlight of the year. ditchsummit.com #ditchsummit #edusky #academicsky

05.12.2025 18:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I am proud that my colleague and friend Dr. Janell Blunt is a featured speaker at @ditchthattextbook.com's Ditch Summit this year! I'm so glad that Dr. Blunt will be representing our network of cognitive scientists who are teachers. ditchsummit.com #ditchsummit #edusky #academicsky

05.12.2025 18:37 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Are you going to the Learning & the Brain Conference in Boston this week? Get a FREE copy of Powerful Teaching! Meet me on Saturday, Nov 15 from 12-2pm in the Westin Hotel lobby. Bring a copy of my new book Smart Teaching (available at the conference bookstore) to receive Powerful Teaching πŸ˜„ #EduSky

11.11.2025 14:08 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Do your students use concept maps? They might be missing this key link If your students use concept mapping strategies, there might be something missing. Based on research by educator and scientist Dr. Kripa Sundar , the key to an effective concept map isn’t the node, ...

If your students use concept mapping strategies, there might be something missing. Based on research by educator and scientist Dr. Kripa Sundar, the key to an effective concept map isn’t the node, but the links. www.retrievalpractice.org/strategies/c... #EduSky #AcademicSky

07.11.2025 19:09 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Did you know that I host FREE Zooms exclusively for my newsletter subscribers, with teaching tips based on the science of learning and my own research?

I'm hosting a free Zoom this Friday, October 24. Sign up at retrievalpractice.org/subscribe ASAP to receive the Zoom link! #EduSky #AcademicSky

20.10.2025 13:45 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Trying to cement another best practice into my repertoire this year. Ss said these were tough, which was my goal. They were shocked when I explained that hard Qs are actually better for retrieval! @retrievelearn.bsky.social #langchat

16.10.2025 17:45 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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The most common question I get asked about retrieval practice (and the answer) What is the optimal timing for retrieval practice? The answerβ€”from the world’s expert on spaced retrieval practice, Dr. Shana Carpenterβ€”may surprise you. Learn about spacing (aka spaced repetition), D...

NEW! When should you give students retrieval practice: before, during, or after a lesson? Learn the answer from cognitive scientist, teacher, and the world's expert on spaced retrieval practice, Dr. Shana Carpenter #EduSky #AcademicSky

www.retrievalpractice.org/strategies/o...

16.10.2025 11:41 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Smart Teaching Stronger Learning In the book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning, 10 renowned cognitive scientists share innovative teaching strategies that strengthen student success. Written for busy educators and leaders in K–12, hig...

Thanks so much for sharing our teaching tips and book, Jenn! We really appreciate you and all you do for teachers.

For folks interested in more tips from our book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning, we have free downloads and resources at retrievalpractice.org/smart-teaching

14.10.2025 23:28 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Concept maps: simple but powerful learning tools. On the podcast this week, Dr. Kripa Sundar shares practices for making the most of them. Also joining us is Dr. Pooja Agarwal (@retrievelearn.bsky.social), editor of the book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning. www.cultofpedagogy.com/concept-maps/

13.10.2025 17:30 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 4
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Retrieval Practice: The Most Powerful Learning Strategy You're Not Using | Cult of Pedagogy Nothing cements long-term learning as powerfully as retrieval practice. Learn how to incorporate it into your classroom.

Are your students really learning or just memorizing for the test? It's time to rethink our teaching methods and embrace retrieval practice. Learn more about learning in this engaging podcast episode from the Cult of Pedagogy.

13.10.2025 14:41 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Subscribe Subscribe and receive our email updates with research, teaching tips, and free downloads – all by cognitive scientists.

And I'm hosting a FREE subscriber-only Zoom Party on Friday, October 24. Not a newsletter subscriber? Sign up at retrievalpractice.org/subscribe and comment on this post with Smart Teaching for a DM with the Zoom link. #EduSky #AcademicSky

08.10.2025 00:10 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Smart Teaching Stronger Learning: Practical Tips From 10 Cognitive Scientists Smart Teaching Stronger Learning: Practical Tips From 10 Cognitive Scientists [Agarwal, Pooja K.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Smart Teaching Stronger Learning: Practical Tips From 10 Cognitive Scientists

It’s my birthday on Thursday! I’m donating 100% of proceeds from my book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning to charity through October 9 at 11:59pm ET. amzn.to/4hETucQ

Proceeds go to @vintagepetrescue.bsky.social @sparksociety.bsky.social and FriendshipWorks (fw4elders.org)

#EduSky #AcademicSky

08.10.2025 00:10 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Use a trivia question to introduce students to retrieval practice How can you get students and teachers on board with retrieval practice? Start and end your class or professional development with a trivia question . It’s a quick, fun, and memorable.

Not sure how to get students on board with retrieval practice? Get their attention and and reduce anxiety with a trivia question!

06.10.2025 14:41 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0