Perhaps one of the most enduring debates in the world of teaching is the question of whether teaching is an art or science. 

In recent weeks, not one but two new books have made a strong case for placing a greater emphasis on the science of teaching. 

At the beginning of June, Ross McGill – the founder of Teacher Toolkit and probably the most followed teacher on Twitter – published a book called ‘The Teacher Toolkit Guide to Memory’. 

Then later in June, Paul Kirschner, Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology at the Open University of the Netherlands, published a book called ‘How Teaching Happens’ along with his co-authors Carl Hendrick and Jim Heal. 

So what was the thinking behind these two books, what topics do they cover, how do they cover them, and could these new publications convince new and experienced teachers to think about teaching and learning in a more scientific way? 

To find out the answers to these questions and much more besides, I’m joined today by both Ross McGill and Paul Kirschner. 

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