Mental Models

Cheery Friday—whenever it shows up in your inbox, from Coursera’s mighty email servers to you!

Greetings from sunny Tokyo! And (drumroll) our Book of the Week is!

Mental Models: How understanding the mind can transform how you work and learn, by Jim Heal & Rebekah Berlin. I had the good fortune to meet Dr. Jim Heal at the researchEd conference in Santiago, Chile a few days ago.  Jim is a rare and intuitive expert at translating deep research into practically-useful “on-the-job” insights—his presentation was so compelling that I immediately found myself digging into his and Rebekah Berlin’s compelling book Mental Models. Ever wondered how to best mentor a gaggle of new interns in learning new skills that you know how to do, but don’t even know how to put into words?  Jim and Rebekah’s book lays it all out, and far, far more: how to help learns create rich, accessible libraries (neural schemas) in their brains; how to make their learning “sticky,” how to structure and sequence ideas for best retention.  Whether you’re a leader, a professional, or an educator of any kind, you’ll find rich resources in this book. Highly recommended.

Fun Isn’t the Benchmark—Learning Is

In her characteristically clear-eyed style, Daisy Christodoulou dismantles the idea that education can—or should—be as “fun” as the latest TikTok trend. The core of her argument isn’t pessimism—it’s precision. Teaching aims at learning, not just attention, and that double aim makes it categorically different from entertainment. As Daisy notes, even the most well-designed learning tools are playing a rigged game: they’re optimizing for both engagement and understanding, while pure entertainment only needs to be addictive. It’s a sober but freeing insight. Instead of chasing the impossible, we can get back to what matters: designing instruction that works—even if it isn’t always fun. Read the whole article.

“Free Speech Is Like Air—You Don’t Miss It Until It’s Gone.”

This week, I joined the brilliant Bonni Stachowiak on the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast for a conversation that reached from Damascus in the 1400s to modern classrooms—and even the basal ganglia.

We talked about:

• Why metaphors are powerful tools for learning
  
• How free speech connects to neuroscience, history, and the classroom
  
• What Ibn Khaldun, narcissism, and the Roman Empire can teach us about intellectual humility
  
• And how we can teach courageously—without shutting down curiosity
  

It’s a conversation about learning, thinking, and teaching with integrity in an age of noise. Bonni is a wonderful guide, and this chat was one of the most memorable I’ve had.

🎧 Listen here: teachinginhighered.com/592

Whether you’re a fellow educator, a lifelong learner, or someone wondering how to foster real dialogue in challenging times—I hope you’ll find something that sticks.

A Hopeful Brain Hack for a More Civil Nation

In my recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, I touched on how our brain’s wiring can reinforce rigid thinking—and how that rigidity shows up in public life. Dr. Donna Chacko picked up the thread in her wonderful new blog post, diving deeper into how we can rewire our brains toward openness, curiosity, and real listening. She offers thoughtful, practical ideas—from mindfulness and meditation to the Enneagram and brave conversations with people who think differently. It’s an encouraging reminder that change starts with each of us. A heartening read for your weekend: We Can Rewire Our Brains and Revive Civility.

Need a Brilliant Nonfiction Editor or Book Coach?

Joanna Ng was my editor for over a decade on some of my favorite and most meaningful books. She’s a deeply insightful, thoughtful partner in the writing process—and she now has a brand-new website up at joannang.com! Joanna helps authors clarify their ideas, shape compelling proposals, and bring manuscripts to life with clarity, warmth, and power. If you’re working on a nonfiction book—or even just thinking about one—Joanna’s exactly the kind of calm, smart, experienced guide you’ll want in your corner. You can reach her at hello@joannang.com.

When David Joyner’s “DAI‑vid” Meets the Future of Teaching

Leave it to David Joyner (our co-instructor in “Teaching Online”) to make cloning yourself look like an act of pedagogical generosity. His new edX course, Foundations of Generative AI, isn’t just another MOOC—it’s an experiment in multiplying expertise. Joyner’s AI avatar, “DAI‑vid,” delivers the lectures, complete with a binary‑coded bracelet so you know when it’s the digital doppelgänger talking. What’s striking isn’t the gimmickry—it’s the principle. As Joyner puts it, AI doesn’t replace talent; it amplifies it. In his hands, it’s less about robots teaching humans and more about brilliant teachers scaling themselves to reach thousands who might never set foot in a Georgia Tech classroom. David’s course is a thoughtful reminder that the real revolution in education doesn’t come from replacing humans with machines—it comes from letting the best of both collaborate.

A Quick Tip About That Free Learning How to Learn Link

A few weeks ago, we shared a link to the full (free!) version of Learning How to Learn. (tinyurl.com/LHTL-free) Some learners who were already enrolled (and could only see Module 1) ran into a hiccup. The workaround?

Go to “My Learning” (under your Coursera profile), unenroll from the course, and then click the free link again—but be sure to select the “audit,” and NOT the “free 7 day trial” option. That should unlock full access [Hat tip Kevin MacTavish.]

Of course, many learners may still want to upgrade for a certificate—it’s a terrific way to showcase your learning on LinkedIn, and a great way to support Coursera’s amazing platform.

That’s all for now. Have a happy week in learning!

Barb Oakley

• Uncommon Sense Teaching—the book and Coursera Specialization!
• Mindshift—the book and MOOC
• Learn Like a Pro—the book and MOOC
• The LHTL recommended text, A Mind for Numbers
• For kids and parents: Learning How to Learn—the book and MOOC. Pro tip—watch the videos and read the book together with your child. Learning how to learn at an early age will change their life!