10 Things You Should Know About Evidence-Based Teaching (Some Will Surprise You)

[MarisaBluestone]

What if boosting exam scores didn’t require a complete curriculum overhaul, a new certification, or sacrificing weekends to the grading gods? What if the answer was as simple (and yet as complicated) as helping students think about their own learning?

On this episode of The What & Who of EDU, we sat down with Marcy Baughman, VP of Learning Science & Research at Macmillan Learning, to talk about what the data from a 1,400 student study that took place over three semesters says about the benefits of evidence-based teaching (EBT).

Below we share insights from our conversation. But … we’re just scratching the surface here. Be sure to check out the full podcast episode on Apple or Spotify to hear all the details about what was learned.

1. Students performed 5 points better on exams when they routinely used evidence-based digital tools.

No tricks, no gimmicks required here … just good strategy paired with the right support. That 5 point boost came when students consistently used assigned digital resources that aligned with evidence-based practices. 

“I know that seems so simple. But if you think about it, an instructor has to be very mindful in the assignments that they give to their students right? They can't assign students three homework problems or three homework assignments, every class.”

2. Metacognition had the biggest impact, but instructors felt the least confident using it.

Thinking about thinking might sound soft, but it packed the biggest academic punch, especially for underserved students. In the study, instructors were always looking for guidance or advice or resources to help them improve their metacognitive support for students

Baughman hears from instructors, “I get the premise. I understand that I want to support my students in planning and monitoring and evaluating and reflecting on their learning. However, I'm not sure how to incorporate that into my classroom activities in a way that feels deliberate and mindful.”

3. Metacognition helped students manage feelings of being overwhelmed

For students juggling five classes and a job, metacognition provides structure. Metacognitive habits gave overwhelmed students tools to plan, track, and reflect on their learning so that they better managed their semester.

“These courses have like five different discipline areas, they have five different instructors with very different teaching styles. And so students have a very difficult time figuring out the actions and the activities that they need to complete in order to accomplish their goal.”

4. Digital tools performed just as well as live classroom strategies.

Because this was an IRB-approved study, academic achievement was able to be matched with use of resources. Baughman shared that one of her biggest “aha” moments was when she learned that feedback, whether through in class activities like iClicker or an adaptive quiz online after class, were equally effective in improving learning outcomes. The common denominator being, of course, feedback.

“I didn't expect that a digital resource like, for example, a quiz that we call learning curve, which acts as a formative assessment with feedback, was able to have as large of an impact on our student outcomes as an instructor also implementing formative assessment with feedback in the class.”

5. Formative feedback doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective.

Formative assessments with feedback have been around for decades. That may look like a raised hand, a wrong answer or a low-stakes quiz. Because when instructors use those moments to adjust and respond, learning sticks.

“The formative assessment could be something as simple as having students volunteer their responses to a multiple choice item ... and if they got it wrong, digging deeper into why they got it wrong, and then having a conversation about it.”

6. Instructors felt confident about active learning—but students didn’t realize it was happening.

Throughout the study, instructors were making very dedicated choices to incorporating active learning opportunities. But many students didn’t recognize active learning even when they were doing it. That disconnect matters.

“We know that when students feel like they are actively learning when they can recognize it. It feels interesting to them, it feels engaging to them.”

7. Post-COVID, students have anxiety around group work.

That hesitation affects their engagement with collaborative learning, and it’s changing how instructors think about participation. They prefer working independently, quietly, and not partnering with somebody else.

“... the online environment or interaction feels safer or more natural to them. They're students who spend a lot of time on their phone and in social media apps."

But that doesn’t eliminate group work completely, which takes us to the next tip.

8. Digital collaboration lowers anxiety, but still counts as active learning.

Shared docs, polls, chats … it all works. And sometimes, digital space can be more inclusive than face-to-face interaction.

“Offering opportunities for students to contribute or partner in a more digital way seems to remove some of those barriers and anxieties that present themselves with like an actual face-to-face conversation.”

9. Instructors evolved mid-semester, and planned changes for the next one.

Even with just one day of professional development, many instructors made changes mid-stream based on what was working. Others were already thinking about how to redesign for the next term.

“...what they would often tell us is that they felt very much like they were doing trial and error through the course of the first semester. They felt like they were still learning from their mistakes. They were figuring out what worked, and, more importantly, what didn't, and they were already making plans for their next semester to adjust not only their teaching practices, but their curriculum”

10. One habit to try tomorrow? Have students set a goal—and reflect on it.

Baughman shared that goal setting is something instructors should coach their students towards. Post a learning objective, and end class with a quick reflection. This can be done the good old fashioned way or with modern tech like Achieve’s Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys for a more structured approach.

“Students have a very difficult time figuring out the actions and the activities that they need to complete in order to accomplish their goal. And so having somebody remind them that just setting a goal intentionally is very important … I think instructors can be a very powerful positive influence on their students by providing that mentorship.”

So What Did We Learn?

Evidence-based teaching doesn’t have to be complicated—but it does have to be intentional. When instructors use proven strategies and match them with consistent digital support, students win. Especially those who need it most.

🎧 Want the full story and some practical examples?

Listen to the episode: Four Strategies, Five Percent Gains: The Real Impact of Evidence-Based Teaching on Apple Podcasts] or Spotify.