Conceptually Speaking
Conceptually Speaking is a show about exploring the cognitive processes and social practices that help us make sense of our world. As as teacher-scholar interested in the intersection of educational theory, practice, and scholarship, I host conversations with guests ranging from practicing educators to neuroscientists and literary scholars to YouTube video essayists. Each episode shares a common purpose: to consider, critique, and reconceptualize what we think and feel about education. If you enjoy the show and want to learn more, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, find me on Substack, and check out trevoraleo.com for more information, resources, and details on professional learning.
Conceptually Speaking
Matt Slocombe Talks Analogical Reasoning, Conceptual Change, and Transfer
According to cognitive linguist and philosopher George Lakoff, “The essence of metaphor is understanding and experiencing one kind of thing in terms of another.” And that is what today’s episode is all about. On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Matthew Slocombe, a secondary school teacher specializing in educational design and technology and a doctoral student and researcher at the Center for Educational Neuroscience. Matt’s research interests relate to the development of children’s reasoning and the role of conceptual change and transfer in analogical reasoning. Matt and I connected during the early days of COVID while I was working on Learning that Transfers with Julie, Krista, and Kayla and he put us on to some fantastic research into the role of analogical reasoning in conceptual change and learning transfer. And, much to my joy, he helped us realize analogies are so much more than fanciful things used by poets: they are the essence of how we make meaning. So, get ready to accommodate and assimilate some new knowledge into your pre-existing schema and let’s begin.
Center for Educational Neuroscience
Analogical Minds YouTube Channel