Welcome to the home of Teaching How to Learn.

‘Teaching how to learn: promoting self-regulated learning in STEM classes’ is a project funded by a 2019 Australian Research Council Discovery Grant. The project aims to investigate key factors that influence improvements in teacher capacity and student academic outcomes in STEM subjects. Although the call to create classroom learning environments that increase the interest, activity and control of students over their learning especially in the STEM areas has been around for a long time, research shows little progress. There is a noticeable lack of interest in secondary school science, which is primarily attributed to factors such as lack of student autonomy, the impersonal nature of teacher-student relationships, teaching dominated by transmissive as opposed to activity-based programs, an emphasis on meaningless rules and procedures over ideas and curricula that allow little tailoring to individual student needs. The critical questions are: Can we create sustainable changes in teachers’ practices in STEM and do these changes influence students’ interest, uptake of science and academic performance?

The purpose of the project is to promote student-centred teacher practices in STEM by combining research in STEM learning with research in the area of self-regulated learning (SRL) and ICAP (Interactive, Constructive, Active and Passive) learning. It involves the development and evaluation of professional development designed to help teachers create learning environments that promote student engagement and the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for success in STEM. The project involves a collaboration between Flinders University (Chief Investigators; Professor Stella Vosniadou and Emeritus Professor Michael J. Lawson), the University of Melbourne (Chief Investigator: Professor Lorraine Graham), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt (Partner Investigator: Dr Charlotte Dignath van Ewijk), and Arizona State University (Partner Investigator: Professor Michelene Chi).

It is anticipated that the research will advance our understanding of how to increase the quality of teaching and learning in STEM subjects, and improve teacher capacity and student performance in STEM.

Below you will find a range of links that will support your use of this website.

If you are a project participant or researcher, remember to log in for full access to the interactive features of the site.



  • About the Project

  • Benefit and Impact Statement Page

    Learn more about the Teaching How to Learn project.

  • Project Team Members Page

    Learn more about the people behind the Teaching How to Learn project.

  • PhD Opportunity Page

    Learn more about a PhD scholarship opportunity within our project.

  • Flinders University Research Ethics Approval File

    This project has been approved by Flinders University's Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (SBREC).

  • In-Service Teacher Research

  • If you are a current teacher enrolled in the Teaching How to Learn Professional Learning Program (PLP) study, access the course by doing the following:

    1. Log in to the website using the button at the top right of this screen. Please contact Rob Mason (rob.mason@flinders.edu.au) if you have access issues.
    2. Once you are logged in, scroll down the page and enter the 'In-Service Teacher Research Portal'. If you do not see this link, please contact the research team so that you can be enrolled in the course.

  • Pre-Service Teacher Research

  • ‘Teaching How to Learn’ Program

    Undertaken over a two-week period participants will have to complete about 5 hours of work at home and participate in a 1-hour Collaborative session. 

    The sequence of tasks participants undertake during the Program are listed below.

    • After consent forms have been signed, you will be directed to an online questionnaire and answer two open questions (estimated 15 minutes).
    • Upload a lesson plan to be revised by you at the conclusion of the online program. If you do not have a lessoon plan, one will be provided.
    • Read a document providing information about how to design tasks that promote student cognitive engagement, complete an activity and respond to two open questions (estimated 25 minutes).
    • Watch a presentation (11:27 minutes).
    • Read a document providing information about how to apply the model of cognitive engagement to a lesson plan and respond to two open questions (estimated 25 minutes).
    • Complete a Coding Exemplar (estimated 10 minutes).
    • Participate in one online collaborative discussion. This session will be held on Mondays and Fridays at 10am and 4pm (60 minutes).
    • Watch a presentation (estimated 5 minutes)
    • Watch, code and score two video recorded lesson excerpts on the video transcripts provided (estimated 60 minutes)
    • Upload a revised lesson plan, complete an online questionnaire and answer two open questions (45 minutes).
    The Program will provide you with concrete information about how to design lessons that maximize student learning and cognitive engagement.  It will help you with your courses and your future work as a teacher.

    All participants will be eligible to receive a total of $30 in Gift cards: a $20 eGift card after completion of the two-week program and an additional $10 eGift card for completing a delayed test 2 months later. A Certificate acknowledging participation and aligning the expected learning outcomes with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers will also be issued.

    Read the Information Sheet for further details and register your participation by completing the Consent Form.


  • Open the links below to view the Information Sheet (Flinders University participants) or the Plain Language Statement (MGSE participants). These documents clearly outline a description of the study, what you will be asked to do and the benefits of participating in this research project.

  • If you are a current Pre-service Teacher or Master of Education student enrolled in the Teaching How to Learn Online Program, access the course by doing the following:

    1. Log in to the website using the button at the top right of this screen. Please contact teachinghowtolearn@flinders.edu.au if you have access issues.
    2. Once you are logged in, scroll down the page and enter the 'Pre-service Teachers aand Master of Education Online Program'. If you do not see this link, please contact the research team so that you can be enrolled in the course.
  • Log in URL

    Access your dashboard and professional learning modules (participants only).