Florencia Ardon

More than anything, I like learning. And I love teaching. I teach about learning, and learn so much in the process. How we learn is a very broad question that is continuously on my mind.

Learning is not just about strategies. That is, it’s not about finding the perfect note-taking technique, or sticking to a habit of reading our notes every day from 6-7 pm. Learning really encompasses all aspects of our lives.

As most other topics, it is important to pay attention to the evidence. There are many ideas that ring true and common sense, but once they are tested, we can see they are only mirages.

There are multiple, well-known “theories” that have been proven to be overblown and have either not enough proof, or are proven to be bogus. For others, there is evidence that they work or there is enough proof-of-principle. However, some of those have been presented in a very rigid way. If the very rigid way doesn’t work for someone, then the principle is abandoned.

When teaching, I try to not overstate or exaggerate the impact of any given technique. I try to stick to the evidence, and encourage my students to look beyond appearances, to search for the actual substance.

My insistence on evaluating the evidence as well as the lived experience is something that comes from my students’ observations, as well as my training as a scientist. My being neurodivergent also has much to do with it: like many neurodivergent people, I hesitate to embellish or exaggerate, and look at the nuances.

While it can come across as pedantic, making sure we change our habits based on what really works can reduce frustration, self-blame, which in turn can lead to lower self-confidence and self-esteem. Paying attention to the evidence can also save us time: the most valuable commodity in college. Spending time perfecting a well-known technique that doesn’t work for you could mean low grades and little learning.

In this website you’ll find information about techniques, theory and strategies that are based in evidence. If there is a very well-known strategy I simply don’t mention, most likely it’s because it lacks sound research and evidence. I will also discuss observations, describing them as such.

That said, you are very welcome to contact me to let me know about new research and your own experiences!