We all want our students to achieve deep, lasting understanding. But what does that journey actually look like? And how can we use technology to guide them, not just distract them?

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The TCEA Mastery Series on “Visible Learning with Ed Tech” lays out a clear, three-phase roadmap based on extensive research:

Phase 1: Surface Learning – Building the Foundation This is where learning begins. It’s about acquiring new knowledge and essential vocabulary. But “surface” doesn’t mean “shallow.” This phase is critical, and using high-impact strategies here is key.

• Featured Strategy: The Jigsaw Method (Effect Size: 0.92).
• Tech Integration: Use collaborative digital whiteboards or Google Docs to have “expert” groups compile their findings before teaching their home groups.

Phase 2: Deep Learning – Making the Connections Here, students move beyond isolated facts to understand the relationships between them. They compare, contrast, and explain. This is where true comprehension is built.

• Featured Strategy: Concept Mapping (Effect Size: 0.66).
• Tech Integration: Use free tools like Diagrams.net for students to create visual maps of their understanding, drawing explicit links between concepts.

Phase 3: Transfer Learning – Applying Knowledge This is the ultimate goal: can students take what they’ve learned and apply it to a new, novel situation? This is where learning becomes a real-world skill.

• Featured Strategy: Problem-Solving Teaching (Effect Size: 0.61).
• Tech Integration: Use AI to generate authentic, complex problems for students to solve, or use simulation tools like Minecraft to have them design and test solutions.

By intentionally designing instruction that guides students through all three phases—and using technology to amplify the strategies at each stage—we can create powerful learning experiences that stick. This series shows you how.

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