Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

• The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge (2007)

Doidge is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst whose book discusses neuroplasticity—the brain’s mutable quality. The book garnered mixed reviews from professional reviewers because of its assertions about neuropsychology in the realm of psychoanalysis.

• Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer (2011)

Foer is a competitive memory athlete discussed in Chapter 7 of Make It Stick. His New York Times Best Seller is a recount of his personal journey with memory improvement.

• Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (2011)

Kahneman is a psychologist whose Nobel Prize-winning book outlines two thought systems, System 1 and System 2 (Make It Stick covers some of this material in Chapter 5). System 1 is an immediate, emotion-driven response to input; it is reflexive and does not require conscious or active thought. System 2 employs logic and reasoning drawn from previous experiences.

• When Can You Trust the Experts?: How to Tell Good Science from Bad in Education by Daniel T. Willingham (2012)

This book directly addresses educational policy and practice. While teachers and administrators are continually confronted with “cutting-edge” educational tools and technology, the science backing producers’ assertions is often difficult to access and understand.