Research and pedagogy.
Our approach is informed by cognitive science and evidence-based teaching. Here is what each principle means for EdDots, and what remains to be tested.
Research principles
Eight principles from the research govern all seven products.
| Principle | What it means for EdDots | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit instruction | Teach new concepts with clear explanation, modelling, worked examples and guided practice. | Notebook, Study Builder, Problem Solver, Class Studio |
| Cognitive load management | Sequence complex knowledge into manageable, meaningful units, and avoid distractions. | Learning Map, Notebook, Problem Solver, Study Builder |
| Knowledge organisation | Explain how concepts relate within lessons, across lessons and across subjects. | Learning Map, Notebook |
| Learner-appropriate guidance | Give novices stronger scaffolding, and more independence as expertise develops. | All seven products |
| Practice and retention | Combine explanation, retrieval, spaced practice and feedback. | Notebook, Study Builder, Class Studio, Problem Solver |
| Active conceptual exploration | Use purposeful interaction, representations, predictions and explanations. | Concept Studio |
| Assessment and feedback | Use evidence of learning to find misunderstandings and inform teaching. | Class Studio, Notebook, Study Builder, Home Education |
| Responsible educational AI | Keep AI transparent, age-appropriate, aligned with verified content, reviewable, private and under human oversight. | Study Builder, Problem Solver, Class Studio |
What the research does and does not show
EdDots is research-informed design. The sources below support our design principles; they do not show that EdDots itself improves learning outcomes. EdDots itself has had no independent evaluation so far.
The Learning Map is a map of concepts and how they relate. It is not a neurological map, and we make no claims about brain mapping.
The map shows only educationally meaningful relationships, each with its reason, because showing every possible link at once would add load rather than reduce it.
Responsible AI
Our use of AI follows the Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools and UNESCO’s guidance for generative AI in education and research: transparent, age-appropriate, aligned with verified content, open to review, protective of privacy and under human oversight.
What we commit to evaluate
We also want to know whether the products work better together than apart. These are commitments to evaluate, not results.
- EdDots Notebook. Does it build understanding of each concept?
- EdDots Learning Map. Do its connections help learners transfer what they know?
- EdDots Study Builder. Does it scope a lesson well and fit the time available?
- EdDots Problem Solver. Does it build understanding, not only completed answers?
- EdDots Concept Studio. Can learners explain and apply what they explored?
- EdDots Class Studio. Does it meet educators’ professional standards?
- EdDots Home Education. Does it make planning clearer and records more useful?
Sources
- Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). Organise knowledge
- Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). Teach explicitly
- NSW Department of Education, Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE). Cognitive load theory in practice
- MIT Open Learning. Research-based learning findings
- US Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse. Organizing instruction and study to improve student learning
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. How people learn II: learners, contexts, and cultures
- Australian Government Department of Education. Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Schools
- UNESCO. Guidance for generative AI in education and research