I’m Jennifer Baccanello, a researcher in education and learning sciences based in Hong Kong. My work starts from a question that touches every learner, whether a child in a classroom, an adult learning to read or a professional picking up a new skill: what helps people stay curious, motivated and ready to grow?
Much of what we know about learning comes from controlled studies. Those are valuable, but learning doesn’t only happen in labs or lecture halls. It happens in classrooms, homes, online spaces, after-school programmes, kitchens and playgrounds. This guide brings together how I think about how people learn in real life, and what that means for teachers, schools, families and the people who design learning tools.
Who is Jennifer Baccanello?
My background is in developmental psychology, with a strong interest in cognitive science. That foundation helps me look at how thinking, learning and development change across different ages and circumstances. Rather than studying learning only under controlled conditions, I study it where life unfolds: observing classrooms, speaking with students and teachers, and exploring learning in everyday settings.
The aim of my work isn’t only to describe how learning works. It’s to help educators design stronger lessons, support schools in creating healthier environments, and give learners more meaningful opportunities to reach their potential. I’m also committed to mentoring emerging researchers, with particular care for young women entering research and academic life. You can read more on my About page.
Learning is more than remembering facts
When people picture “learning”, they often think of memorising information for a test. But learning is about understanding, curiosity, confidence and growth. It involves:
- Cognition: how we take in, organise, remember and use information
- Motivation: why we start, continue or give up
- Emotion: whether we feel safe, interested, anxious or bored
- Relationships: who we learn with and whether we feel we belong
- Context: where, when and with what tools learning happens
- Identity and culture: the histories and sense of self learners bring with them
Effective education is not only academically sound. It’s emotionally supportive, culturally responsive and socially meaningful.
What learning science tells us works
Decades of research in cognitive psychology have identified a handful of strategies that reliably help people learn and remember. A few of the most robust:
| Strategy | What it means | Everyday example |
|---|---|---|
| Retrieval practice | Actively recalling information strengthens memory more than rereading | Closing the book and writing down what you remember |
| Spacing | Spreading practice over time beats cramming | Reviewing vocabulary for ten minutes across a week |
| Interleaving | Mixing different types of problems improves discrimination and transfer | Practising a mix of maths problem types, not just one |
| Elaboration | Explaining how and why ideas connect deepens understanding | Asking “why does this work?” and answering in your own words |
| Concrete examples | Abstract ideas stick better when tied to specific examples | Linking a science concept to something in the kitchen |
| Feedback | Timely, specific feedback guides improvement | Knowing exactly what to change in the next attempt |
These strategies are powerful, but they work best when learners are also motivated, supported and engaged. That’s why my research looks at the whole person, not just cognition.
Asking “what works?” and “why?”
In my research I look for patterns in how people encounter new ideas, practise skills, respond to difficulty and use what they’ve learned. My approach has three parts:
- Observe real learning as it naturally happens: participation, interaction and problem-solving.
- Listen to learners and educators, whose experiences reveal challenges that data alone may miss.
- Connect evidence with practice, translating findings into ideas that teachers, schools, families and designers can use.
Personalized learning
People learn at different paces and in different ways. Personalized learning adapts pace, path and sometimes goals to each learner’s needs, strengths and progress, ideally with the learner involved. The evidence is promising but mixed: how it’s implemented matters enormously, and technology should serve the learning goal rather than define it. I explore the definitions, research and pitfalls in what is personalized learning?
Motivation and engagement
Why do some learners stay curious while others withdraw when work becomes difficult? Research on motivation, particularly Self-Determination Theory, points to three basic needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. When those needs go unmet, disengagement often follows. I share practical ways to rebuild motivation and confidence in student motivation and engagement.
Meaningful gamification and adaptive systems
Game-inspired design and adaptive learning platforms are everywhere in education. They can support practice and persistence, or they can reduce learning to points and clicks. I look beyond points and badges to ask when game elements genuinely help, in gamification in education: what works. Across all of these tools, the question I keep returning to is: does each adaptation lead to deeper understanding?
Inclusive learning design
Learners differ in background, ability, language, identity and ways of participating. Designing for an imaginary “average” learner leaves many behind. Inclusive design, including frameworks like Universal Design for Learning, plans for that variety from the start. Read more in inclusive learning design: creating learning where everyone belongs.
Learning has no single location
A classroom matters, but it’s only one part of a learner’s world. Setting, relationships, culture, tools and daily routines all shape what becomes possible. A child may struggle with fractions on a worksheet but handle them confidently while cooking. An adult may avoid reading in a classroom but read eagerly about a hobby. Understanding learning in context helps us design experiences that meet people where they actually are.
This is also why I volunteer with adult literacy programmes. Seeing adults build reading and writing skills, often after years of feeling they “weren’t good at school”, is a constant reminder that the capacity to learn never disappears.
What this means for educators, schools and families
- For educators: design lessons that encourage understanding, participation and productive persistence, and use retrieval, spacing and feedback deliberately.
- For schools and programmes: build systems that respond thoughtfully to motivation, emotion, culture and individual needs.
- For families: notice the learning that happens in everyday life, and support curiosity and effort rather than only results.
- For designers of learning tools: keep the learner, not the tool, at the centre.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Jennifer Baccanello?
Jennifer Baccanello is a Hong Kong-based researcher in education and learning sciences. She studies how people learn, grow and make sense of the world in real life, with interests in personalized learning, motivation, adaptive systems, meaningful gamification, inclusive design and cognition in context.
What are the learning sciences?
The learning sciences are an interdisciplinary field that studies how people learn, drawing on cognitive science, psychology, education, neuroscience and design to improve learning in real settings.
What are the most effective learning strategies?
Research consistently supports retrieval practice, spaced practice, interleaving, elaboration, concrete examples and timely feedback, especially when learners are also motivated and supported.
Why does motivation matter so much for learning?
Motivation influences whether learners start, persist and think deeply. Supporting autonomy, competence and belonging helps learners stay engaged, particularly when work becomes difficult.
Does Jennifer Baccanello offer mentorship or collaboration?
Yes. She mentors emerging researchers, especially young women entering research, and welcomes enquiries about research collaboration, learning design, speaking and workshops through her contact page.
Keep asking questions
Learning is not about forcing every learner into the same mould. It’s about helping people explore, understand and succeed on their own terms. If you’re interested in research collaboration, learning design, speaking or mentorship, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with Jennifer Baccanello, or explore the articles above to go deeper into each area.