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  • Transforming Health Care Education: The Science of Learning and Art of Teaching

    April 1 – June 24, 2025

    This program will introduce you to theoretical aspects of learning and the principles of effective teaching, focusing on novel methods to enhance long-term retention and learning. From understanding the basics of neuroplasticity, to the preparation for a Socratic discussion, this 12-week program will enhance your teaching effectiveness.

    Online
    Research Improvement

    Program Fees

    • Standard Price $2,990.00

Program Overview

The Science of Learning Meets the Art of Teaching

Teaching is a powerful tool that can be a transformative agent, promoting social changes when used correctly. To learn how to teach, however, you first must understand how people learn. Transforming Health Care Education: The Science of Learning and Art of Teaching will show how both these abilities intersect—with neuroscience, motivation, and technology—enabling participants to become more effective teachers in the health care field.

Transforming Health Care Education: The Science of Learning and Art of Teaching will introduce you to theoretical aspects of learning and the principles of effective teaching, focusing on novel methods to enhance long-term retention and learning. From understanding the basics of neuroplasticity, to the preparation for a Socratic discussion, this 12-week program will enhance your teaching effectiveness.

In addition to the challenges mentioned, we have observed a significant change in student engagement and attention span, likely influenced by the pervasive impact of the digital world and social media. Today’s students navigate a constant stream of information and distractions, making it increasingly difficult to capture and retain their attention during traditional educational activities. It is crucial to understand how these shifts in behavior affect learning processes and outcomes. This program will also examine the effects of digital and social media influences on students so we can develop more effective educational strategies and interventions.

You will also have the opportunity to apply your knowledge to real-world projects. In the end, participants will develop their own educational initiative, which could be a course, app, systematic review, or a master’s or PhD project. Several alumni have implemented their course projects within their practice to great success.

This program is developed and taught by Dr. Felipe Fregni, a renowned neuroscientist and educator. Leveraging his experience teaching clinical research to over 5,000 clinicians worldwide, Dr. Fregni has crafted this innovative course to transform education in health care. In addition to teaching, he leads a neuroscience laboratory, the Spaulding Neuromodulation Laboratory (in the Department of Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School), and has received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the U.S. government.

“It was a wonderful experience! In my opinion, a dynamic learning strategy, together with interesting materials, insightful conversations, and enriching lectures, are the key elements that make this course unique, allowing us to carefully analyze the topics, fully understand how we learn, and develop critical thinking. It has also given me many great teaching strategies to apply in my field. I also had the chance to interact with colleagues from around the globe and share knowledge and experiences. So it´s totally worth it and highly recommended!”

Julia Minetoo, MD, Transplant Team, Garraham Hospital

“Taking the TLI course with Professor Felipe Fregni has been a transformative experience for my career. I always believed that the skills to give great presentations were something you were born with, but this course has shown me that anyone can learn to deliver outstanding lectures. […] Since completing the course, I’ve noticed a remarkable shift in my lectures. They are no longer just presentations; they are dynamic interactions where students are engaged, asking questions, and truly invested in the material. The feedback from my audience has been overwhelmingly positive—they’re excited to learn, and I owe much of that to the insights I gained from this course. […] I wholeheartedly recommend the TLI course to anyone looking to enhance their teaching skills. It’s an investment that pays off in immeasurable ways, and I am incredibly grateful for the knowledge and support I received.”

—Siham Shweiki, MPH, BSC, Deputy District Pharmacist, Ministry of Health

“Participating in the Teaching, Learning and Innovation (TLI) program has been a turning point in my academic career. It’s beautiful to understand and value the different approaches to teaching (and learning) that actually make a difference in students. As a teacher I better understand the neurobiological pathways involved in long-term learning and I can apply these concepts in my strategy with students. Putting the effort into what is demonstrated to work is wonderful. It´s been enlightening to look at teaching from another angle and realize that purpose and meaning are crucial if we truly want to have an impact in students. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program!”

—Daniela Masoli, MD, Neonatologist, Clinica Alemana

Objectives & Highlights

  • Understand how learning occurs (from basic neural mechanisms to behavioral changes)
  • Understand how to assess learning effectiveness
  • Identify limitations and challenges of the current model of medical teaching
  • Identify and understand the main teaching models (e.g., student-centered, teacher-centered)
  • Identify and understand the main concepts and tools for effective teaching/learning
  • Identify and understand how to effectively use educational tools
  • Develop critical thinking on how to design an effective online course that aims to result in long-lasting learned skills for participants
  • Learn different types of teaching strategies to find the right one for you
  • Use your newfound knowledge to build your own course during Transforming Health Care Education: The Science of Learning and Art of Teaching
  • Join a global cohort of others in health care looking to create their own teaching style
  • An optional one-day workshop to present participants’ mock classes to faculty and TAs for review
  • Experiment with different technologies to find what’s best for you in the rapidly growing world of long-distance learning

Curriculum

The figure above exemplifies active brain areas involved in the learning process.

  • April 1, Week 0: Tutorial Lecture
    This session will introduce the program, providing an overview of the key learning modules and goals. Participants will be guided through the objectives of the course and the importance of understanding how learning and teaching intersect with neuroscience, motivation, and technology. This will set the foundation for the journey ahead, preparing participants to reflect on their teaching practices and how they can evolve.
  • April 8, Week 1: Neuroscientific Basis of Learning (Learning & Neuroplasticity)
    Understanding the basics of neuroplasticity to design effective educational programs.
  • April 15, Week 2: Getting Ready and Engaging Attention in Learning (Learning & the Midbrain)
    How to engage students’ attention during the learning process using bottom-up (multi-sensory) and top-down strategies, managing cognitive overload, and understanding priming and pre-exposure.
  • April 22, Week 3: Interaction and Relationships in the Classroom (Learning and the Limbic System)
    Understanding the biology of emotions and relationships and their impact on learning, the effects of stress, and the power of peer collaboration.
  • April 29, Week 4: Consolidation of Learning (Learning and the Forebrain)
    Understanding memory consolidation and strategies to enhance it (retrieval, spaced learning).
  • May 6, Week 5: Learning and Motivation (Learning and the Chemical Brain/Dopamine)
    How motivation works and what motivates students. Explore intrinsic and extrinsic motivation systems, and strategies to enhance student motivation.
  • May 13, Week 6: Using the Traditional Lecture in an Effective Manner
    Preparing and delivering effective lectures, incorporating active breaks, student participation, mini-lectures, and experiential learning techniques (simulation, games, role-playing, service learning). Introduction to the flipped classroom and project-based learning.
  • May 20, Week 7: Teaching to Promote Critical Thinking
    Learn the four elements (analogy) of critical thinking and how to design your program to foster critical thinking skills among students.
  • May 27, Week 8: Teaching with Team-Based Learning
    Collaborative and peer tutoring learning techniques. Learn about the ideal size and duration of group activities, individual accountability, and preparing students for real-life projects through group learning.
  • June 3, Week 9: Teaching with Socratic Discussions and Seminars
    Preparing for a Socratic discussion, using kinesthetic warm-up activities, ideal class sizes, and incorporating the case method into teaching.
  • June 10, Week 10: Technology and Innovation in the Classroom
    Explore technologies to enhance teaching (learning management systems, social media, student interaction apps, and educational apps for lectures). Understand how to effectively design distance-learning online programs.
  • June 17, Week 11: Assessment, Grading, and Feedback
    Why do we often get assessments wrong? Consider the motivational systems when designing evaluations. Understand how to use feedback as a form of assessment, explore new assessment tools using technology, and the challenges of measuring learning accurately.
  • June 24, Week 12: The Final Class – Transformative Teaching and Learning
    Reflecting on the “why” behind teaching, connecting to the first class, and discussing the importance of physical, social, and emotional well-being as a teacher.

Advance Your Career at Harvard with Transforming Health Care Education: The Science of Learning and Art of Teaching