In this episode (Part 1 of 2), an intelligence expert puts Google's new Notebook LM podcast feature to the test. Join Dr. Luke Rowe, as we listen to a podcast on the topic of intelligence that was generated by Google's Gemini LLM via Notebook LM. Can we trust AI to give us an accurate account of human (and non-human) intelligence? Where does AI go wrong and what does it get right? We'll explore what truly shapes intelligence. Is it genetics or environment? Can intelligence be improved, or is it fixed from birth? How much difference can education make on our intelligence? We'll uncover answers to these questions and more, including:

✅ How scientists define and measure intelligence
✅ The idea of the 'g-factor' and its relevance to every day life
✅ The difference between intelligence and intelligence tests (IQ tests)
✅ The link between intelligence and academic achievement
✅ How genetics and environment influence intelligence (Nature vs. Nurture)
✅ Are there different types of intelligence and, if so, what are they
✅ Proven strategies to nurture and grow your intelligence
✅ The role of education in shaping cognitive abilities

Whether you're curious about how human intelligence works or looking for ways to improve your learning and thinking skills, and growing your own IQ, this episode has everything you need to know.

📌 Timestamps:
0:00 Intro to Intelligence
3:50 Notebook LM podcast
5:10 Academic Achievement vs. Cognitive Ability
7:05 The G-Factor Explained
13:46 How much difference do teachers make to academic outcomes?
16:35 How Education Impacts Intelligence
20:00 Intelligence Across the Lifespan
21:10 Nature vs. Nurture on Intelligence
25:30 Intelligence and the Brain
32:20 Will Improving Intelligence Improve the World?
38:00 Non-Human Intelligence
40:20 Intelligence and Career Success
50:00 Shared Influences on Intelligence
57:20 Neural Efficiency Hypothesis
1:01:00 Intelligence is Not the Same as Human Worth
1:04:30 The Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory of Human Intelligence (CHC Theory)
1:07:40 Outro

🔔 Subscribe for more insights on the science of learning, human cognitive abilities, psychology, learning, and education!

🎓 About Me: I'm Luke Rowe, Ph.D. in learning sciences, and I’m passionate about teaching and sharing the latest insights from the brain and learning sciences to help you learn, teach, and communicate more effectively.

👍 Enjoyed the Video? Like 👍 this video to support the channel.

Comment 💬 below with your thoughts or questions.

🔗 Stay Connected: Powerful Learning Podcast: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google/YouTube Podcasts.

📢 Share this episode with someone who could benefit from listening! Until next time—keep learning powerfully!

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the creator, Luke Rowe, and do not reflect the views or interests of any third parties, including any past, present, or future institutions or employers.

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

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Are you really learning as effectively as you think, or are hidden mental shortcuts holding you back? This episode involves a 'Masterclass' in which we unpack the world of cognitive biases and mental bottlenecks in learning—those subtle psychological tendencies that skew how we perceive, absorb, and evaluate information.

What You’ll Learn:
• Spot Your Blind Spots: How confirmation bias keeps you stuck in old beliefs.
• Get Real About Skills: The Dunning-Kruger effect and why it’s easy to overestimate your know-how.
• Stop Overselling Yourself: Overconfidence bias—and how to finally see where you stand.
• Balance Your Study Time: The hard-easy effect and finding that sweet spot between basic and tough stuff.
• Bust the Illusion of Competence: Why re-reading and highlighting aren’t cutting it for real understanding.
• Beat the Clock: The planning fallacy and simple hacks to finish projects on time.
• Ditch Perfectionism: When “good enough” is actually the key to better performance.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro: Why Biases Matter in Learning
01:03 - Bias 1. Confirmation Bias: Stuck in Your Own Bubble
07:05 - Bias 2. Dunning-Kruger Effect: When You Don’t Know You Don’t Know
17:55 - Critically Appraising the Dunning-Kruger Effect
24:02 - Bias 3. Overconfidence Bias: Believing You’re Better Than You Are
36:20 - Bias 4. Hard-Easy Effect: Struggling with the Wrong Things
42:10 - Bias 5. Illusion of Competence: Thinking You’ve Got It...But You Don’t
47:20 - Bias 6. Planning Fallacy: Always Running Out of Time
53:30 - Bias 7. Perfectionism Bias: Letting “Perfect” Kill Your Progress
1:00:45 - Perfectionistic Striving vs. Perfectionistic Concern
1:09:50 - Recap

Note that some sections of this episode refer to images and diagrams that can be viewed at the following link:
https://youtu.be/6s-ErMcuqLQ

Why This Matters:
By understanding these biases, you can improve how you learn, teach, and grow. Whether you’re a student, educator, or lifelong learner, recognizing these patterns is the first step toward overcoming them. With deliberate practice, metacognitive training, and strategic self-testing, you can refine your judgments, manage your time more effectively, and cultivate a more resilient mentality in the face of challenge.

🎓 About Me: I'm Luke Rowe, Ph.D. in learning sciences, and I’m passionate about teaching and sharing the latest insights from brain and learning science to help you learn, teach, and communicate better.

👍 Enjoyed the episode? Rate it 👍 to support the podcast.

Subscribe 🔔 for more deep dives into the science of learning.

Comment 💬 with your thoughts or questions.

🔗 Join the community on YouTube via @PowerfulLearningHub

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
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The Ultimate Guide to Learning Anything Better - with Scott H. Young's "Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery" (Book Summary and Review; see original YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/w63A7WvR9bo?si=_4VKhP7YY7qTSyh0)

In this episode of Powerful Learning, we take a look at some of the biggest insights from Scott H. Young's transformative book, "Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery." Forget the endless productivity hacks and caffeine-fueled study marathons. Young flips conventional wisdom on its head, revealing plenty of straightforward principles that challenge popular advice on how to progress from beginner to pro.

🔥 What You'll Learn:

Insight 1. The Curse of Knowledge: Understand why experts often struggle to teach beginners and how to bridge that gap.

Insight 2. The Practice Loop: Discover the "See, Do, Feedback" cycle to accelerate your path to mastery.

Insight 3. Directness in Learning: Learn the importance of practicing skills in real-world conditions.

Insight 4. Embracing Failure: Find out why frequent failures are essential for growth and how to turn setbacks into stepping stones.

Insight 5. Quantity Leads to Quality: Explore how consistent practice leads to exceptional results.

Insight 6. Mind as a Toolset: Rethink the mind-muscle metaphor and focus on targeted skill development.

Insight 7. Navigating the Valleys of Mastery: Gain insights into overcoming periods of stagnation in your learning journey.

🎯 Why This Episode is a Must-Listen:

Easily understood pathways to progress
Actionable Insights and practical strategies
Science-backed methods for mastery

0:00 – Introduction: Why You’re Learning All Wrong
1:28 – Insight 1. The Curse of Knowledge: Why Experts Struggle to Teach
3:04 – Insight 2. The Practice Loop: See, Do, Feedback
7:58 – Insight 3. Directness in Learning: Practice in Real Conditions
09:12 – Insight 4. Embracing Failure as a Path to Growth
10:50 – Insight 5. Quantity Leads to Quality: The Power of Volume
12:14 – Insight 6. Rethinking the Mind-Muscle Metaphor
14:12 – Insight 7. Navigating the Valleys of Mastery
15:30 – What Parts of the Book I Think Could 'Get Better'
17:00 – Recap of Main Ideas and Insights
19:40 – Conclusion: Why This Book Could Help You Master Any Skill



📚 About the Book:

Scott H. Young provides a practical roadmap to successful learning that's both ambitious and surprisingly easy to apply. Whether you're a student, professional, or lifelong learner, this book offers valuable insights to elevate your skills.

You can purchase a copy here: https://amzn.asia/d/8gsJliL

(Note: Luke does not receive any fees for this and has no relationship to the author).

🎓 About Me:
I'm Luke Rowe, Ph.D. in learning sciences, and I’m passionate about teaching and sharing the latest insights from brain and learning science to help you learn, teach, and communicate better.

👍 Enjoyed this episode?

Feel free to give it a positive reivew to help support the podcast.
Subscribe 🔔 for more deep dives into the science of learning.
Comment 💬 below with your thoughts or questions.

🔗 Stay Connected:

YouTube video version: https://youtu.be/w63A7WvR9bo?si=_4VKhP7YY7qTSyh0

Powerful Learning Podcast: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google/YouTube Podcasts.

📢 Share this with someone who could

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
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Ever wondered why we forget more than we remember? Why do memories with personal meaning tend to stick? Are memories more about the past, the present, or the future?

In Professor Charan Ranganath’s groundbreaking book, Why We Remember, these secrets are uncovered as we discover how our brains shape our memories to help us navigate the world.

In this episode, we explore five BIG ideas from Ranganath’s book:

1️⃣ Memory is a Storyteller, Not a Camera

Our brains don’t record events like a video camera. Instead, they reconstruct and reshape our memories to prioritize what’s relevant and meaningful. 🖼️✨

2️⃣ The Stability vs. Flexibility Trade-off

Discover why forgetting isn’t a flaw but a feature—helping us stay adaptable in a constantly changing world. 🌍⚖️

3️⃣ Memory’s Battle of Resources

Our brains are under a strict energy budget. Learn how memory prioritizes only the most ‘fit’ and relevant information for survival. 🔋🔬

4️⃣ Infusing Facts with Concrete Experiences

Want to retain facts better? Connect them to personal experiences. This strengthens both semantic and episodic memory systems for lasting retention. 🔗🗺️

5️⃣ Curiosity and the Information Gap

Curiosity isn’t just about finding answers. It’s about resolving information gaps that keep our minds engaged and eager to learn - curiosity-driven learning! 🧠💥

📖 Why We Remember is filled with insights that will change the way you think about memory forever! From understanding the power of forgetting to utilizing curiosity-driven learning, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology, neuroscience, or simply understanding how memory works!

👍 If you found this video helpful, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more content on the science of learning and memory!

Section Summaries:

0:00 - Introduction
1:57 - Big Idea 1: Memory Is Not a Video Camera, but a Storyteller and Survivalist
11:07 - Big Idea 2: The Stability vs. Flexibility Trade-off
16:10 - Big Idea 3: Memory’s Battle of Resources
21:00 - Big Idea 4: Infusing Facts with Concrete Experience
29:06 - Big Idea 5: Curiosity and the Information Gap
32:03 - Conclusion and Recap

The original YouTube video of this episode can be found here:
https://youtu.be/1W98k8uf_ec

The book, Why We Remember, can be purchased here:
https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Remember-Unlocking-Memorys/dp/038554863X?dplnkId=6efeac24-e3a5-4277-80b0-ab42946e857b&nodl=1


#WhyWeRemember #MemoryScience #CharanRanganath #Psychology #Neuroscience #ScienceOfLearning #MemoryTips #BrainScience #EducationalScience

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
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• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)

🎓 5 Scientifically Proven Study Tips for Success, Ace Your Exams, and Get Into College with Dr. Luke Rowe 🎓

This is an abridged version of the episode and the discussion about the scientific literature in support of these study tips has been edited out. If you'd like to hear the extended version, see the previously published epside.

Unlock your full potential with these 5 powerful study tips from Dr. Luke Rowe! Whether you're a high school student, college freshman, or lifelong learner, these strategies draw upon the latest scientific evidence to help you achieve academic success and beyond. 🌟

If you'd prefer to watch the original video recording of this episode, please see the powerful learning YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/PLbSLmyXv0Q

Tip 1: Decide ‘What’ You Want to Achieve 🎯

Learn the science of Edwin Locke's goal setting theory with specific yet difficult 'stretch' goals that should be both outcome and process bound. Discover how writing your goals down and tracking your progress can drive you to success.

Tip 2: Punch Procrastination in the Face! 🚀

Struggling to stay focused? Punch procrastination in the face with practical techniques like the Pomodoro technique, scheduling, and creating a distraction-free study environment.

Tip 3: Find Your 'Why' 💡

Understand the deeper purpose behind your studies. Whether it’s for personal growth, family pride, or future success, knowing your ‘why’ can fuel your motivation.

Tip 4: Take a R.I.D.E 🏇

Enhance your learning with Luke's very own pillars of powerful practice: Retrieval, Interleaved, Distributed, and Expert (Deliberate) Practice. These methods are scientifically proven to boost retention and performance. (Luke has a book on this topic to be published in 2025 - stay tuned!)

Tip 5: Follow the Grandma Rules 👵

Don’t forget the basics: Eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly, surround yourself with positive people, and believe in yourself. These simple yet effective tips can greatly improve your mental and physical wellbeing, and enaure you dont burnout along the way to achieving your study goals.

Watch now and transform your study habits for a brighter future! 🌟

📚 Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:44 Tip 1: Decide What You Want to Achieve
5:43 Tip 2: Punch Procrastination in the Face
6:10 Tip 3: Find Your 'Why'
14:11 Tip 4: Take a R.I.D.E (Luke's 4 Pillars of Powerful Practice)
28:37 Tip 5: Follow the Grandma Rules
30:50 Conclusion

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe for more science of learning content!

#StudyTips #GoalSetting #BeatProcrastination #StudentSuccess #Motivation #AcademicExcellence #SMARTGoals #StudyHabits #SelfImprovement #DrLukeRowe

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)

In this episode, we explore the powerful role of metacognition in learning and education. Metacognition, or "monitoring and regulating our thought processes," is a critical skill that helps students become more aware of their learning processes, enabling them to self-regulate, improve performance, and ultimately become independent learners.

This episode is the third and final part of a 3-part Learning and Teaching seminar series at the Australian Catholic University (Part 3 of 3): The Elevating Learning Seminar Series, presented by Dr Luke Rowe. It was originally presented at ACU on the 6th of September, 2024.

We break down the science of metacognitive learning, share practical strategies, and offer key tips to help both students and educators implement these methods for deep and meaningful learning.

You can view the original video of this episode on the Powerful Learning YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/4PqFy5gAHSU

Whether you’re a student looking to boost your study habits, a teacher striving to promote higher-order thinking, or someone simply interested in learning how to learn, this video covers the core concepts you need to master metacognition. You’ll learn how to apply metacognitive strategies before, during, and after learning sessions, empowering yourself to retain information more effectively and enhance your overall academic achievement.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:20 Recap
5:20 Case Studies (Metacognition gone missing)
7:47 Five Reasons Why Metacognition in Important to Education
14:33 What is Metacognition
20:42 Metacognitive Learning (learning how to learn)
25:40 Measuring Metacognition
30:30 Monitoring and Control Framework by Nelson and Narens (Expanded)
31:00 Feelings of Knowing
33:48 Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon
36:30 Judgements of learning
41:18 Feedback Failure
43:40 Prediction and Postdiction
51:40 The Cue-Utilization Hypothesis
53:47 Tips for Teaching and Learning

Resources & Tools for Metacognitive Learning:

Nelson, T. O. (1990). Metamemory: A Theoretical Framework and New Findings. In G. H. Bower (Ed.), Psychology of Learning and Motivation (Vol. 26, pp. 125–173). Academic Press.

Dunlosky, J., & Metcalfe, J. (2009). Metacognition. Sage Publications.

Larkin, S. (2010). Metacognition in young children. Routledge.

Rhodes, M. G. (2019). Metacognition. Teaching of Psychology, 46(2), 168–175. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628319834381

Evidence for Learning, Rowe and Kang. (2019). Guidance Report: Metacognition and self regulated learning, all year levels [Guidance report]. https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/assets/Guidance-Reports/Metacognition/Guidance-Report-Metacognition-and-self-regulated-learning-WEB.pdf


Dr. Luke Rowe is a learning scientist and lecturer who draws upon his years of training as an academic who specializes in the science of learning and evidence-based teaching. He also has personal experience as a high-performing student throughout his schooling and university studies. He holds a Ph.D. in the learning sciences and has published in the highest ranked academic education journals.

Don’t forget to subscribe for more content on the science of learning, evidence-based teaching, effective learning strategies, self-regulated learning, and educational psychology. If you found this content helpful, give it a thumbs up, leave a positive revi

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)

🎓 5 Proven Study Tips to Ace Your Exams and Get into College (Backed by Science) | EXTRA EVIDENCE EDITION with Learning Scientist and University Lecturer, Dr. Luke Rowe.

This is the 'extended edition' with extra discussion of the scientific evidence in support of the 5 study tips. If you'd prefer to skip this extended edition and go straight to the study tips without all of the scientific fluff, feel free to skip to the next episode. But for those of you who are interested in the science behind these principles, you'll want to listen into this episode. If you'd like to see the original video version, please see the Powerful Learning YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/mY2bqf5_GKg

Before he became a learning scientist and university teacher, Luke graduated first place in his Australian high school (Dux of College), scoring in the top 1% for his university entrance rank. He also graduated first place in his Master's degrees with an average score of 95% across his units. Luke has a lifelong obsession with learning. This video seeks to infuse this passion with the best scientific evidence and share it with you! 🎓

Join Luke, as we unlock your full potential with these 5 powerful study tips - backed by science! Whether you're a high school student, college freshman, or lifelong learner, these strategies draw upon the latest scientific evidence to help you achieve academic success and beyond. 🌟

Study Tip 1: Decide ‘What’ You Want to Achieve 🎯

Learn the science of Edwin Locke's goal setting theory with specific yet difficult 'stretch' goals that should be both outcome and process bound. Discover how writing your goals down and tracking your progress can drive you to success.

Study Tip 2: Punch Procrastination in the Face! 🚀

Struggling to stay focused? Punch procrastination in the face with practical techniques like the Pomodoro technique, scheduling, and creating a distraction-free study environment.

Study Tip 3: Find Your 'Why' 💡

Understand the deeper purpose behind your studies. Whether it’s for personal growth, family pride, or future success, knowing your ‘why’ can fuel your motivation.

Study Tip 4: Take a R.I.D.E 🏇

Enhance your learning with Luke's very own pillars of powerful practice: Retrieval, Interleaved, Distributed, and Expert (Deliberate) Practice. These methods are scientifically proven to boost retention and performance. (Luke has a book on this topic to be published in 2025 - stay tuned!)

Study Tip 5: Follow the Grandma Rules 👵

Don’t forget the basics: Eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly, surround yourself with positive people, and believe in yourself. These simple yet effective tips can greatly improve your mental and physical wellbeing, and enaure you dont burnout along the way to achieving your study goals.

Watch now and transform your study habits for a brighter future! 🌟

📚 Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:44 Tip 1: Decide What You Want to Achieve (with evidence)
12:50 Tip 2: Punch Procrastination in the Face (with evidence)
23:30 Tip 3: Find Your 'Why' (with evidence)
28:20 Tip 4: Take a R.I.D.E (4 Pillars of Powerful Practice) (with evidence)
29:04 Pillar 1. Retrieval Practice
37:22 Pillar 2. Interleaved Practice
45:14 Pillar 3. Distributed Practice
57:00 Pillar 4. Expert (Deliberate) Practice
1:07:00 What Happened to Bob?
1:07:50 Concluding remarks

👍

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)

Level-up your learning and unlock your expertise with Luke's R.I.D.E Model of Powerful Practice to help you master ANYTHING! (Part 2 of 3)

This video is the second part of a 3-part Learning and Teaching seminar series at the Australian Catholic University (Part 2 of 3): The Elevating Learning Seminar Series, presented by Dr Luke Rowe. It was originally presented at ACU on the 9th of August, 2024.

We focus on the four pillars of powerful practice from Luke's forthcoming book 'Powerful Practice'.

You can also find the original video recording of this lecture on the Powerful Learning YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/w7qoCFyy-Wc

1. Retrieval Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 1)
Enhance your memory and understanding by actively recalling and reimagining knowledge that you've previously stored in your long-term memory. This technique helps strengthen and enrich the memory, and enhance neural connections to make it easier to retrieve and access knowledge when you need it. Learn how to implement effective retrieval strategies in your study routine.

2. Interleaved Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 2)
Mix different topics or skills within a single study session. This approach is like 'crossfit' for your brain; it helps us prepare for an unpredictable world by making your practice less predictable. When we interleave our practice, we improve learning and retention by forcing our brain to constantly switch gears, making it more adaptable and better at distinguishing between concepts. Discover practical ways to incorporate interleaving into your practice.

3. Distributed Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 3)
Spread out your study sessions over time instead of cramming. Distributed practice, also known as spaced repetition, helps improve long-term retention and reduces the forgetting curve. It gives you a chance to reflect, rehearse, and elaborate on your learning and ensure it is context-free and robust to any situation or setting when you need it most. We’ll show you how to plan your study schedule for maximum effectiveness.

4. Expert Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 4)
Focus on deliberate expert practice with focused, goal-directed, effortful, and targeted feedback to achieve mastery. This involves setting specific goals, breaking down complex skills into manageable parts, and continuously refining your technique over an extended period of time under the guidance of an expert teacher or coach. Learn how to apply expert practice methods to accelerate your learning journey.

Join Luke as we explore each component of the R.I.D.E. model, backed by evidence-based strategies and practical tips from a high-achieving student and learning scientist - Luke Rowe. Luke draws upon his own experiences as a low-SES student who scored in the top percentile of his state in his high school exams, was dux of his college, and graduated first place in his Master's degrees. He has a Ph.D. in the learning sciences and has published in the highest ranked academic education journals.

Let's work together to level-up your learning and teaching today!


Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
07:14 Retrieval Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 1)
33:45 Interleaved Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 2)
44:14 Distributed Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 3)
57:20 Expert Practice (Powerful Practice Pillar 4)


Hashtags:
#Learning #Education #CognitiveScien

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)