Evidence Behind ASCEND

ASCEND integrates evidence from learning sciences, cognitive psychology, nursing education, and Improvement Science to support meaningful, lasting student learning.

The Research Foundation

ASCEND integrates evidence from learning sciences, cognitive psychology, nursing education, and Improvement Science to support effective teaching and meaningful student learning.

Cognitive Load Theory

Cognitive Load Theory explains how the limitations of working memory influence learning. ASCEND incorporates instructional strategies that reduce unnecessary cognitive burden and support learners as they organize complex information into manageable knowledge structures.

Key References

Sweller (2010)
Sweller, Ayres, & Kalyuga (2011)
Cowan (2001)

Schema Development & Knowledge Organization

Learning improves when new information is connected to existing knowledge and organized into meaningful mental frameworks. ASCEND promotes instructional strategies that help students build schemas rather than memorize isolated facts.

Key References

Benner (1984)
Chi et al. (1982)
Neumann & Kopcha (2018)
Meylani (2024)
Milligan (1979)

Retrieval-Based Learning

Research consistently demonstrates that actively retrieving information strengthens long-term retention more effectively than passive review. ASCEND incorporates frequent opportunities for retrieval practice and formative assessment to reinforce learning.

Key References

Roediger & Butler (2011)
Roediger & Karpicke (2006)
Agarwal et al. (2021)
Brown, Roediger, & McDaniel (2014)
Sheehy et al. (2024)

Metacognition & Self-Regulated Learning

Students become more effective learners when they monitor their understanding, evaluate their performance, and adjust their learning strategies. ASCEND incorporates guided reflection and structured metacognitive activities to promote self-regulated learning.

Key References

Zimmerman
Panadero
Achacoso (2005)
Asadzandi et al. (2022)
Sebesta & Bray Speth (2017)
Sins et al. (2024)
Dabkowski et al.
Gibbons et al.

Student Engagement & Academic Persistence

Motivation, resilience, and beliefs about learning influence whether students persist through academic challenges. ASCEND encourages instructional practices that foster engagement, productive responses to setbacks, and sustained participation in learning.

Key References

Dweck (2006)
Weiner (1985)
Abdulla (2026)
Biangone et al. (2025)
Elbarbary et al. (2023)

Key Foundational Reference

Improvement Science provided the methodology used to develop, implement, evaluate, and refine the ASCEND Framework. Using iterative testing and continuous measurement, the framework was designed to improve learning within authentic educational settings.

Key Reference

Langley et al. (2009)

Bringing the Evidence Together

Individually, these evidence-based approaches have demonstrated positive effects on learning. ASCEND integrates these complementary theories and instructional practices into a practical framework designed to help educators organize instruction, strengthen student learning, and support continuous instructional improvement.

Explore the Complete Literature Review

For readers interested in the complete synthesis of evidence supporting ASCEND, the full literature review is available below.

Literature Review (pdf)Download

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