Teaching approachesTeaching approachesthat promote different forms of that promote different forms of student learningstudent learning

CHEC/TALHECHEC/TALHE

3 August 20113 August 2011

OverviewOverview

Problems with simple definitions of Problems with simple definitions of learninglearning

Bloom’s taxonomy of learningBloom’s taxonomy of learning Kolb’s learning cycleKolb’s learning cycle Multiple intelligencesMultiple intelligences Different ways of learningDifferent ways of learning Implications for teachingImplications for teaching

Definitions: not always helpfulDefinitions: not always helpful

Defining Defining learning is learning is difficult because different difficult because different disciplines tend to have disciplines tend to have different ideas about what different ideas about what learning learning isis, , whatwhat needs to needs to be learned (facts, be learned (facts, systems, processes, systems, processes, theories, skills, ideas, etc.) theories, skills, ideas, etc.) and sometimes also about and sometimes also about howhow it needs to be it needs to be learned.learned.

Bloom B. S. (1956). Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain.Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain.

New York: David McKay Co Inc. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

How you teach, can guide how How you teach, can guide how students learn…students learn…

You can teach in ways that encourage rote

learning…

First year students can do basic evaluations too!

There are easy applications and analyses and more difficult ones…

Kolb, D. A. (1984) Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential LearningExperiential Learning. . Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice Hall.Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice Hall.

Reflection as learningReflection as learning

Reflection Reflection for learning learning (“feed-forward”)(“feed-forward”)

Reflection Reflection duringduring learning learning

Reflection Reflection afterafter learning learningAll are important for All are important for professional professional developmentdevelopment

Schön, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. How professionals think in action, London: Temple Smith

Schön, D. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Gardner, H. (1983). Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mindFrames of mind. NY: Basic Books. NY: Basic Books

You can teach in

ways that favour one,

or many intelligences

…

Teaching for different kinds of Teaching for different kinds of learninglearning

Learning on your own Learning on your own (reading, doing (reading, doing exercises, practising, exercises, practising, self-assessing);self-assessing);

Learning with/from Learning with/from peers and groups*;peers and groups*;

Learning from the Learning from the lecturer’s input and/or lecturer’s input and/or with a lecturer’s with a lecturer’s guidance;guidance;

E-learning.E-learning.

Learning from and with peersLearning from and with peers

Learning from those Learning from those who have different who have different abilities & abilities & experiences;experiences;

Getting feedback;Getting feedback; Debriefing after a Debriefing after a

teaching event;teaching event; Benchmarking your Benchmarking your

performance;performance; Peer review is an important part of academic and professional cultures

The zone of proximal development The zone of proximal development (zpd) (Vygotsky, 1968)(zpd) (Vygotsky, 1968)

This is where

the student

is…zpd

This is where

you want your

students to be!

If the zpd is too small, the task is too easy – no learning/development

If the zpd is too big, the task is too difficult – so no

learning…

ALIGNING LEARNING AND TEACHING (some examples)

If you want students to: Then include activities such as:Understand task requirements

Task analysisCritical thinking

Solve problems ScenariosCase studies

Make meaningDeepen understanding

Reflecting on learningApplying and transferringUsing resources

Be creative Project-based learning

Self-correctBenchmark their performance

Opportunities for feedback, constructive criticism, self- and peer-markingidentify learning preferences.

Understanding the disciplinary culture

Discuss professionalisminter-personal skills, etc.

Example from Chemistry