ENSC 803 Teaching Fundamentalswhitmore/courses/ensc803/materials/Teaching_Fundamentals.pdfFundamentals of Teaching 1 of 31 ENSC 803 Teaching Fundamentals ... Pre-Test The goal is to

Fundamentals of Teaching 1 of 31

ENSC 803 Teaching Fundamentals

“The mind can only absorb what the ass can endure.”

Steve Whitmore July 2012


L K We have all endured classes that go on forever and forever

and forever . . . . The kind of class where a little piece of us dies inside every time we attend class.

If we are lucky, we have also experienced that scintillating class where we are inspired, fascinated, perhaps even changed. We are moved.

Sadly, we often base our own teaching techniques on the usual chalk and talk approach, perhaps because no one has pointed out or demonstrated alternatives.

So . . . I want you to forget the old approach and try something new.


Why Teaching Matters Fundamentally, the mission of the University is threefold:

• Generating knowledge (Research – the lab)

• Preserving knowledge (Archive – the library)

• Transmitting knowledge (Instruction – the classroom)

Lab

Library Class

The University has undervalued

teaching for many decades.

Teachers rarely add their

accumulated experience to the

library.

Like a three-legged stool with

different length legs, it doesn’t

stand up (to scrutiny) too well.


Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be familiar with the

CAMP model for teaching (cognition).

You will also be able to apply the HOP3 model to the

tutorials and classes you will teach (socio-cognitive

learning).

Finally, you will recognize the elements of Bloom’s

taxonomy – ASK (critical thinking).


A Few Questions

Have you previously led a tutorial or class?

Have you taken a teaching workshop or teacher training

in the past?

Have you been in a tutorial or class where you feel you

could have done a better job covering the subject matter

than did the instructor?


A Cognitive Theory of Learning

Capability: Do the learners have the necessary ability and information to perform the task? Assess via questions and exercises.

Attention: Has the attention of the learners’ been focused on the task? Capture via demos, striking examples, active engagement, pathos.

Motivation: Are the learners motivated to do the task? Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation.

Perception: Do the learners correctly perceive what the teacher wants them to do? Assess via questions and exercises. (Source: Dr. Phil Winne, SFU Faculty of Education)

¡¡ CAMP !!

Styling for Order 7 of 35

Source: David Sousa. 2006. How the Brain Learns (3rd ed.). Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Prefrontal Cortex

Parietal Cortex

Visual Cortex


Cognition and Brain Research Research is starting to reveal that cognitive (and develop-

mental) models are based upon neurological functions.

For example, capturing attention activates the amygdala

in the brain (emotional responses and alertness).

In turn, the amygdala interacts with the hippocampus

which consolidates learning by transferring information

from short-term memory to working memory to long-

term memory.

In large part, long-term memory is based upon the

connections (synapses) between neurons in various

parts of the brain.

The brain potentially has 1014

synaptic connections.


Cognition and Brain Research

Attention

(Amygdala)

Short-Term

Memory

(Hippocampus)

Seeing

(Visual Cortex)

Working Memory

(Prefrontal Cortex)

(Parietal Cortex)

IMAGING REPETITION

REHEARSAL

To remember information:

• Attend to the task

• Visualize the patterns

• Repeat the information

Long Term

Memory

(Many Places)


Developmental Issues Until early adulthood (25 ± a couple of years), the brain is

still maturing.

Young adults (17-23) are sometimes described as having

a lack of motivation, short attention spans, and few long-

term goals.

In particular, the pre-frontal cortex, which is involved in

regulating self-control and monitoring attention to tasks,

continues to develop until late in this period.

Some young adults may simply be conflicted between

emotional responses (short-term benefits) governed by

the amygdala and more reasoned responses (long-term

benefits) governed by the pre-frontal cortex.


A Socio/Cognitive Application Hook: Draw attention of learners to what the lesson is about (sometimes

called the bridge or motivator).

Objective: State what the learners will be able to DO by the end of the

lesson.

Pre-Test: Assess what the learners already know.

Participation: Actively engage the learners in their own learning.

Post-Test: Determine whether the learning objective has been achieved.

¡¡ HOP3!!

Adapted from: BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Instructional Skills Workshop.


The Hook

The goal is to attract the learner’s attention to the lesson and

why it is important to them. Many different techniques used

here:

The hook: bedpan, synaptic neuralizer, Bill the Cat, etc.

An engaging personal anecdote or story

Demonstrations

Striking examples

Pathos: humor, sadness, anger


Objectives for Learning

Clearly states what the learner will be able to do (know) by

the end of the lesson:

Often omitted from lessons

Often stated as knowing rather than doing (difficult to test knowledge but easy to test application of knowledge)

Guides both learner and instructor:

• What the learner will have accomplished

• Where and when learner will display mastery of objective

• The quality of performance considered acceptable


Pre-Test

The goal is to determine what the learner already knows so that you can adjust what and how you teach, thereby ensuring you are neither above nor below most learners’ capabilities:

I generally used to leave this step out in most ENSC

classes, but recent expansion has now made it necessary.

A realistic goal is to aim for 80% of learners. 10% will be

lost while 10% will be bored.

Pre-Tests can be informal, involving asking a few questions

of the learners or formal, involving a written question.


Participatory Lesson

The goal here is to engage the learners in their own learning:

Involvement is determined by the content and by the skill

level of the participants.

Can involve group exercises, discussion, debates, etc.

Lately, I have been using laser pointers and nerf balls to

focus attention on tedious or difficult subjects.

Focus on the learner’s mastery of content rather than on

your presentation.


Post-Test The goal here is to assess how well the learners have mastered the material and how well you have met your instructional goals:

Can be assessed informally by asking a few questions at

the end of the tutorial.

Or the 2-minute paper: “What is the one most important

thing you have learned in this class?” “What is the one

question arising from this class that you would like

answered?”

Useful to assess the responses to these exercises in order

to make changes for the next class.


An Exercise Working in pairs, please discuss with your partner the best experience you have had in a tutorial or class. What elements of the HOP3 model did the instructor use most effectively?

Also consider the worst experience you have had in a tutorial or class. How could the instructor have improved the class by applying the HOP3 model?

Hook

Objective

Pre-Test

Participation

Post-Test


Instructor Effectiveness

Has an academic focus

Selects and directs a variety of classroom activities

Uses group instruction

Uses active teaching for basic skills (demo, practice,

feedback)

Provides rewards and praise

Gives clear presentations

Has high expectations

Is enthusiastic !


Learning Outcomes

Affective Domain: Growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude)

Psychomotor Domain: Manual or physical skills (Skills)

Cognitive Domain: Mental skills (Knowledge)

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Benjamin Bloom was an educational psychologist who led a team in

the mid 1950’s which devised a continuum of learning outcomes in 2

(3) areas of human behaviour. Although many modifications have been

proposed to the model over the past 50 years, it has remained

remarkably resistant to change.

¡¡ ASK !!


The Cognitive Domain

Knowledge: Learners recall data or information.

Comprehension: Learners understand the meaning, translation, and interpretation of instructions and problems.

Application: Learners use a concept in a new situation.

Analysis: Learners separate material or concepts into component parts so that the organizational structure can be understood.

Synthesis: Learners put ideas together to form a whole, with emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.

Evaluation: Learners make judgments about the value of ideas or materials.


Critical Thinking and Cognition A key goal in many courses is to enable learners to

think critically about what they read and write.

Critical thinking involves application, analysis,

synthesis, and evaluation.

Underpinning it is the ability of learners to ask

questions about their ideas and the ideas of others.

You can model the asking of questions, but in the end

learners need to master asking their own questions.

Some learners from very traditional cultural and

religious backgrounds may find it challenging to think

critically about certain topics.

Critical thinking at its best also involves affect (valuing)

and creativity.


The Affective Domain Receiving Phenomena: Learners demonstrate

awareness, willingness to hear, selected attention.

Responding to Phenomena: Learners participate actively by attending and reacting to a particular phenomenon.

Valuing: Learners attach a worth or value to a particular object, phenomenon, or behavior, ranging from simple acceptance to a more complex state of commitment.

Organization: Learners organize values into priorities by contrasting different values, resolving conflicts between them, and creating a unique value system.

Internalizing Values: Learners demonstrate a value system that controls their behavior in ways that are pervasive, consistent, predictable, and most importantly, characteristic of the learner.


The Psychomotor Domain Perception: Learners demonstrate the ability to use sensory cues to

guide motor activity.

Mindset: Learners demonstrate a readiness to act, using mental, physical, and emotional mindsets.

Guided Response: Learners are at the early stages in learning a complex skill that includes imitation and trial and error.

Mechanism: Learners are at intermediate stage in learning a complex skill, where responses have become habitual and movements can be performed with some confidence and proficiency.

Complex Overt Response: The skillful performance of motor acts that involve complex movement patterns, wherein proficiency is indicated by a quick, accurate, and highly coordinated performance, requiring a minimum of energy.

Adaptation: Learners skills are well developed and the individual can modify movement patterns to fit special requirements.

Origination: Learners create new movement patterns to fit a particular situation or specific problem.


Brain Research & Creativity What is the source of creativity in the brain? We don’t yet know

precisely, but some have put forward the Fusiform Gyrus as a

candidate that points to a possible answer:


Brain Research & Creativity “What do artists, poets, and novelists have in common? …. The

propensity to link seemingly unrelated things. It’s called metaphor. So

what I’m arguing is, if the same gene [linked to Synaethesia], instead of

being expressed only in the fusiform gyrus, is expressed diffusely

through the brain, you’ve got a greater propensity to link seemingly

unrelated brain areas in concepts and ideas. So it’s a very phrenological

view of creativity.” (V.S. Ramachandran, cited in

http://www.noahbrier.com/archives/2009/05/neuroscience_and_the_

creativity_of_connections/)

For more info see:

1. http://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_ramachandran_on_your_mind.html

2. http://www.psy.cuhk.edu.hk/~mael/papers/RamachandranHubbard_Synaesthesia.pdf

http://www.noahbrier.com/archives/2009/05/neuroscience_and_the_creativity_of_connections/



http://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_ramachandran_on_your_mind.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_ramachandran_on_your_mind.html

http://www.psy.cuhk.edu.hk/~mael/papers/RamachandranHubbard_Synaesthesia.pdf


10 Commandments of Good Teaching 1. Get focused before you walk into the classroom:

What is your topic? Do you have everything you need? Is this

lesson the only thing on your mind? Have you left your personal

problems at home?

2. Start effectively:

What are your opening words? Will you be standing up or sitting

down? What kind of atmosphere/mood are you trying to create?

3. Let the learners know what is expected of them by the end

of the lesson and what they will be doing:

Will your learners know what is going to happen? Do they need

to know? Do they know what they will be able to do or what they

will need to know or what shift in feeling/attitude to expect as a

result of your instruction.


10 Commandments of Good Teaching 4. Find out what the learners already know:

What if everyone already knows the topic? What if people aren’t

at the level you expected? What if some people are quite

familiar with the topic and some aren’t?

5. Catch learners’ attention and keep them interested and

involved:

Why should people be interested in learning about this topic?

What will motivate them?

6. Use appropriate techniques:

What techniques will best help achieve the type of outcome you

intend?

7. Use appropriate resources:

What resources will most effectively support your presentation?


10 Commandments of Good Teaching

8. Check learner progress every now and then and let them

know how they are doing:

How will you measure and evaluate learning? During the

lesson? After the lesson? How will learners know how well they

are doing?

9. Close effectively:

What are your closing words? What do you want learners doing

or thinking about? What mood do you want to leave in the

room?

10.Decide beforehand how you will use your time:

How much time should you spend on each part of your lesson?

Source: David Tickner, Vancouver Community College


An 11th Commandment?

11. Remain current with developments in neuroscience:

How is our understanding of cognitive and developmental

neuroscience changing what we do as teachers? How should it

affect what we do in the classroom? How should it affect what

we expect from our students?


A Brief Review

Can you name the various parts of the three models

presented in this module?

CAMP

HOP3

ASK


A Few Teaching Resources Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC):

• TA Day (many good workshops)

• Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW)

• Certificate Program in Teaching and Learning

Provincial Instructor’s Diploma Program:

• 6 courses (plus practicum) offered at Vancouver Community College (VCC).

• Equivalent to one year of a BEd.

Steve’s Education Library:

• I have an array of materials related to effective teaching in my office.

• Available for loan if you promise to return them.

Documents

ENSC 803 Teaching Fundamentalswhitmore/courses/ensc803/materials/Teaching_Fundamentals.pdfFundamentals of Teaching 1 of 31 ENSC 803 Teaching Fundamentals ... Pre-Test The goal is to