The British Model of Teaching & Learning ~ How Not What

Purposes  To discuss why the Learn How to Think Not What to Think approach is so important  To explain what this approach means in practice  To encourage you to make the transition to How Not What in your teaching

How Not What  This epitomises the British approach to teaching and learning  Tell someone what the answer is and they can answer the same question again  Tell them how to answer the question and they can apply this to other similar questions.

Learn how to think...not what to think

O brave new world...  How Not What is fundamentally about our graduates  So let's start by thinking about the sort of world that our graduates will inhabit - and influence  We know that one thing that won't change is...

...that has such people in it For this sort of world... ...what sort of graduates do we want to produce at the BUE?  Please talk with a few neighbours and generate three or four words to describe these graduates.

We want BUE Graduates to be.. Critical thinkers Analytical Reflective Problem solvers Creative Self aware Motivated Flexible & adaptable Resourceful Independent Risk takers Entrepreneurial Leaders Team players Proficient English speakers Life long learners

Why 'How Not What'?  The world will need How Not What people  How Not What is BUE's unique selling point  How Not What will make our graduates more employable  Your discipline needs How Not What students for the future  How Not What is more fun for the teacher

Teaching for How Not What  It's not easy!  It involves students as well as staff  It's an ongoing process  It will be different at different stages in their time at BUE

Fundamentals WhatHow One-wayMulti-way Received wisdomContested knowledge PassivityActive engagement MemorisationProcessing Giving you the answerGiving you the tools TellingHelping

How people learn How do you learn?  Please think of a time when you were learning well  What made it good?

How people learn 2  I hear and I forget  I see and I remember  I do and I understand

My framework  Design  Assist  Deliver  Assess  Comments on the first three  Assess in a separate session  Your ideas are most welcome

Design ~ A MORAL approach An iterative optimisation process. If you don’t assess it then students won’t see it as important. An iterative optimisation process. If you don’t assess it then students won’t see it as important. MethodsTeaching techniques OutcomesILO’s ResourcesFacilities, equipment, etc AssessmentTechniques of assessment LearnersStudents’ characteristics

Characteristics of good design  Variety ~ different learning styles  Relevance ~...that is perceived  Engagement ~ often via activity  Empathy ~ the dangers of expertise  Interest ~ for both you and them ...?

After Bloom Create Evaluate Analyse Apply Understand Remember What How

Mastery & developmental tasks Bloom’s Taxonomy is a spectrum of task difficulty. It goes from easy tasks such as recalling knowledge to harder tasks such as evaluating an argument. A mix of developmental and mastery tasks is required to ensure that weak students achieve some success while the able are stretched.

Mastery Tasks Mastery’ tasks have the following characteristics: they are easy, typically involving only knowledge and comprehension they are not dependent on prior learning they can be attained in a short time they involve lower order skills such as recall and understanding, etc

Example mastery tasks Recognise and name the main constituents of a simple cell. Copy and label a diagram of a hydroelectric power station Find the cost of sending a fax in this country and abroad. Express one figure as a percentage of another using (A/B) X 100.

Developmental Tasks The characteristics of developmental tasks are that: they are more difficult they are highly dependent of prior learning students can’t get 100% development is slow and requires considerable effort they involve higher order skills such as evaluation, synthesis, etc

Example developmental tasks Write a clear, scientifically argued laboratory report. Evaluate the importance of full to high employment in western societies. How did the early life of Harold Macmillan influence his political thinking? Survey leisure time opportunities in your nearest city, and report on your findings.

Assisting for How Not What  How not what is new for many students  You can't expect them to change how they learn without help  But first…  If you really want to change the way students learn, change the way you __________ them.

 Personal Tutors  Show that you think it’s important ~ positive messages from you are crucial  TAs have a key role in helping students  Discuss how people in your discipline think  Model your discipline’s processes  Provide typologies of problems  Refer to assessments in your teaching  Give feedback on assessment Assistance advice

Delivering for How Not What  In groups of three, for three minutes…  Will one of you please explain something from your area of professional expertise to the other two  But please – and this may be hard – do it in as un-engaging a way as possible  Then discuss the experience

Delivering for How Not What 2  A lot of How Not What is about your relationship with your students  Your role is to diminish dependency TellingHelping

 Students don't know how to behave ~ unless you tell them very clearly  Students may not have seen this sort of teaching before ~ so explain your reasons and expectations  Students may not see the benefit ~ so link your teaching to the assessment  Students may be fearful of appearing stupid ~ so reduce the risk and raise the reward Delivery dangers – and tips

 Students will want to know the limits, so…  Be very clear about what you want them to do  Be friendly  …and firm  Address inappropriate behaviour early  …maybe just by moving your position  Say thank you  Don't put students down  Don't target individuals in large groups  Gather group ideas  Look for humour  Link to current events Risks and rewards

 Offer options for them to choose from ~ they can vote  If a student responds to a question don’t punish them further by getting into a dialogue with them!  Don’t let your irritation show – unless you really want it to  Explain why they need to understand  Link what you’re saying to the assessment. Risks and rewards 2

Your delivery  Please talk to a few neighbours and help each other to think of at least one way of making your own delivery more How Not What.

Finally  Please talk to a neighbour so that each of you shares one of your moves towards HNW in your teaching.