How Learning Works by Kristin Welcome to How Learning Works with Kristin D. Today we will explore some learning principles, all based on research, that can help improve your teaching (Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, & Norman, 2010). Throughout this presentation, we will focus on each learning principle and techniques you can use to become a better teacher. The first learning principle is in regards to a student’s prior knowledge. How Learning Works by Kristin

Student’s prior knowledge can either help or hinder learning A student’s prior knowledge can help or hinder learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). Prior knowledge means all of those thoughts and beliefs that the student has picked up throughout their life (Ambrose et al., 2010). Prior knowledge can be good or bad. If prior knowledge is accurate, then it is good because it gives a solid foundation for learning new things. There are 3 types of ‘bad’ prior knowledge that hinder learning and they are insufficient, inaccurate, and inappropriate (Ambrose et al., 2010). Insufficient prior knowledge is when the base isn’t enough to build upon. Inappropriate prior knowledge ties in with the fact that information is contextual. When put into the wrong context, this can interfere with the learning process (Ambrose et al., 2010). Inaccurate prior knowledge basically means that the prior knowledge is wrong. These are some things that an educator needs to watch for and course-correct as needed. So, how can we use prior knowledge to our advantage in helping others learn?

Measure student’s prior knowledge by giving a pre-test There are a number of strategies that help teachers effectively work with prior knowledge in the classroom. In order to do this, you have to know what prior knowledge your students will need to be successful in your class (Ambrose et al., 2010). then, determine a way to measure the student’s prior knowledge. This could be done by giving a pre-test to gage how much the students know coming in (Ambrose et al., 2010). You could also have students create a concept map, giving you insight into how much they already know (Ambrose et al., 2010). Once you have measured prior knowledge, your next step is to activate prior knowledge that is accurate, or correct (Ambrose et al., 2010).

Activate prior knowledge by making connections to every day life There are many ways to activate a student’s prior knowledge, such as using analogies to every day life, or relating the new material back to the foundational principles (Ambrose et al., 2010). Instead of just teaching that one plus one equals two, you can relate it back to a real life scenario. For example, Fido has one bone and you give him another bone. How many bones does Fido have? Two! And that concludes the section on how prior knowledge can help or hinder learning.

The way we organize information impacts how we learn and perform Next, the way learners organize information in their brain directly correlates to the learning and knowledge retrieval process (Ambrose et al., 2010). This is the second learning principle. As educators, we can help students organize knowledge in a meaningful way.  First, we need to determine how we have the information organized in our heads (Ambrose et al., 2010).

Create a concept map to help you identify how you have the information organized Organize knowledge Concept map Inaccurate Inappropriate Prior knowledge How learning works Motivation One way to do this is to create a concept map to understand how you organized the knowledge. For those that may not be familiar with a concept map, it is a graphic tool used to organize and represent knowledge (Wikipedia). Goals Confidence Insufficient Practice and feedback

Present the content in a way that forces learners to organize it in a meaningful way Creating the concept map allows you to analyze the objectives (i.e. what you want them to be able to do) and construct the information in a way that helps students organize knowledge as they are learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). Once again, this is important because the way we organize information drives how we perform.

Motivation is a big factor in how hard someone will try to learn The third learning principle is that a student’s level of motivation directly correlates to how hard they will try and what they will do to learn (Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, & Norman, 2010).  

Set realistic goals to build confidence and then work your way up To help students see value, tie the material back to real life and make it interesting. Similar to the Fido example. (Ambrose et al., 2010). Set challenging but realistic goals, starting with small assignments that help build confidence and then work your way up (Ambrose et al., 2010). The same thing goes with educating others. Do not push too hard, as that may have the opposite effect and discourage them from trying.

Knowing when and how to put skills to use is crucial to fully grasping a subject The fourth learning principle is that In order to fully grasp a subject, students not only have to learn the skills and theory but also must practice putting them together and know when and how to put the skills to use (Ambrose et al., 2010). Think about teaching someone to drive. They learn all of the basics separately then have to know when to shift, when to check their blind spot, when to use the blinker, windshield wipers, and so on.

Goal directed practice along with feedback are critical to learning The fifth and last learning principle I will discuss ties in with hands on experience, as it couples goal-oriented practice with feedback as critical components to learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). A basketball player cannot just practice free throws alone, they need feedback as well. A coach can provide goal directed practice by setting expectations about practice (Ambrose et al., 2010). This lets the student know how much time and effort is needed to be successful (Ambrose et al., 2010). Also important, when giving feedback, is that we balance strengths and weaknesses. It is often a good idea to give feedback at the group level (Ambrose et al., 2010). For example, the coach may give a talk to the whole team about common errors that she has observed (Ambrose et al., 2010).

Apply this information to your teaching situations and you will have great success Thank you for viewing this presentation. I hope you have found the information beneficial and can apply it to help make you a better teacher, trainer, parent, or any other role that involves helping others learn.

References Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C. & Norman, M. K. (2010).  How Learning Works: 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wikipedia (2012) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map