1. From TEACHING to LEARNING
Building a culture for learner-focused programs
Dr. Peter Zettinig
University of Turku
April 16th 2013

2. A program director’s questions:
WHAT are the goals and purpose of a Master Degree Program in Business & Management Studies?
How do we know that we accomplish them?

3. (1) Potential Answers
Purpose:
Develop professional managers and
skilled entrepreneurs
Enrich the labour market for the better of the economy and society
Exploit given and explore new knowledge and opportunities
Advance scientific knowlege and relevance for practice

4. (2) Potential Answers
Effectiveness:
(a) Measure the inputs?
e.g. how many hours we teach?
e.g. how many hours we spend on
research?
e.g. how many administrators we keep busy?
e.g. who we enrol into a program
(b) Measure the outcomes?
e.g. what do students learn?
e.g. how successful are graduates?
(c) Measure the process?
e.g. how students transform?

5. A program’s effectiveness is a function of:
Three propositions – competing theories of what teaching is -
A program’s effectiveness is a function of:

6. EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
THEORIES OF TEACHING
Theory 1
Focus: What the student is.
Theory 2
Focus: What the teacher does.
Theory 3
Focus: What the student does.
Cf. Ramsden, 2003; Prosser & Trigwell, 1999; Biggs, 1996; Shuell, 1986

7. EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
THEORIES OF TEACHING
Student differences
Good students
Poor students
Teacher’s job to be a
subject expert
Expound content
clearly
Students come to
lecture and listen
carefully
Transmit information
Differences in learning
because there are
differences in ability
Differences in
Motivation
Which school they
went to
Command of English
Theory 1
Focus: What the student is.
Theory 2
Focus: What the teacher does.
Theory 3
Focus: What the student does.
Cf. Ramsden, 2003; Prosser & Trigwell, 1999; Biggs, 1996; Shuell, 1986
Educative activity: SELECT!

8. EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
THEORIES OF TEACHING
Theory 1
Focus: What the student is.
Theory 2
Focus: What the teacher does.
Theory 3
Focus: What the student does.
Cf. Ramsden, 2003; Prosser & Trigwell, 1999; Biggs, 1996; Shuell, 1986
Search of effective
ways of teaching.
Learning is a function of
what the teacher does.
Acquisition of
teaching skills.
Blame is on teacher
if learning ineffective
Focus here is also
on transmission
But also on under-
standing, not just
Information
Teacher’s responsibility:
‘GETTING IT ACROSS’
Educative activity: How to teach, rather than how students learn

9. EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
THEORIES OF TEACHING
What does it mean to
understand?
What teaching-learning
activities are required
to reach understanding.
Levels of understanding?
What students need to do
to reach different levels
How the teacher knows if they
reached levels
Teaching seen as
support for learning.
Variety of teaching
techniques, but they
are irrelevant if no
learning takes place.
Focus is not only on
facts, concepts and
principles, but on
means to ‘understand’.
Theory 1
Focus: What the student is.
Theory 2
Focus: What the teacher does.
Theory 3
Focus: What the student does.
Cf. Ramsden, 2003; Prosser & Trigwell, 1999; Biggs, 1996; Shuell, 1986
Educative activity: SYSTEMIC

10. Challenge:
Finding means to develop from a teaching-oriented to a learning-oriented culture.

11. EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
SCIENCE OF LEARNING
If effective learning is a result of focusing on the interactions
between teaching and learning
then
we will have to consider the basics in how people learn

12. EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
SCIENCE OF LEARNING
Science of learning – process of knowing
Human beings are goal-directed agents, seek information
Students construct of new knowledge and comprehension
is based on what students believe and already know.
[cf. Constructivism, cognitive science and neurology]
Cf. Barkley et al, 2005; Bransford et al, 2000; Cobb, 1999; Piaget, 1978; Vygotsky, 1978

13. EFFECTIVE DESIGN AND A CULTURE OF LEARNING
EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
IN SEARCH OF A MAGIC BULLET
Proposition
Increased effectiveness in learning
can be attained through
EFFECTIVE DESIGN AND A CULTURE OF LEARNING

14. EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Some core components
EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
IN SEARCH OF A MAGIC BULLET
EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Some core components
‘Alignment between course objectives and assessment,
a criterion referenced (cf. Biggs, 1999) or
standards-referenced assessment (cf. Ramsden, 2003)’
How: Clear and Integrated Progam and Course Objectives

15. EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Some core components
EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
IN SEARCH OF A MAGIC BULLET
EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Some core components
Anchor new learning in preconceptions and previous knowledge
(cf. Barkley et al, 2005; Brandsford et al, 2000).
How: Collaborative Learning

16. EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Some core components
EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
IN SEARCH OF A MAGIC BULLET
EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Some core components
Detect, monitor and transform misconceptions
(cf. Ramsden, 2003).
How: Formative Feedback (vs. Summative Feedback)

17. EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Conclusive Prescriptions
EFFECTIVENESS & EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
IN SEARCH OF A MAGIC BULLET
EFFECTIVE DESIGN: Conclusive Prescriptions
Provide students with images of attractive
desirable futures for their own lives.
Develop meaningful learning objectives that are rigorously reinforced and aligned.
Design facilitated student activities.
Provide extensive formative feedback on where students stand
vis-à-vis learning objectives.
Shift the responsibility of student learning to the learner and provide all means necessary to assist them reach their highest potential

18. QUESTIONS?