1. A guide to teaching content using TOC
Danilo Sirias, Ph.D.
Christopher Newport University

2. Introduction TOC applications in education Management philosophy
Discipline/behavior
Teaching content

3. Teaching-learning UDEs
Students do not retain what they learn
Students do not see the relevance of the subject being taught
Teachers feel frustrated with the rate of learning
Students do not know how to think

4. Curriculums at any school
Content curriculum
Learning curriculum
Hare Brain Tortoise Mind by Guy Claxton 1997

5. Content Curriculum
It is the body of knowledge and skills that students are supposed to learn.
Examples are arithmetic, French, philosophy, etc.
Many schools have standardized tests put in place to evaluate the level of success as it relates to content curriculum.

6. Learning curriculum Teaching students about how to learn.
It includes what is learning, what are effective learning methods, etc.
Learning curriculum is as important as the content curriculum…. and maybe even more important.

7. Some facts about teaching methods
Lecturing is the most “efficient” method of teaching
Lecturing is the most boring method of teaching
Students learn better if they “discover” or invent themselves the concepts a teacher wants them to learn

8. Interactive learning
Interactive learning encompasses a series of techniques whereby students invent their own solutions. For example:
Role playing
Games
Socratic approach

9. There is a common thread on these methods.....
They take a lot of time!

10. Is time a constraint? Yes!!
We want to cover as much material as we because of
Standardized testing
Readiness for next grade

11. The cloud Ensure students learn the concepts Use interactive teaching
Be a good
teacher
Cover most
topics in
the program
Do not use
interactive
teaching

12. An assumption Ensure students learn the concepts Use interactive
teaching
Be a good
teacher
Cover most
topics in
the program
Do not use
interactive
teaching
Interactive
learning takes too long

13. TOC as a solution
If I could sum up the Theory of Constraints from my 12 years of research,…it would simply be two words: focus and leverage Debra Smith, The measurement nightmare

14. Traditional interactive teaching methods
TOC teaching method

15. TOC teaching guiding principle
Use TOC tools to help students develop solutions themselves and in the most efficient manner

16. A guide to teaching content using TOC
Class preparation
Types of concept that can be taught with TOC
Examples
Future activities

17. Class preparation (TrT)
ILO
Teaching activity
Next topic
Reason
Intermediate learning
objective (ILO)
Activity to transition
to the next topic
Teaching activity
First topic
Reason
Activity to transition
to the first topic
Class introduction

18. Examples of concepts that can be taught with TOC

19. Conflict
The objective is to teach students a common conflict and to explore some possible solutions
The focus of the teaching is the conflict itself and not the solution
Another objective is to relate the conflict with something relevant to the students
Example: Cricket and the ant story

20. Procedure to teach conflict’s ILO
A dilemma is presented through a story
Find the cloud
Explore different ways to break the cloud
Ask students whether they have experience a similar problem in their life
Explore solutions to the students’ dilemmas

21. Concepts as solutions Many concepts are solutions!!
If a concept is a solution to a problem and we want the student to invent the solution then we must first tell them what the problem is
Solutions when the problem is a conflict
Solutions when the problem is that we do not know how to solve it

22. Solution to a problem (conflict)
The objective is to teach a concept which is a solution to a chronic conflict
The focus is on understanding the problem and to find the assumption that is invalidated with the solution

23. What is the cloud? ?
Solution
(Concept)

24. Using the cloud to teach concepts that are solutions to a conflict
1. Study the concept to be taught. Is it a solution?
2. Find the cloud broken by the solution
3. Develop a strategy for students to find the cloud
4. Follow the steps to break the cloud
5. Give the “right name” to the concept

25. How to find the cloud
Determine at least 6 UDEs that the solution is supposed to eliminate
Develop small stories about three randomly selected UDEs
Write mini clouds for those three UDEs
Construct a generic cloud

26. How can students find the cloud?
Students have some experience on the subject
Use 3-ude cloud method
Discuss advantages and disadvantages
Students do not have experience on the subject
Use case studies/stories

27. Solution to a problem (How-to)
The objective is to teach students how to accomplish a specific task.
The focus is on developing the steps needed to accomplish something
Example 1: How to arrange boxes in ascending order according to weight
Example 2: How to save the animal kingdom (helping Noah)

28. Relationship among entities
The objective is to teach students how different entities (e.g. historical events, scientific facts, etc.) relates to each other
The focus can be on either finding the reasons underlying the relationship or the effects caused by the entities

29. Cause-and-effect Branch
Supporting
argument
Supporting
argument
Effect
Supporting
argument
Supporting
argument
Effect
Supporting
argument
Starting
condition

30. Reading a cause-and-effect branch
Then
Effect 2
Because
Supporting
argument If
Effect 1

31. Cause-and-effect Branch
Supporting
argument
Supporting
argument
Effect
Supporting
argument
Supporting
argument
Effect
Supporting
argument
Starting
condition
ILOs

32. Cause-and-effect Branch
Supporting
argument
Supporting
argument
Effect
ILOs
Supporting
argument
Supporting
argument
Effect
Supporting
argument
Starting
condition

33. Future activities Generic negative branch
Web site devoted to use TOC to teach content
Development of a workshop
Constraint may move from the discipline aspect to the teaching aspect