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ENSC 803 Teaching Fundamentals
Steve Whitmore July 2010
The mind can only absorb what the ass can
endure.
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? 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.

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Why Teaching Matters

• Fundamentally, the mission of the University is
  threefold
• Generating knowledge (Researching the lab)
• Preserving knowledge (Archiving the library)
• Transmitting knowledge (Teaching the classroom)

• 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 doesnt stand up (to scrutiny) too well.

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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
  Blooms taxonomy ASK (critical thinking).

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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?

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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 !!

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Cognition and Brain Research

• Research is starting to reveal that cognitive
  models are, in fact, 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 working memory to
  long-term memory.
• In 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.

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

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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.

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The Hook

• The goal is to attract the learners 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

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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

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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.

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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 learners mastery of content rather
  than on your presentation.

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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.

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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

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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

!
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Learning Outcomes
Blooms Taxonomy Benjamin Bloom was an
educational psychologist who led a team in the
mid 1950s 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.

• Affective Domain Growth in feelings or emotional
  areas (Attitude)
• Psychomotor Domain Manual or physical skills
  (Skills)
• Cognitive Domain Mental skills (Knowledge)

ASK !!
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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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10 Commandments of Good Teaching

• Get focused before you walk into the
  classroomWhat 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?
• Start effectivelyWhat are your opening words?
  Will you be standing up or sitting down? What
  kind of atmosphere/mood are you trying to create?
• Let the learners know what is expected of them by
  the end of the lesson and what they will be
  doingWill 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.

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10 Commandments of Good Teaching

• Find out what the learners already knowWhat if
  everyone already knows the topic? What if people
  arent at the level you expected? What if some
  people are quite familiar with the topic and some
  arent?
• Catch learners attention and keep them
  interested and involvedWhy should people be
  interested in learning about this topic? What
  will motivate them?
• Use appropriate techniquesWhat techniques will
  best help achieve the type of outcome you intend?
• Use appropriate resourcesWhat resources will
  most effectively support your presentation?

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10 Commandments of Good Teaching

• Check learner progress every now and then and let
  them know how they are doingHow will you
  measure and evaluate learning? During the lesson?
  After the lesson? How will learners know how well
  they are doing?
• Close effectivelyWhat are your closing words?
  What do you want learners doing or thinking
  about? What mood do you want to leave in the
  room?
• Decide beforehand how you will use your timeHow
  much time should you spend on each part of your
  lesson?
• Source David Tickner, Vancouver Community College

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A Brief Review

• Can you name the various parts of the three
  models presented in this module?
• CAMP
• HOP3
• ASK

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A Few Teaching Resources

• Learning and Instructional Development Centre
  (LIDC)
• TA Day (many good workshops)
• Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW)
• Certificate in University Teaching and Learning
  for Graduate Students
• 8 month (120 hours) certificate from SFU
• Provincial Instructors Diploma Program
• 6 courses (plus practicum) offered at Vancouver
  Community College (VCC).
• Equivalent to one year of a BEd.
• Steves Education Library
• I have various materials related to effective
  teaching in my office.
• Available for loan if you promise to return them.

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TAs for ENSC 101/100 305/440

• Mike Sjoerdsma is looking for TAs for ENSC
  100/101 305/440 if you are interested, I
  suggest you apply. ENSC 803 provides a useful
  foundation for teaching them.
• Blind Review is due in ENSC dropbox on Thursday,
  July 22nd. Returned in class on 27th.
• Next class is on Tuesday July 27th (conference
  presentations). Questions?
• Enjoy the sun.