Teaching Learning

Many of the habits of mind that we take for granted in our scholarly work are not as obvious to our students. They may not notice how the organization you used in your presentation can be a great memory aid. They may follow your logic but not realize they could imitate it. As artists know, people can look at a picture and still not see it. Likewise, teachers should not assume students will recognize practical learning strategies because they seem obvious. Effective teachers know that integrating these skills into the lesson enhances each student's ability to master the content. While there are many possible learning strategies that might be taught, the following suggestions are examples we hope will encourage you to think about the variety of learning strategies you might share with your students.

Advanced Basic Strategies

While college students have been successful with many basic learning skills, there are some advanced ones that you can share in your lessons.

Organization. Long term memory works by fitting information into an organizing framework. Once students see a clear organizer, they can use it to sort information effectively. Call attention to your method for organizing and show students how it gives a sensible way to understand the material. Discuss acronyms, outlines, steps or stages, graphic designs, or narratives that can be used as an intellectual scaffold for your material.

Discrimination. Ask students to make important discriminations in the material. What is the main idea and what is the example? What is the author's position and what is the critic's? What is the important thing to look for? Then, reflect on how they did. Have small groups discuss the strategies they used during the last 10 minutes of class.

Time. Discuss with the class the best ways to use their time on the assigned tasks. How long should they spend? How should they divide their work sessions? Go beyond telling them what to do. Ask students to raise their concerns and help them develop effective responses.

Critical Thinking Strategies

Our courses often assume that students will use critical thinking skills without anyone having to tell them. Make your expectations more clear by demonstrating and discussing the skills you want them to use.

Questions. Learning usually starts with questions. What questions should your students be asking? What questions led to the discoveries you are sharing? What ones will help them produce quality work? What questions should they ask to be sure they have met a fair standard? You can create opportunities for your class to brainstorm lists of questions that are appropriate for the work they are engaged in.

Problem Solving. Offer your students a guide to problem solving and give them the opportunity to practice using it. Some guides describe a set of steps to follow; others recommend general procedures. You may need to create your own model. Call if you want a copy of a 5-step model I adapted for my course. Guy Bensusan has created an "escalator" to lead his students through his humanities courses. See the following address: http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/JUL00_Issue/story03.htm

Evaluation. Contrary to popular belief, students want to be evaluated . . . if the process helps them become more successful. Have students evaluate their work. They can use a set of questions or an evaluation protocol you develop. You can also ask them to develop their own criteria. Discuss which strategies were most helpful and which were not. Allow students some time to respond to their peer's evaluation before collecting and grading the assignment.

Discipline Specific Skills

There are special strategies used in each of our discipline areas that students must learn in order to be successful. The more opportunities they have to talk about them, observe them, and practice them, the more they will use them in their own learning.

Intellectuality. In a fascinating essay on courses for first year students Marshall Gregory explains that there are fundamental attitudes and skills for academic work that guide students to search out answers thoughtfully. Without the intellectual interest piqued by such questions, students may find our courses boring and unconnected. You can read how this professor teaches turned-off students the habits of being intellectual. Call the CIRT for a copy of the essay.

Methods. Give students a reading on specific methods used in your field. Teach them the typical procedures that are used. Ask them to apply these methods in their work. A good introductory text usually outlines some ideas. For a more irreverent look at your field, ask us for a chapter on how to "unschool" students studying your discipline.

Final Comments

How students think is often as important as what they think. Good teachers balance their efforts to include instruction in both. Next week, our tips will suggest ways you can get students to apply learning skills in their work.

This Teaching Tip was first published by Indiana State University’s, Center for Teaching and Learning on September 27, 1997.