how people learn

HOW PEOPLE LEARN

Peter Newbury Center for Teaching Development,University of California, San Diego

pnewbury@ucsd.edu @polarisdotca

#ctducsd

YOU CAN HELP

slides and resources: ctd.ucsd.edu/2012/11/how-people-learn/

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Theories of Learning

Many lectures based in transmissionist learning model.

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Scientifically Outdated, Culturally a Known Failure

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How People Learn1

People actively construct their own knowledge

Individual Based in pre-existing understanding

Biologically, learning changes the brain Proteins form, neurons fire Technology allowing us to observe learning

as it happens (fMRIs)[1] Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning with additional material from the Committee on Learning Research and Educational Practice, National Research Council. "1 Learning: From Speculation to Science." How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2000.

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How People Learn6

Learning is not about whatprofessors do.

It’s about what students do!

How People Learn7

Learning is not about whatprofessors do.

It’s about what students do!

Corollary: Students will not learn (just) by listening to the

professor explain

Let’s have a learning experience…

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New Coding System

Please memorize this code:

1 = 4 = 7 =

2 = 5 = 8 =

3 = 6 = 9 =

0 =

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Test

What is this number?

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New Coding System

Here’s the structure of the code:

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

0 =

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Test

What is this number?

Constructivism13

All new learning is based in pre-existing knowledge that you hold.

You store things in long term memory through a set of connections that are made with previous existing memories.

Higher-level learning = brain development

T.J. Shors, “Saving New Brain Cells”Sci. Amer. 300, 46-54 (March 2009).

Another Example of Constructivism:14

Put up your hand when you know what this means:

NBCNRAFBIUSAIRS

Key Finding 115

Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside of the classroom.

How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 14.

How do you think undergrad students feel about learning your field?

1. To learn [your field], I only need to memorize facts and definitions.

A B C D EStrongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

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How do you think undergrad students feel about learning your field?

1. To learn [your field], I only need to memorize facts and definitions.

2. Knowledge in [your field] consists of many disconnected topics.

A B C D EStrongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

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Key Finding 218

To develop competence in an area of inquiry, students must: have a deep foundation of factual

knowledge, understand facts and ideas in the

context of a conceptual framework, and organize knowledge in ways that

facilitate retrieval and application.How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 16.

Key Finding 319

A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. How People Learn – Chapter 1, p 18.

Please break into groups of 3...20

Each set of cards has 3 Key Findings 3 Implications for Teaching 3 Designing Classroom Environments

TASK: For each Key Finding, match one Implication for Teaching and one Designing Classroom Environment.

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Implications for Instructorsand Teaching Assistants

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Traditional (lecture) class23

students get very little opportunity for “expert” feedback

First Exposure

Lecture Textbook

Read Hard Stuff

Homework

See if You Know Hard Stuff

Exam

Show KnowledgeMastery

Everyone constructs their own understanding:

I can’t dump understanding into your brain.

To learn, YOU must actively work with a problemand construct your own understanding of it.

Greater opportunity for expert feedback

Constructivist classHomework Lecture Lab Exam

Show KnowledgeMastery

First Exposure:With resources and

Feedback

Learn Hard Stuff:With teacher and

discussion

Practice Knowledge

Mastery

QUIZ

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When you are the instructor, try…

Peer Instruction (aka “clickers”) One of most-studied active learning

techniques for improving learning Works in the large and small lecture

halls Focuses students on their role and

responsibility as the learner

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Typical Peer Instruction Episode

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Alternating with 5-10 minute “mini-lectures”,

1. Instructor poses a conceptually-challengingmultiple-choice question.

2. Students think about question on their own.

3. Students vote for an answer using clickers, coloured cards, ABCD voting cards,...

4. The instructor reacts, based on the distribution of votes.

Reacting to their votes

When you know the first-vote distribution (but the students don’t) you have many options: confirm and move on ask students to discuss with their peers,

vote again ask students to advocate for the choices

they made, vote again check that the question made sense eliminate one or more choices before re-

voting and more...

This is where you show your teaching agility.

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In effective peer instruction

students teach each other immediately,while they may still hold or remembertheir novice misconceptions

students discuss the concepts in theirown language

the instructor finds out what the students know (and don’t know) and reacts

students learn and practice how to think, communicate like experts

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Effective peer instruction requires1. identifying key concepts,

misconceptions2. creating multiple-choice questions

that require deeper thinking and learning

3. facilitating peer instruction episodes that spark student discussion

4. resolving the misconceptions

beforeclass

duringclass

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Clicker Question

The molecules making up the dry mass of wood that forms during the growth of a tree largely come from a) sunlight.b) the air.c) the seed.d) the soil.

Question credit: Bill Wood

Veritasium (Derek Muller)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KZb2_vcNTg

Active Learning Techniques forDiscussion Sections

Think, Pair Share or peer instruction with clickers

One-Minute papers: What is most confusing right now? (“muddiest point”)

Problem Solving in Groups Provide scaffold/structure Ask what steps would you take to solve

problem(versus actually solving them)

Critique or “fix” sample work/problem overhead slides, document cameras,

board? The duck...

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Discussion Sections

Learning is not about what TAs explain.It’s about what students understand!

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Discussion Sections

Learning is not about what TAs explain.It’s about what students understand!

Corollary 1: Students will not understand (just) by watching the TA solve problems.

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Discussion Sections

Learning is not about what TAs explain.It’s about what students understand!

Corollary 1: Students will not understand (just) by watching the TA solve problems.

Corollary 2: BE LESS HELPFUL.

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But really ask yourself…

Who is doing the work?You or the students?

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HOW PEOPLE LEARN

Peter Newbury Center for Teaching Development,University of California, San Diego

pnewbury@ucsd.edu @polarisdotca

#ctducsd

YOU CAN HELP

slides and resources: ctd.ucsd.edu/2012/11/how-people-learn/