Principles of Teaching and Learning

PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

Notes of ROJoson for Faculty Training (circa 1993)

Reynaldo O. Joson, MD, MHA, MHPEd

All teachers, educators, and faculty of whatever discipline should know the following:

1. Meaning of teaching and learning

2. Principles of teaching and learning

2.1 The learning process

2.2 The role of the teacher

2.3 The role of the learner

1. WHAT IS LEARNING?

Learning is a change in human behavior or disposition or performance or capability which persists over a period of time and which is not simply ascribable to a process of human growth.

Question: What are the rationale for the three criteria?

Clues:

Learning is an internal process.

Human development consists of growth and learning.

2. WHAT IS TEACHING?

Teaching is the role played by a teacher, an educator, or faculty to ensure that learning takes place in the learners or students.

3. WHAT IS INSTRUCTION?

Source: Palma

INSTRUCTION is that phase of the curricular process that is concerned with the organization of the learners, the learning environment, and the experiences of learning in order to optimize learning outcomes.

It consists of a set of experiences and resources that the teacher and learners utilize to achieve the learning objectives.

There are two sides to the coin of instruction:

1. Teaching

2. Learning

Source: Gagne

The external events, when they are planned for the purpose of supporting learning, are called by the general name of

INSTRUCTION.

INSTRUCTION is best planned so that it will always make available the external stimulation needed to support the internal processes of learning.

4. WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT, TEACHING OR LEARNING?

Source: Palma

Although teaching usually comes first, in point of priority, learning is more important.

If the end result of education is the betterment of a person, then learning assumes primary significance in the educative effort.

Learning is an internal activity; it is the learner who learns.

It is what he does which enables him to learn, not so much what the teacher does.

The teacher is merely supportive, not causative in students' learning.

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO LEARN THAN TO BE TAUGHT.

Teaching or what the teacher does is important only insofar as it advances the intended learning outcomes.

Source: Other

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER HOW MUCH THE STUDENT LEARNS THAN HOW MUCH THE TEACHER TEACHES.

Typically, teacher-centered learning is concerned with TRANSMISSION OF CONTENT by the TEACHER.

Student-centered learning is concerned with ACQUISITION OF CONTENT by the STUDENT.

5. IN A TEACHING-LEARNING SESSION, WHO PLAYS THE ROLE OF TEACHING AND WHO PLAYS THE ROLE OF LEARNING?

The teacher teaches and in the process, he also learns.

The student learns from the teaching of the teacher.

Thus, TEACHING - For the TEACHERS

LEARNING - For the STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

6. WHAT IS EFFECTIVE TEACHING?

What should be learned? à What is the best way of teaching?

TEACHING AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Effective teaching is an art and a science.

Effective teaching is based on principles.

The principles do not state exactly how much will be learned under different circumstances.

Instead, they indicate which methods are likely to be more helpful.

Applying the principles will make it more likely (though not certain) that students will learn.

Applying the principles will also help students to learn faster and more permanently.

Source: Palma

As teachers, we should provide suitable conditions for encouraging learning to take place.

This is the limit of what we can achieve.

This is the most that we can do.

Theories and principles of learning only answer some of our questions.

They cannot tell us precisely how to ensure that learning takes place in each situation. We can only find this out by trial and error.

7. HOW SHOULD TEACHERS REGARD THE STUDENTS?

Some would regard the students' state as one of innocence - that of an empty vessel waiting to be filled.

Studies of child development such as those of Piaget give another picture from that of the empty vessel - of a mind that, at whatever level of development and however ignorant of the substance of what is to be taught, is already furnished with ideas or concepts or attitudes, some of which may stand in the way of responding to new knowledge in a simple, open, receptive way.

The student is not a passive receptacle, but always has to undertake considerable work to rearrange the furniture of his mind to accommodate new materials. EVERYBODY IS BORNE WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INTELLIGENCE.

8. WHAT IS THE LEARNING PROCESS?

Source: Palma

The interaction of the learners with conditions in the environment which brings about a change in behavior for the better.

Source: Gagne

Learning occurs as a result of interaction between a learner and his environment.

We know learning has taken place when we observe that the learner's performance has been modified.

Learning events are external while the processes of learning are internal, that is taking place in the central nervous system.

PHASES OF AN ART OF LEARNING AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PROCESSES:

INSTRUCTION is best planned so that it will always make available the EXTERNAL STIMULATION needed to support the INTERNAL PROCESSES OF LEARNING.

LEARNING PROCESSES (EVENTS OF LEARNING)

(Motivation ----------------> Feedback)

EXTERNAL CONDITIONS WHICH SUPPORT ENCODING PROCESSES FOR THE FIVE KINDS OF LEARNING OUTCOMES OR CAPABILITIES:

Source: Other

9. WHAT ARE SOME LEARNING PRINCIPLES THAT TEACHERS SHOULD KNOW AND UTILIZE WHEN THEY DESIGN AND CONDUCT A LEARNING SESSION?

WANTING TO LEARN - MOTIVATION

Students learn faster and more thoroughly when they want to learn. Involve them actively. Make the learning experience pleasant.

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Learning is affected by the social relationships between the people involved. Be a caring teacher.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS

The physical surrounding can also affect learning. The basic principle is that learning takes place best when there are no distractions. Take note of temperature of the classroom, the sound system, the size of the room, etc.

CLARITY

For students to learn, the message communicated to the students must be clear. Communicate skillfully.

RELEVANCE TO THE FUTURE

In general, students will learn more rapidly when they realize that what they are learning will be useful to themselves in the future.

RELEVANCE TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

People learn faster when the new information or skill is related to what they already know or can do.

STRUCTURE

Learning will be more rapid when the information or skills are presented in a structured way.

ACTIVE LEARNING

Learning takes place quicker when students actively process information, solve problems, or practice skills.

Choose your preference:

• • Hear and forget.

  • See and remember.

  • Do and understand.

FEEDBACK

Feedback increases the speed of learning.

SPEED

Learning is fastest when the speed of presenting information matches the speed at which students can learn.

Take note of individual differences of students.

TEACHER'S MASTERY OF TEACHING

Elicit students' respect and confidence in you by your mastery of the subject matter and mastery of the art of teaching.

10. WHAT ARE THE DESIRED TEACHER BEHAVIORS?

1. Gives examples and illustrations.

2. Presents lesson in proper order which is easy to understand.

3. Comes to class regularly.

4. Adjusts method of instruction to student's abilities.

5. Tries to find out if students learned by asking questions or encourages students to ask questions.

11. WHAT ARE THE UNDESIRABLE TEACHER BEHAVIORS?

1. Insults students.

2. Is often absent.

3. Displays excessive anger.

4. Shows favoritism.

12. WHAT ARE THE BEHAVIORS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS?

1. Comes to class on time.

2. Listens to and helps students with problems.

3. Explains lessons well.

4. Makes students to feel at ease.

5. Adjusts to students' level.

6. Speaks fluently.

7. Repeats or elaborates if students do not understand.

8. Entertains questions.

9. Smiles.

10. Treats students with respect.

13. WHAT ARE COMPETENCIES REQUIRED OF A TEACHER WHEN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A LEARNING SESSION?

SEE SELF-ASSESSMENT FORM FOR TEACHERS BELOW:

SELF-ASSESSMENT FOR TEACHERS

DIRECTIONS: Assess your training needs on each of the competencies listed below. Use the rating scale where:

(1) means I am already competent and do not need to learn about it.

(2) means I am fairly competent and need a little improvement.

(3) means I need a lot of improvement.

Place NA if a non-applicable situation arises.

IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING TEACHING, I DO/WOULD

ROJ@17may7