Teaching to Learn

By Phil Callahan and Michael Marks

The learning-teaching course is a twist on the typical academic preparation-type courses in that this course looks at learning through the eyes of an educator – as you in the role of the instructor. As such, this course may be described as a process of “learning-to-teach-to-learn” where you will explore and practice the design and implementation of learning in a manner that encourages an understanding of instructional design and teaching practices. And, as a consequence, better understand one’s own learning style and how to maximize learning success.

The goal of the learning-teaching course is to research and apply theories and practices known to promote academic success in learning and teaching with some emphasis on instructional presentation. In addition to assisting you to acquire and develop knowledge and strategies that enhance academic and personal development, the course is designed to broaden awareness to diversity in learning and individuals.

Particular focus will be placed on the effective instructional design, presentation and evaluation methods. The expectation is that one will apply principles from the course by developing and documenting methods that improve personal learning performance and by producing a technology-based presentation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Phil Callahan
• Release date: Aug 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463949634

Phil Callahan

Philip Callahan, Ph.D., EMTP is currently an Emeritus Professor at the University of Arizona.He has served on government and community committees focusing on the research,development and evaluation of resilience-oriented education addressing first responders andcombat veterans and in leadership and academic positions at he University of Arizona toinclude Arizona Health Sciences Center, Assoc Professor Ed Psychology, Assoc ProfessorVeterans Education and as a firefighter and paramedic in southern Arizona. He was a2013 JEMS 10 recipient.

Book preview

The learning-teaching course is a twist on the typical academic preparation-type courses in that this course looks at learning through the eyes of an educator – as you in the role of the instructor. As such, this course may be described as a process of learning-to-teach-to-learn where you will explore and practice the design and implementation of learning in a manner that encourages an understanding of instructional design and teaching practices. And, as a consequence, better understand one’s own learning style and how to maximize learning success.

The goal of the learning-teaching course is to research and apply theories and practices known to promote academic success in learning and teaching with some emphasis on instructional presentation. In addition to assisting you to acquire and develop knowledge and strategies that enhance academic and personal development, the course is designed to broaden awareness to diversity in learning and individuals.

Particular focus will be placed on the effective instructional design, presentation and evaluation methods. The expectation is that one will apply principles from the course by developing and documenting methods that improve personal learning performance and by producing a technology-based presentation.

A traditional journaling approach versus that of a setting where papers are passed-in in either a real or virtual (electronic) manner poses logistical issues that should be considered at the outset of this course. In particular, such tools as blogging lend themselves to a journaling approach and certainly can be used. Additionally, the 200-400 word commentaries that appear frequently in this course allow for opportunities to interact at a mentor-mentee or at a facilitator level , but only if these commentaries are shared rather than as appearing as static elements in the journal. Hence, opportunities either through a traditional submission of paper or through some electronic means needs to be recognized and agreed upon. The environment will determine your methods.

Resources

A succinct college student financial guide: Riffe, T. (2006) Money Matter$: First Steps to Financial Freedom for College Students. Tucson, AZ: Cyrus Publishing.

A supplemental text that provides additional information and insight to several learner-focused concepts presented in this workbook: Sherfield, R., Montgomery, R., & Moody, P. (2008) Cornerstone: Discovering Your Potential, Learning Actively and Living Well. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

1. Reading

1.1 Objective

Determine your reading characteristics to include speed and comprehension level.

The objective is the learning intent of this session. As you read this objective and participate in the activities that follow, attempt to relate this objective to the current activity and the broader concept presented as the Whole Task Objectives. The Whole Task Objectives typically span three sessions with each of the three sessions contributing to your overall understanding of the Whole Task Objective.

Whole Task Objectives

Apply and test methods to increase reading comprehension and learning.

Understand the purpose of measurement and obtaining measures.

Pretest

How many words per minute do you think you might typically read?

Relevancy

Reading comprehension refers to techniques for improving success in extracting useful knowledge from text (Mayer, 2003). And, reading proficiency requires the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly (Adams, 1990).

The 1997 U.S. National Reading Panel, using a comprehensive literature search on teaching reading comprehension, indicated that vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension instruction based on reading strategies, and effective teaching practices were critical to reading comprehension.

Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting.

--Aldous Huxley

Activity

Reading speed is limited by several factors. When we read, we do not, for example, focus on an entire paragraph. Rather, the eye moves across a line of type in movements or saccades and pauses or fixations. These fixations are of about ¼ second. The distance the eye moves between fixations is between one and 20 characters, with an average being seven to nine characters (see Figure 1.1). The lower line of text simulates the acuity of vision with the relative acuity percentages. Meaning is obtained from the word in focus.

Figure 1.1. Acuity of Foveal Vision when Reading. Used with permission under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.

Differences between faster and slower readers are related to how long an individual fixates, the length of saccades, and regressions back to already read material. Thus, a faster reader will have short fixations, long saccades, and few regressions to already read material. And, if the material being read is relatively easy, you may be able to get meaning from additional spaces on either side of the fixation point (Eye movement in language reading, 2009; Reading: Adjusting speed, n.d.).

A strategy for consideration when you are attempting to improve reading speed and comprehension is to adjust your reading rate depending upon the task you need to address (Reading Rate, 2003).

o Skim read material when you are searching for particular information.

o Scan read material to get an overview of the content.

o Rapidly read material you are already familiar with or from which you only want important facts.

o Normally read material to understand the content to the extent that you could answer a question about the content or be able to retell the content.

o Carefully read material when you are intending to evaluate, memorize, solve problems, outline information, or prepare for testing.

Calculate your reading rate by timing yourself reading several paragraphs. Try different types of reading to include magazine, text, and technical document. Count the words in the paragraphs you have read and divide by the time (in minutes) you required to read the paragraphs. The result is the number of words per minute you read. Alternatively, consider the use of a web site that will automatically calculate your reading while also providing a measurement of comprehension or understanding of the material you have read.

Time your reading of the Relevancy and Activity sections. What is your reading rate (words per minute)? Explain.

Follow-up

Obtain your baseline reading rate by the method described above or by using an online source, such as: http://www.readingsoft.com/

What is your reading rate (words per minute)? Did it change from your earlier measurement? If it did change, what do think caused the different measurement?

Whole Task Objectives Follow-up

The objective is the learning intent of this session: Determine your reading characteristics to include speed and comprehension level. Now, you want to attempt to relate this objective to the broader concept presented by the Whole Task Objective(s). The whole task objectives typically span three sessions with each of the three sessions contributing to your overall understanding of the whole task objectives. Much of your learning in higher education will require that you transfer a concept or learning from one course to another. Get in the habit of thinking about the big picture of how your current learning might be used in other classes or even over the course of your lifelong learning.

Describe why establishing a baseline measure can have an impact on your reading comprehension and learning.

How do establishing a baseline measures of reading relate to your overall understanding of measurement and obtaining measures?

Toolbox

Tools become the chunks of learning that you can use as resources when dealing with situations requiring resiliency. Consider developing a toolbox of 3x5 inch index cards with the tool name and a definition, in your own words, on each card. These cards can serve as quick source of information when you are reviewing or searching for a resiliency solution. Your tool from this learning: Reading Rate

1.2 Objective

Describe how to develop a more powerful vocabulary.

Whole Task Objectives

Apply and test methods to increase reading comprehension and learning.

Understand the purpose of measurement and obtaining measures.

Relevancy

Baker, Simmons, and Kameenui (1995) state that learning, as a language-based activity, is dependent on vocabulary knowledge such that an understanding of the meaning of words is essential to reflect on known concepts in novel ways. With inadequate vocabulary knowledge, learners are being asked to develop novel combinations of known concepts with insufficient tools.

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.

-- Margaret Fuller

Activity

Pressley (2001) points to the well established relationship or a correlation that good comprehenders tend to have good vocabularies, but there is also research showing that teaching vocabulary will increase readers’ comprehension.

Using a dictionary is a good way to better understand words and improve your vocabulary. When you look up a word, you will want to perform several tasks (See Figure 1.2).

o Determine the pronunciation. Some on-line dictionaries will have a hear me option.

o Find the parts of speech and related words.

o Identify the word meanings. These meanings are typically listed in a chronological manner such that the oldest meaning is listed first followed by newer meanings. Note that some dictionaries will specifically identify archaic (arch) meanings of the word.

o Look up any unknown abbreviations.

o Identify the word origins or etymologies as this may make the word more memorable.

o Review any examples of use. Try substituting the word in your own sentence.

o Look at any synonyms provided or consider using a thesaurus.

Dictionaries often use terminology and abbreviations to include as much information as possible in the word meaning. These elements include parts of speech (e.g. noun or n) and labels for languages (e.g. Am, Amer or America, American). For an extensive list of dictionary terminology refer to: http://dictionary.reference.com/features/wordtraveler22.html

per⋅spi⋅cac⋅i⋅ty

Show Spelled Pronunciation [pur-spi-kas-i-tee]

–noun

1. keenness of mental perception and understanding; discernment; penetration.

2. Archaic. keen vision.

Origin:

1540–50; earlier perspicacite < LL perspicācitās sharpness of sight, equiv. to perspicāci- (s. of perspicāx sharp-sighted; see PERSPICUOUS ) + -tās -TY ²

Figure 1.2. Sample Dictionary Look-up.

Several suggestions for improving your vocabulary include simply reading more, doing daily crossword puzzles, attaching a plug-in for word-of-the-day on your internet browser, reading a dictionary, playing scrabble, using a new word each day in your conversation and writing. These suggestions, established as life-long processes, will also aid in keeping your mind youthful as you continue to age.

Identify several on-line dictionaries and look up several words and identify key elements. What did you learn about looking up words that you did not know before performing this exercise?

Follow-up

Perform a word look up and be able to identify and understand the elements of the description.

If you were to look up a word in a dictionary and saw the abbreviation LL, what would that mean to you?

Have you considered a method you could use to improve your vocabulary?

Whole Task Objectives Follow-up

Describe how developing a more powerful vocabulary can have an impact on your reading comprehension and learning.

How does developing a more powerful vocabulary relate to your overall understanding of measurement and obtaining measures?

Toolbox

Dictionary

1.3 Objective

Locate and understand the main points of paragraphs and chapter sections.

Whole Task Objectives

Apply and test methods to increase reading comprehension and learning.

Understand the purpose of measurement and obtaining measures.

Pretest

Do you have any special technique you use for reading information that you need to really know? Explain.

Relevancy

There are numerous strategies for improving comprehension, particularly when reading a text, and SQ3R is a time proven five-step reading strategy or model introduced in 1946 by Francis Pleasant Robinson.

What we become depends on what we read after all of the professors have finished with us.

--Thomas Carlyle

Activity

SQ3R is an acronym describing the five steps of the strategy: Survey (or Skim), Question, Read, Recite (or Recall) and Review (SQ3R. 2009; The SQ3R Method. n.d.; The SQ3R Reading Method. n.d.).

1. Survey or Skim for about two minutes. Before reading the entire chapter, read the title, objectives, section headings, section subheadings, introduction or abstract, and summary.