Effective Teaching:
How to Plan and Present It:
One Professor’s Opinions
Robert Reiser
Associate Dean, College of Education
Distinguished University Teaching Professor
Robert M. Morgan Professor of Instructional Systems
Florida State University
Effective Teaching:
• How should we judge the quality of teaching?
• How can we improve the quality of teaching?
Congratulations
You are now a member of the
Outstanding Teaching Award
Committee
Task:
Select this year’s winner of the
Outstanding Teaching Award
• One of our candidates for the
“Outstanding Teaching Award"….
(a video demonstration)
Is he worthy of our
Outstanding Instructor Award?
A message from our
Distinguished Leader:
Evidence for Judging Teaching Effectiveness:
• teaching practices:
• Student attitudes:
• Student learning :
Evidence for Judging Teaching Effectiveness
• teaching practices
Processes (Means)
• Student attitudes
Outcomes (Ends)
• Student learning
What are some specific means (specific teaching practices)
we can use to help achieve our desired ends?
Effective teaching:
• How should we judge the quality of teaching?
• How can we improve the quality of teaching?
Three Areas to Focus Upon to
Enhance Teaching Effectiveness
• teacher planning practices
• teacher practices in the classroom
• teacher support outside the classroom
Teacher Planning Practices
(4 Phases)
•
•
•
•
Before the course begins
Before each class
After each class
After the course ends
Planning
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning Before the Course Begins
• Identify goals and objectives first
• Select teaching materials
• Plan general nature of teaching activities
• Identify major student assignments
Before Semester
Before Class
After Class
After Semester
A Key to Effective Instruction:
Goals &
Objectives
Instructional
Activities
Assessment
Methods
(Tests)
Align objectives, instruction and assessment activities
(All three should focus on what students should learn)
Examples of Items Decided Upon Before Course Begins
(Excerpts from Course Syllabus)
Course Objectives
2. Describe how new trends might be applied in a given situation
Instructional Materials
• Chapters 1 – 3, 16 – 21 of Reiser and Dempsey (2007)….
In-Class Activities
• Group discussions of case studies (practice applying trends)
Major Assignments
• Paper requiring you to describe how some of the trends we
studied might be applied in order to solve ….
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning Before Each Class Session
• Ask myself: “What’s the objective of this lesson?”
• Review and revise previous activities I used
• Plan new activities related to the lesson objective
• Design and/or select media
- PowerPoint presentations
- Video and audio conferences
- DVDs
- CDs
- etc.
Before Class
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning After Each Class Session
• Think upon what worked and what didn’t
• What part didn’t they understand? How can I improve it?
Reflect
and
Record
• When something doesn’t work:
- Make a brief note to myself for future planning
After Class
Fall 2008:
Students didn’t understand the part of the
lesson on learning strategies. Revise,
using clearer examples.
This is Maybe discuss
pneumonic devices.
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning After Each Class Session
• Think upon what worked and what didn’t
• Did they like it? Did they learn?
Reflect
and
Record
• When something doesn’t work:
- Make a brief note to myself for future planning
or
- Make changes at that point
After Semester
NOTE: This is a revised version of the
sheet used in Fall 2007. Use this form in
Fall 2008.
Context
Analysis
This is
Questions to be Answered
1. ……..
.
.
.
.
.
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning After the Course Ends
• Identify what worked and what didn’t
- Note student performance on tests & projects
After Semester
Table for Listing Student Scores by Objective
Student
A
B
C
D
E
etc.
Total
Obj. 1
Obj. 2
Obj. 3
Obj. 4
Total
Table for Listing Student Scores by Objective
Student
A
B
C
D
E
etc.
Average
Obj. 1
10
10
10
10
8
etc.
9.2
Obj. 2
10
10
9
9
9
etc.
9.1
Obj. 3
8
6
5
5
3
etc.
6.1
Obj. 4
10
10
9
9
9
etc.
9.2
Total
38
36
33
33
29
etc.
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning After the Course Ends
• Identify what worked and what didn’t
- Note student performance on tests & projects
- Collect student attitude data
+ University teaching evaluation form
+ My own survey instrument
Before Semester
Before Class
After Class
After Semester
Directions: Use the following scale to
indicate whether you think I should
continue to use the teaching strategies
described below.
This is
a = I am strongly in favor of the continued
use of this approach
b = … favor
c = … neutral
d = … disfavor
e = … strongly disfavor
1. Topic: performance technology
Main teaching strategy: small groups work
on “mini-case study”
2. ………….
Planning Practices I Employ:
Planning After the Course Ends
• Identify what worked and what didn’t
- Note student performance on tests & projects
- Collect student attitude data
+ University teaching evaluation form
+ My own survey instrument
• Make changes immediately or next time course is taught
Before Semester
Before Class
After Class
After Semester
Summary of how I go about
Planning my teaching
COMPULSIVELY!
Teaching Practices IN the Classroom
(3 Categories)
• Motivate Students
• Promote Active Learning
• Provide Structure
Planning
Practices IN Class
Support OUTSIDE Class
Classroom Practices I Employ:
Motivating Students
• Remember students’ names
• Employ humor
• Include enjoyable activities
• Stand and Deliver move over
• Employ media
• Remain enthusiastic
Motivate
Active Learning
Structure
Classroom Practices I Employ:
Promoting Active Learning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students sit in semi-circle
Rarely lecture
Ask lots of questions
Progressively disclose slides
Provide positive feedback
Ask students to respond to classmates’ comments
Refer to earlier student comments
Use lots of structured small group activities
Motivate
Active Learning
Structure
Classroom Practices I Employ
Providing Structure for Students
Suggested Sequence of Activities:
• Tell students the objective(s) of the upcoming lesson
• Provide students with:
- reading assignment
- study questions and/or practice problems
Example of Assignment with Objectives & Study Questions
Objectives:
1. Describe the ideas and practices associated
with performance improvement.
2. Describe how the ideas and practices
associated with performance improvement
might be applied in a given situation.
Study Questions:
1. Read pages 187 - 196 of chapter 16 and describe
5 - 7 key ideas or practices associated with
performance improvement (PI).
2. Read the following case study and then describe
how you would apply PI ideas and practices in the
situation that is described.
Classroom Practices I Employ
Providing Structure for Students
Suggested Sequence of Activities:
• Tell students the objective(s) of the upcoming lesson
• Provide students with:
- reading assignment
- study questions and/or practice problems
• Have students discuss answers to questions/problems in class
- often in small groups first, then as whole class
• Ask questions & provide feedback about student answers
• Use slides and/or handouts to emphasize key points
• At the end of the lesson:
- remind students of objective(s)
- briefly review key points
Classroom Practices I Employ:
Summary
• Motivate Students
• Promote Active Learning
• Provide Structure
Providing Support Outside the Classroom
• Class listserves and e-mail
• Class websites
• Feedback on assignments and
exams
Planning
Practices IN Class
Support OUTSIDE Class
Instructional Support I Provide
Outside of the Classroom
Class Listserves and E-Mail
• Use class listserv and e-mail to:
- Distribute materials (handouts, PowerPoint slides, etc.)
- Allow for asynchronous instructor-student interaction
- Clarify/elaborate points
Email
Website
Feedback
Example of Clarifying E-mail Message
One point I wanted to make yesterday,
but which I don't think came across very
clearly, is that ….
Support Outside of the Classroom
Class Websites
• Use class website to:
- post course materials (syllabus, study guides, slides etc.)
- communicate with students
- serve as a student discussion forum
- provide access to related resources
Instructional Support I Provide
Outside of the Classroom
Feedback on Assignments and Exams
• Motto:
A grade is not enough!
• General principle:
Provide detailed feedback on assignments and
exams
Email
Website
Feedback
1. The new proposed definition opens the doors to new opportunities in the 21 st century.
As compared to the 1994 definition, this definition brings the workplace into the picture
with the introduction of performance technology. It also brings back two concepts that
were deleted from the 1994 definition, the fact that IDT uses a systematic teaching
design and the use of media. The proposed definition also includes the importance of
research and separates it from theory.
old definition did this too!
In my opinion, the most important difference between the 1994 AECT definition and
the new proposed definition is the re-emergence of the systematic design process. “The
authors of the 1994 definition state they purposely excluded the word ‘systematic’ in
their definition so as to reflect current interests in alternative design methodologies such
as constructivist approaches (Richey and Seels, 1994) (Reading 1, p 8).” It is important
to note that the new definition does not exclude anyone with an alternative view; it
states that systematic procedures are often employed. The re-emergence of a systematic
process is not a new trend, but it is and always will be a major issue in shaping our field
and our future.
good!
A major trend that has really surfaced in that past decade is performance technology.
Performance technology is “improving performance in the workplace via non-teaching
as well as teaching interventions (Reading 1, p 10).” For years teaching design has been
applied to education as well as to the workplace, although this has never been directly
stated. This trend is completely changing the face of teaching design, in that more and
more people are aware of what IDT is and how it works.
I don't think this is how ID is changing.
Example of Detailed Feedback
Summary:
Three Means of
Enhancing Teacher Effectiveness
Improve:
• teacher planning practices
• teacher practices in the classroom
• teacher support outside the classroom
These are the means, but don’t forget the ends!
Effective Teaching:
The Final Test
• What did they learn?
• Did they enjoy the learning experience?
Video Clip
Thank You!