Teaching/Learning Philosophy

Effective transfer of student learning from inside to outside the classroom has particular importance for me as an instructor of graduate professional students. Whether students arrive as novices or experienced practitioners, transferring skills/knowledge acquired inside the classroom to situations outside the classroom walls has not always been unsuccessful in school settings (Bereiter 1995). To address these issues, I rely on the following set of strategies in my teaching.

Learner-centered approach. With more traditional teaching approaches, the teacher's role has been to fill the students' heads with information that can be regurgitated at will (Maimon 1997). More recently, classrooms have shifted towards "learner-centeredness" (Svinicki 1999), with learners as active participants in shaping and reshaping knowledge, and connecting it with their prior experiences (Bruffee 1993). Providing learners with ample opportunities for practice helps create additional knowledge constructions and connections. Also, student reflections become occasions for more learning (Bean 1996; Kramp & Humphreys 1993). Understanding mistakes and challenges can also enhance learners' progress, especially with informed feedback from both within and without the classroom.

Uniqueness of the individual learner. Consistent with a learner-centered approach, every learner brings unique knowledge, experiences and skills to the classroom. This is particularly true where students' work experiences can range from none (ie, young adults who have never worked in an organization) to many years (ie, practitioners returning for additional credentials after several decades of experience). Of course, students also vary on other dimensions, creating the teaching challenges facing all instructors today. Given this diversity, it is crucial to integrate new knowledge with prior experiences. Further, this requires accommodating to individual learning styles. Naturally, tailoring instruction for each and every student would be impossible in a typical classroom. However, even simple techniques such as one-minute papers (Angelo & Cross 1993) can encourage learners to draw on their own learning styles to adapt new knowledges.

Metacognition. Since the ways people learn vary dramatically, learning is enhanced by developing one's awareness of learning and cognitive processes (Svinicki 1996). This awareness, referred to as metacognition, can improve learning transfer as well as critical thinking (Halpern 1998; Silverman & Casazza 2000).

Transparency of pedagogy. Palmer (1997) has argued that good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the instructor. For me, this argues that I articulate my teaching philosophy and strategies as clearly as possible, so my students and I can gain a deeper understanding of the achievements and challenges that are integral to our learning.

References

Angelo, T. A., & Cross, P. 1993. Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers (2d ed.). SF: Jossey Bass.

Bean, J. C. 1996. Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. SF: Jossey-Bass.

Bereiter, C. 1995. A dispositional view of transfer. In A. McKeough, J. Lupart, & A. Marini (Eds.), Teaching for transfer: Fostering generalization in learning: 21-34. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Bruffee, K. A. 1993. Collaborative learning: Higher education, interdependence, and the authority of knowledge. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Halpern, D. 1998. Teaching critical thinking for transfer across domains: Disposition, skills, structure training, and metacognitive monitoring. American Psychologist, 53: 449-455.

Kramp, M., & Humphreys, W. 1993. Narrative, self-assessment, and the reflective learner. College Teaching, 41(3): 83-88.

Maimon, E. 1997. Teaching "across the curriculum". In J. Gaff, J. Ratcliff, & Associates (Eds.), Handbook of the undergraduate curriculum: A comprehensive guide to purposes, structures, practices, and change. SF: Jossey Bass.

Palmer, P. 1998. The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher's life. SF: Jossey Bass.

Silverman, S., & Casazza, M. 2000. Learning & development: Making connections to enhance teaching. SF: Jossey Bass.

Svinicki, M. 1999. New directions in learning and motivation. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 80: 5-28.

Svinicki, M., Hagen, A., & Meyer, D. 1996. How research on learning strengthens instruction. In R. Menges, & M. Weimer (Eds.), Teaching on solid ground: Using scholarship to improve practice: 257-288. SF: Jossey Bass.