What types of questions could you ask to bridge learning forward into the future?
What do you think about open questions?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Summary and Analysis:
Dr. Norris has synthesized her learning on adult education in her book, From Telling to Teaching. The discussion is based on learner-focus and using open-ended questions to facilitate learning and activate what she calls, “a dialogue approach to adult learning” (book subtitle). Some of the guiding principles she includes are multiple intelligences, partner and small group interactions, active learning and brain-based learning.
To begin with, she describes how she prepares for each of her training sessions by setting a welcoming and safe environment for learning. Once that is established, she uses open questions to activate prior learning related and stimulate thought. Next, she describes a variety of activities and teaching practices designed to engage auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles.
This brings us to a conversation regarding open questions, what they are, and how they are used to stimulate learning. Generally, she asks that people discuss the answers to the open questions with a partner, thus allowing for everyone in the room to answer the question. One of her objectives in this teaching style is to shift the voice from the teacher to the learner, and this is one of the ways this is accomplished. The use of partnerships to discuss the initial questions provides a safe environment for learners to share their experiences without having to speak in front of a group of people. Responses can then be shared with the larger group as appropriate.
Finally, she discusses the importance of reinforcing the learning to assist in maintaining retention. She discusses the principle of recency whereby, “people remember second best what comes last,” p. 50 and reinforcing the need to bridge the learning into new behaviors and ideas.
As with any first-rate instructional design, the first step is to perform a learning needs analysis. This is especially important for the dialogue approach, as it informs the validity of the open questions, and makes it possible to ask open questions and tie learning back to prior knowledge.
The results of the learning needs assessment will provide insight to the seven-step plan for the curriculum design. The seven steps consist of answering the Who, Why, When, Where, What, What For and How. She provides planning templates and guiding questions to apply this plan to a given situation.
As she lays the foundation for the dialogue approach, she discusses three facilitation skills to assist people interested in learning this style of teaching. The first is “Waiting.” Once an open question has been asked, it is best to provide at least five seconds for learners to respond. This waiting, “allows everyone to at least think about what they want to say – or not say. Waiting five seconds allows learners to leave us believing they are brilliant and not that we are.” p 104. Second is to “affirm all voices,” usually with thank you rather than good, great or wonderful. And the third is “weaving,” “use weaving language to review concepts, tie things together, motivate or celebrate. What you say matters.” p. 106.
She closes the book by providing resources and additional reading for interested individuals. I think her approach combines many guiding principles and practices that can help educators make their own learning events effective experiences for the learner. For those with a Learner-centered philosophy, it provides tools and guidelines to assist in the process.
Dr. Norris has synthesized her learning on adult education in her book, From Telling to Teaching. The discussion is based on learner-focus and using open-ended questions to facilitate learning and activate what she calls, “a dialogue approach to adult learning” (book subtitle). Some of the guiding principles she includes are multiple intelligences, partner and small group interactions, active learning and brain-based learning.
To begin with, she describes how she prepares for each of her training sessions by setting a welcoming and safe environment for learning. Once that is established, she uses open questions to activate prior learning related and stimulate thought. Next, she describes a variety of activities and teaching practices designed to engage auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles.
This brings us to a conversation regarding open questions, what they are, and how they are used to stimulate learning. Generally, she asks that people discuss the answers to the open questions with a partner, thus allowing for everyone in the room to answer the question. One of her objectives in this teaching style is to shift the voice from the teacher to the learner, and this is one of the ways this is accomplished. The use of partnerships to discuss the initial questions provides a safe environment for learners to share their experiences without having to speak in front of a group of people. Responses can then be shared with the larger group as appropriate.
Finally, she discusses the importance of reinforcing the learning to assist in maintaining retention. She discusses the principle of recency whereby, “people remember second best what comes last,” p. 50 and reinforcing the need to bridge the learning into new behaviors and ideas.
As with any first-rate instructional design, the first step is to perform a learning needs analysis. This is especially important for the dialogue approach, as it informs the validity of the open questions, and makes it possible to ask open questions and tie learning back to prior knowledge.
The results of the learning needs assessment will provide insight to the seven-step plan for the curriculum design. The seven steps consist of answering the Who, Why, When, Where, What, What For and How. She provides planning templates and guiding questions to apply this plan to a given situation.
As she lays the foundation for the dialogue approach, she discusses three facilitation skills to assist people interested in learning this style of teaching. The first is “Waiting.” Once an open question has been asked, it is best to provide at least five seconds for learners to respond. This waiting, “allows everyone to at least think about what they want to say – or not say. Waiting five seconds allows learners to leave us believing they are brilliant and not that we are.” p 104. Second is to “affirm all voices,” usually with thank you rather than good, great or wonderful. And the third is “weaving,” “use weaving language to review concepts, tie things together, motivate or celebrate. What you say matters.” p. 106.
She closes the book by providing resources and additional reading for interested individuals. I think her approach combines many guiding principles and practices that can help educators make their own learning events effective experiences for the learner. For those with a Learner-centered philosophy, it provides tools and guidelines to assist in the process.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Dr. Joye A. Norris writes a quick read, but very powerful teaching tool in From Telling to Teaching.
Folks from the AET program will appreciate references to Parker Palmer's The Courage to Teach.
From Telling to Teaching is a Learner-centered approach to educative events, and it written in a way to provide the adult educator with several strategies and tools for improving the effectiveness of their learning events.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
