About book How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles For Smart Teaching (2010)
I am impressed with this book. It's ability to effectively address college teaching across a variety of disciplines is something I didn't think was possible. That being said, I think this is a book one should read after having a little teaching experience. Otherwise, the examples given may not seem detailed enough for you.What I liked:--Organizing according to different types of student obstacles in the classroom (prior knowledge, knowledge organization, motivation, developing mastery, practice & feedback, course climate, metacognitive thinking) is a great idea. It forces the reader to think through these issues from the perspective of the student. --Not organizing according to key skills (like being explicit about objectives, collecting data on students, and scaffolding complicated tasks) allows for the repetition of these skills in every chapter. I don't think you can read this book and somehow miss, for example, the importance of providing a rubric to your students.--Every chapter recognizes that the classroom will not just develop a student intellectually, but also socially and emotionally. These three forms of development are deeply intertwined and, as they argue, a successful instructor considers all three. --Explicit examples are given at the end of every chapter demonstrated how to implement these recommendations, which is very useful. --The chapters can be read in any order. --The summary at the end applies the principles of learning outlined in the book to the process of improving your teaching skills. This is an iterative (and never-ending) process, so it is important to constantly think of yourself as one who is learning how to teach.What I didn't like:--Chapter 6 covered course climate. It covered many important points, but I felt there were two things wrong with it: (1) the research referenced was old, and (2) it could have included more detail in its information. Having old research is troublesome because it allows some readers to think, "Well, that might have been the case in the 80s or 90s, but those aren't really problems today." I wish it had more detailed information because I feel the average instructor is not as familiar with issues of climate. Often, people struggle to relate or understand depending on which stage of development they are in (discussed in the book) and I believe having more detailed information may explain the issue better. There are endless books on teaching, fewer on learning. Still fewer books on learning that are approachable and readily usable by any instructor. This book helps to fulfill the need for the later. Many books focus on activities to use in the classroom (e.g. think pair share, muddiest point) emphasizing successful teaching. Or, they focus on specific skill sets (e.g. writing rubrics, giving feedback) and strategies for improving those skill sets. While there is room for teaching focused texts, we also need learning focused texts. How Learning Works begins each chapter with two case scenarios of learning problems faced in the typical classroom (e.g. poor performance on an assignment). It then presents a relevant model for understanding the problem and evidence based options for addressing it. Seven chapters include students' prior learning, organization of information, motivation, development of mastery, practice and feedback, student development & classroom climate, and self directed learning. I suggest reading the book ready to take notes. I made over a dozen changes to courses I teach with the ideas presented. I'll be adding this to my "What you may want for your library" list for new instructors.
Do You like book How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles For Smart Teaching (2010)?
Good tips and practical advice. I will definitely return to this book for guidance in the future.
—trenie
Helpful and interesting. It points out strategies that help me as both a teacher and a student.
—shawk
Good book, but not as rigorous as I had hoped. The principles are good, but quite broad.
—screamingdolai
