Using
Teaching/Learning Techniques C-8
Necessity
teaches you more than a year in school teaches you.
*Before
attempting this module, complete modules E-7 (writing objectives),
E-9 (writing a plan), and C-6 (preparation to teach).
We are all aware of
many teaching/learning techniques. Most of us, however, lack an
organized view of the wide variety of techniques available to
teachers and learners. Most people have misconceptions about these
techniques. For example, "brainstorming" is a technique
that is widely misused or misnamed. Few people, including many
professional educators, can properly use a wide variety of these
techniques.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this
module you should be able to:
1. list 30 techniques
in five categories;
2. describe eight steps for learning the proper use of a new technique;
and
3. write a plan for gaining experience in five of the techniques.
AN ORGANIZED LIST
Teaching/learning techniques
can be listed in five categories: (1) those which are used in
one-on-one situations, (2) those used for groups, (3) mass media
techniques, (4) teaching or learning through community projects,
and (5) political techniques. Below 65 techniques are grouped
into the five categories. Study the list until you can list 30
techniques with at least two in each category. If any of the techniques
on the list are completely new to you, ask a professional educator
to explain it or look it up in a book on educational methodology.
Individual techniques
- Office visit (make
an appointment to get help from an expert)
- Farm/home visit
(LT-7)
- Telephone (LT-19)
- Personal letter
(correspondence LT-20)Hire a consultant (for a fee they agree
to teach you something)
- Interviewing
- Correspondence course
(offered through the mail by an educational institution)
- Self-training (LT-10)
- Personal investigation
(usually by reading one or more books or articles that tell
you something youwant to know)
- Computer (many learning
software options are available)
- Intern (agree to
assist an expert with routine work in return for learning what
she does)
- Practice (repeat
a skill until you reach a desired level of competence)
Group techniques
- Demonstration (LT-18)
- Workshop (LT-1)
- Lecture (LT-2)
- Educational fair
(LT-16)
- Discussion (L-4)
- Tour (LT-9)
- Field trip(LT-9)
- Role play (LT-13)
or drama/theater
- Simulation games
(LT-11)
- Brainstorming (LT-3)
- Study team (research
and writing responsibilities are divided among the members of
the team)
- Case study (LT-15)
- Formal meeting (L-3)
- Small group discussion
(L-4)
- Cone of experience
(LT-22)
- Slide sets (LT-5)Filmstrips
and other audio-visual aids
- Overhead transparencies
(LT-4)
- Chalkboard
- Flipchart
- Camping (with a
planned educational program)
- Problem solving
(P-7)
- Judging ((LT-17)
- Quiz games and contests
requiring recall of facts
- Mobile classrooms
(like a mobile library unit but may include a wide variety of
learning resources)
- Field trial (trying
out a crop seed
- or other product
or a new practice under field conditions to compare the results
with standard practices
Mass techniques
- Newspaper articles
(C-4)
- Radio or television
public service announcements (C-4)
- Newsletter (LT-6)
- Flyer (one page
announcement or information sheet)
- Magazines, comic
books, photonovelas (comic book layout but with photos of actors
to tell the story)
- Technical bulletin
(LT-8)
- Textbook
- Exhibit (LT-21)Bulletin
board (LT-21)
- Poster (LT-21)
- Information center
(i.e., ask-the-experts booth)
- VCR (LT-14) or television
or movies
Project techniques
- 4-H project
- Social action process
(M-1)
- Community development
process (E-4)
- Local project such
as building a bridge, a road or a water well
- Campaign (i.e.,
a fund-raiser to preserve a historic site)
Political techniques
- An organized protest
march or a rally
- Public policy education
(LT-12)
- Lobbying political
leaders
- Picket or strike
or demonstration
- Teach-in (i.e.,
students leave regular classes in order to hold informal study
groups about a current issue or crisis)
A SYSTEMATIC PROCESS
FOR LEARNING THE TECHNIQUES
1. Define the technique
accurately (see separate descriptions of the techniques or check
a book on educational methodology).
2. Be aware of common
misuses (misunderstandings) of the technique. Some of these misuses
will be evident immediately. Others will occur to you as you observe
the techniques in use.
3. Describe when the
technique should be used and when it should not be used.
4. Incorporate the
selected technique into a teaching plan which tells "who,
does what, when, with which resources (materials, facilities,
resource people, audio visual equipment, etc.)."
5. Carefully and thoroughly
prepare the resources (make copies, arrange the room, brief any
resource people on their responsibilities, check audio visual
equipment to insure proper functioning, etc.).
6. Rehearse -- practice
the technique until you can perform it smoothly with confidence.
7. Evaluate -- use
a checklist (or have a colleague do this) to point out your successes
and deficiencies in using the technique.
8. Use the evaluation
results to plan the next use of this technique -- learn by experience.
Note: this procedure
may seem unnecessarily detailed and demanding. It will take time.
The alternative is learning by trial and error which will take
more time, in the long term, to arrive at the same level of competence.
EXERCISE -- Gain experience
in using teaching/learning techniques.
Choose five of the
techniques that you would like to learn or improve. Study the
technique (using the separate descriptions of each technique)
until you clearly understand its proper use. Practice (rehearse)
the technique using a checklist. This practice is particularly
effective if done in a group of colleagues who are also trying
to learn the techniques. Have them evaluate you using the checklist
for each technique.
EXERCISE -- When you
feel confident in using one of the techniques, incorporate it
into a lesson plan and use it to teach other topics. A standard
lesson plan format is described below.
Class
number & date
Topic (subject)
Learning objectives
(tell what the learner will be able to do after completing this
session)
Resources needed
Before class preparations (in the classroom before class starts)
Activities for the class
1.
2.
3.
Review (summarize)
Evaluation (determine if the objectives have been met)
Assignment for the next class session
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Which of the teaching/learning
techniques will be most useful with your program (or organization)?
Which of these techniques
will be most appropriate with the learners that you plan to teach?
What is the worst possible
outcome of using a particular technique?
Do you fully understand
the risks and consequences of using the techniques in the "political"
category?
Are you prepared to
accept the consequences if a technique fails, or if it succeeds
beyond your expectations?
RESOURCE
Mass media techniques
are treated very lightly in this curriculum. An excellent resource
is the Communications Handbook by the Agricultural Communicators
in Education, published by the Interstate Press.
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