The Seven Principles of Teaching

An interesting new book on learning whose principles can be applied to online teaching of college level classes is:
Making Learning Whole: The Seven Principles of Teaching Can Transform Education By David N. Perkins Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA 2009. http://leading-learning.blogspot.com/2009/01/advice-from-david-perkins-to-make.html Perkins has seven principles:
Some of my notes:

Play the whole game, not fragmented bits. Online application: We have to guard against fragmentation in online learning. Perkins suggests inquiry learning. Classes that consist of PowerPoint lectures and tests are the biggest offenders. Teachers need to push students to form a learning community that will provide “camaraderie and creativity.”

Make the game worth playing: (p.53) What is the one thing you understand really well? How did you come to understand it? How do you know you understand it? Online application: We do need to get online students to reflect on what they have learned. It is actually easier to do this online because it does not take class time and many online course management systems have the facility for journals.

Play out of town: Perkins’ example is a physics teacher works problems with students illustrating how objects falling from a tower behave, but then students cannot answer a question about how long it takes an object to fall into a pit.(p.109) Online application: Good design in online courses encourages students to work problems to increase their understanding. There is no need to wait for the slowest student in the class and those of above average ability can be challenged. At the same time all students need to be engaged in discussions of the subject and learn from each other.

Uncover the hidden game: Almost anything people learn in school and out of school has its hidden aspects (p.134,) For example, in baseball runs created is a better measure of a players worth to a team than batting average. Online application: Group work, if structured correctly, can encourage students to explore more than the simple text. A “jigsaw” exercise can have separate groups explore issues and then report back to the main group to put the complete puzzle together.

Work on the hard bits: Vygotsky’s work on the “zone of proximal development” showed that learners can be lead, by social support, to do what they would not do spontaneously. (p.165). His theory is still valid, despite the fact that Vygotsky worked from 1896-1934. Online application: Teachers need to show presence in the online class and make the students realize that they can explore the subject with support.

Learn the Game of Learning: Expert tutors – but not those with less finesse – keep instruction centered on questions and hints rather commands to encourage tutees to of themselves as in control and responsible for their success. Online application: The teacher needs to guide students in discussions to work together to generate answers.