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Reading Notes: Chapter 2. Teaching for Quality Learning at University

Alice Walton

Updated: 4 days ago



Biggs, J.; Tang, C.; Kennedy, G. (2022). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. McGraw-Hill Education. Chapter 2: ‘Teaching according to how students learn’ pages 16 – 35 (ebook)

 

To improve teaching it will in turn improve learning. How effectively we teach depends on what we believe teaching is.

An example of surface and deep learning: A group of students is given a text to read and told they will be asked questions on it after. Half the students read the text learning the facts in a disjointed way to be able to re tell information that they think may arise, this is surface approach to learning. The second half of students read the text and learn about what the author is trying to say around the theme and text. This is deep learning.

 

The learning outcomes must be written from the learners perspective to avoid phenomenography (Marton 1981) (A learners perspective dictates what is learned and is not necessarily what the teacher intends from the learning outcomes). To avoid this use a variation of learning tools to present information. (Marton and Booth 1997, Prosser and Trigwell 1999. page 19)

 

With this in mind conceptual change in education is important. Conceptual change occurs when:

-Both teachers and students know the ILO (Intended Learning Outcomes)

-When students want to achieve the outcome (inspire)

-Students focus (motivation)

-Collaboration (deep learning through discussion and understanding)

 

The Robert/ Susan model of types of learners. How they learn in a classroom and how can we as teachers narrow the divide in learning between types of students. Our main aim in this is to ensure all students, no matter their type of learning or attitude to learning, they can all reach a deep level of learning. It also delves into the importance of verb use in ILO. We want to enable Roberts to learn like Susans.

 

Surface Learning approach:

Get through the task quickly, low cognitive level activities, appearing to meet task requirements. ‘Cutting corners’ ‘sweeping under the carpet’.


‘A common misconception is that memorisation in itself indicates a surface approach’


(Webb 1997). Biggs, John, et al. Teaching for Quality Learning at University, McGraw-Hill Education, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/falmouth-ebooks/detail.action?docID=30189060.Created from falmouth-ebooks on 2025-02-04 11:22:57.


Learning lines of a play, learning how to read or write.


Promoting surface learning from a student view: insufficient time, wanting a ‘meal ticket’ after university, cynical view, anxiety, inability to understand deeper meanings.

Promoting surface earning from a teachers view: bullet pointed learning, assessing factual learning, teaching which encourages cynicism (I hate teaching this, your going to hate learning it), not providing enough time for students, creating anxiety.

 

Deep Learning Approach:

Feeling like you need to engage with the task.

Two types of students. Susan’s already feel like they need to know and learn about a subject, so cutting corners is pointless. They are ready to be engaged and use high level cognitive activities to learn around a subject. They try to understand the bigger picture. The bigger picture is pointless without the small details. They have a sense of importance, excitement and engagement for the challenge.


Promoting deep learning from a students view: An intention and engagement to learn, some appropriate background knowledge, an ability to focus, a preference to learn conceptually rather than just looking at unrelated detail.

Promoting deep leaning from a teachers view: Teaching to bring out the structure around a topic, teaching to get a response from students such as creating questioning and argument, building on knowledge, confronting and eradicating students misconceptions, assessing for structure of knowledge rather than factual assessing, assessing so students can learn from mistakes positively, Not trying to pack too much in so emphasising depth of learning rather than breath, using assessment methods to encourage and support units of study.

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