S3E4 - Learning Principles

Overview

Teaching: 10 min
Exercises: 10 min

Questions

• What principles should a trainer apply to their course in order to allow for effective learning from their students.

Slides

Learning outcomes

• Know how to apply the 7 learning principles, as a trainer.

7 evidence-based learning principles

Principle P1:

Students’ prior knowledge can help or hinder learning.

Principle P2:

How students organise knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know.

Principle P3:

Students motivation determines, directs and sustains what they do learn.

Principle P4:

To develop mastery, students must acquire component skills, practice integrating them, and know when to apply what they have learned.

Principle P5:

Goal-directed practice coupled with targeted feedback enhances the quality of students’ learning.

Principle P6:

Students’ current level of development interacts with the social, emotional, and intellectual climate of the course to impact learning.

Principle P7:

To become self-directed learners, students must learn to monitor and adjust their approaches to learning.

Challenge 4 - What is your understanding of these learning principles?

• Work in groups of three
• Carefully read the principles as a group
• Pick one principle you like (with no overlap with the other groups)
• Discuss what you would do as a teacher/instructor to facilitate learning according to the principle

Challenge 5 - what is your understanding of these learning principles?

Example

Principle 2: How students organise knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know.
Possible teaching practices:

• Teach learners how to build and use concept maps
• Provide learners with a scheme and show them how every new concept/fact fits into the scheme
• Every time a new concept/fact is introduced, explain how it fits into the general picture

Key Points

• Know the 7 learning principles.