#edchatnz 12/3/15 Reflection: On Teaching How to Learn

Last Thursday's #edchatnz chat focused on developing independent learners. When asked what we are not doing enough of to encourage learners to become independent, I posted the following tweet:

The question was then posed whether I thought that learning how to learn was subject-specific, or whether it is more about developing general dispositions to learn. My answer to this question is complicated (too complicated, I found, to express clearly in a series of short tweets). Perhaps, I thought, without the claustrophic 140 character limit, this idea could be explored a little further.

Firstly, I do think that general dispositions do need to be developed - and many of us have been asking ourselves just how this can best be achieved. I have been a part of many school-wide efforts to inspire positive dispositions towards learning. These have included conferences with learners and their parents, weekly reflections on focused learning blogs, regular meetings with form teachers, or learning coaches, to assess and assist with the process of reflecting and focusing on learning, goal-setting sessions, etc. Some of these have had outstanding results, really driving students towards thinking about their learning, and equipping them with great tools to become more powerful learners. The dispositions developed in this process are often transferable from subject to subject, and can provide an excellent starting point for tackling new challenges.

In recent years, I have been involved mainly with teaching senior classes - year 12 and year 13. These students are often focused on getting the most out of their classes, but even positive, engaged learners struggle with (or roll their eyes at) the notion of taking time out of their crazy timetables to engage in general metacognitive development. As subject teachers, however, we need to equip students with the more advanced tools required to become an efficient learner in our subject. I think different learning areas have their own set of strategies and processes for learning, and I think that one of the really excellent things about high school is that it is a place where learners are required to engage their mind in different forms of learning, and in developing the metacognitive tools required for mastering different skills and concepts in different subjects. These overlap, of course, and are sometimes transferable.

For example, I have recently come to thinking about self-explanation strategies during problem solving in physics. To get a sense of what this is about, have a look at this interesting study investigating different forms of self-explanation in physics. These have been shown to have a profound effect on learners' ability to master complex problem solving in physics. Students who develop a sound method of self-explanation may develop a deeper understanding of concepts in physics more quickly than students who don't. Some students develop skills akin to this spontaneously, but by teaching them explicitly I think it is possible for them to build their learning power - to borrow Claxton's metaphor - more quickly and efficiently.

One of the most frustrating experiences I have had as a teacher is discovering that in trying to master concepts, students are dedicating many unrewarding hours to learning strategies that are easy to do, but which do not work: things like mindlessly "copying out notes" or making flash-cards to facilitate low-level memorisation. These students lack the strategies required to learn, and are not independent learners. I think teachers have a good sense of what the key strategies are for effective learning in their particular subject, but I think we too often neglect making these strategies explicit (at least I do), leaving students to fend for themselves in discovering techniques, which work (or not) for them. This is what I meant when I said that I think we need make learning how to learn in our respective subjects an explicit part of what we do in the classroom. A part of my job is to be (and become) an expert in how learning happens in my subjects (and in general). This expertise should inform my planning and practice. Moreover, and this was what I meant by the tweet, I think there is a sound argument for making it more openly accessible to students. 

In trying to inspire in students wonder and excitement towards my subject it is easy to get caught up in "covering the content;" I need also to equip students with the tools required to gain access to the awesome and often complex concepts, which they encounter in physics.

Thanks to @AKeenReader for questioning, and for making me think more deeply on this!