Why a New Teaching Approach is Going Viral on Social Media (Encore Episode)
Apr 23, 2024
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Discover the journey of a professor developing 'thinking classrooms' to enhance student problem-solving skills. Learn about the pitfalls of mimicking solutions and the shift towards student-centered approaches. Explore innovative teaching practices like using vertical surfaces to promote critical thinking and collaboration. Dive into the debate on effective teaching methods and the importance of educational research in shaping classroom dynamics.
Thinking Classrooms approach emphasizes fostering student thinking for effective learning.
Common studenting behaviors hinder genuine thinking in diverse educational settings, highlighting a systemic issue.
Thinking classroom model introduces innovative practices like optimal workspaces and engaging tasks to promote critical thinking.
Deep dives
Teaching Method: Thinking Classrooms
Thinking Classrooms, a teaching method gaining popularity on social media, focuses on enhancing student engagement and thinking in all subjects. The approach, detailed in Peter Liljedal's book, emphasizes the importance of fostering student thinking as a fundamental step toward effective learning.
Identifying Studenting Behaviors
Research revealed common studenting behaviors, such as slacking, stalling, faking, and mimicking, which hindered genuine thinking in classrooms. These behaviors, prevalent across diverse educational settings, highlighted a systemic issue that impedes students' ability to engage in critical thinking.
Creating Thinking Classrooms
To counteract studenting behaviors and promote genuine thinking, the thinking classroom model introduces innovative practices. Optimal workspaces, random group formation, and engaging thinking tasks challenge students to think critically and independently. By disrupting traditional classroom norms, such as furniture arrangement and task design, educators can cultivate environments that prioritize and nurture student thinking.
Promoting Thinking Classrooms
The podcast episode discusses the transformation of classrooms into thinking environments where students actively engage in problem-solving. Utilizing visual aids, such as videos of students collaborating on math challenges, the episode highlights the shift from passive to active thinking. It emphasizes the importance of group dynamics, where optimal group size of three is identified, enabling more voices to contribute effectively while preventing individuals from feeling anonymous and disengaged.
Fostering a Culture of Thinking
The episode delves into the significance of non-curricular tasks in building a thinking classroom environment. By distinguishing between curricular and non-curricular tasks, it underscores the value of engaging students in thought-provoking activities that go beyond standard curriculum. It advocates for teachers to embrace a pedagogical approach that prioritizes student engagement and critical thinking over adherence to rigid curriculum structures. By focusing on students' active participation and problem-solving skills, the episode asserts the effectiveness of cultivating a culture of thinking to enhance learning outcomes.
When a professor’s research showed that standard methods of teaching problem-solving weren’t working, he set out to figure out what led to more student thinking. His resulting approach is spreading through classrooms, helped by teachers sharing examples on social media. This is a reissue of an episode that first ran in November.
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