Re: Education is not about content

On Nov 11, 2003, at 9:41 AM, Daniel Stouffer wrote:

> Of course, I not being=A0a teacher do not fully understand how to put =
in=20
> place the checks and balances necessary in a classroom.=A0As far as=20
> self-directed learning goes, I found exploring and train-of-thought=20
> navigation very fulfilling.

I do not have a degree in education, but I am paid to have close to 50=20=

twenty-somethings calling me by my last name on a weekly basis.

The best book I have found on the subject of teaching on a college=20
level is 'McKeachie's Teaching Tips' (I know -- it's a dorky name). It=20=

was recommended by Edward Tufte, and the chapters I have read have been=20=

outstanding.

Chapters 13 through 17 about methods of learning (buzzword: active=20
learning) and how to teach so students learn by these different=20
methods. But I think the real pay dirt in this book that we are looking=20=

for is in Chapters 23 & 24, which are entitled 'Teaching Students How=20
to Learn' and 'Teaching Thinking'

Can you tell I have not read them yet? -- If people care, I'll try to=20
summarize them here after I have a chance to digest them.

::

The thoughts I have to contribute now have to do with my experience as=20=

a student, and only mildly as an educator. I went through a typical=20
visual design program as an undergraduate. Designers like to boast that=20=

they went to school to learn how to think and solve problems -- and at=20=

it's best this is what a design education is all about. (Unfortunately=20=

most students miss opportunities to get this kind of education -- but=20
that is a lengthy and passionate tangent that I won't go into).

The teaching process is about giving students problems that they are=20
required to solve. In the process of solving these problems, they=20
learn; and the skill of the educator is to assign problems that will=20
cause the students to learn what you want them to learn. Reflection and=20=

self evaluation happens in the classroom when we has class discussions=20=

(ie. critiques) about the solutions that the students conceived.

Paul Rand once wrote a wonderful essay on the whole process (which I=20
wish I could find right now) when he was teaching at Yale.

The biggest problem I find with teaching IA in this model is the amount=20=

of time it takes to absorb and consider a student's solution is=20
substantial -- and this makes group critiques difficult because we=20
rarely focus on the stuff that needs to be focused on.

Regardless -- this method is how I was taught to solve problems and to=20=

think creatively. Is it the best way? I have no idea. Did it work for=20
me? I like to think so.

James.