Theoretical Foundations - Session #1

Question 1

Welcome everyone! Thank you…

Answer 1

…for joining us for this first of three available tutor certification training courses.

Question 2

My name is…

We have a LOT…

Answer 2

Ben Reitz. Most you already know me; I am the College Prep Zone Coordinator and Tutor Trainer for our Learning Commons and tutoring department.

We have a LOT of material to cover, so I’d like to get things going here with a quick overview of what we’ll be covering in today’s session: [read overview items]

Question 3

The subject of the course is exploring the foundational theories that inform tutoring techniques in our community college setting. The course hits on key topics like…

Answer 3

…the theory and philosophy of education, Andragogical learning theory, constructivism, the Socratic Method of Questioning, tutoring as an interpersonal communication process, and the theory of learning preferences.

Along the way, we will discuss how to put those principles into action on a day-to-day basis in our role as RRCC tutors.

Question 4

So first I’ll say a bit about the history and purpose of the tutor certification training program…

Answer 4

…originally, these courses were provided/taught by an outside organization, the CRLA…

But about 6 years ago, David and his predecessor Randi Landis-Eigsti realized that they could develop more trainings that offered guidance in the same topics, but was more attuned to our unique community and tutor needs…

Question 5

So even as the courses have changed shape from those first iterations, the purpose has really remained consistent, and that purpose is three-fold:

Answer 5

1) to provide you as tutors with actionable tools that are applicable to your work here at RRCC specifically, beyond the techniques that are described in the mandatory orientation training class

2) to provide you with a potential pay increase beyond the typical adjustments given by HR to every employee each year

3) to allow you to earn a certificate that you can take with you for marketing your tutoring skills to future employers

Question 6

As with all our trainings, we want…

Answer 6

…the experience to be comfortable and collaborative for everyone, so let’s go around and introduce ourselves. Please give:

1) your name, pronouns and subject you tutor

2) One positive experience you have had while tutoring here at RRCC

Question 7

I’ll begin…

Answer 7

As I mentioned, I’m Ben Reitz. Pronouns are he/him/his. I have been tutoring in various contexts/centers since 2010; I have tutoring everything from Math to English Comprehension/Reading/Writing to economics to study strategies.

One thing I hope to gain from this class is your insight - I always learn as much, if not more, than what I have to share as the training instructor. Plus, I always relish the opportunity to receive feedback that will help me to continue honing this offering for future tutor trainees!

Who wants to go next?

Question 8

Alright, well now that we are all familiar with one another, let’s…

Answer 8

…get into the overview of topics and assignments for this training course.

Question 9

We’ll start by reviewing the syllabus for this short training course together….

Answer 9

[read syllabus document with trainees]

Question 10

Let’s looks at some specific requirements and expectations for the presentation assignment…

Answer 10

[have a volunteer read the presentation basics section of the handout]

Great read-through! So that should give you a basic idea of the requirements for that assignment.

Question 11

Wonderful…you will notice that the rubric..

Answer 11

…is printed on the back, to give you an idea of the exact standards by which I will evaluate the presentations (I will use this exact form)

Are there any questions about expectations for the presentation assignment?

Alright! Please be watching your email in the next week, as I will send reminders to confirm your presentation topic with me if you haven’t done so already, probably by next Wednesday.

Question 12

To certify or not to certify?

Answer 12

Now of course, you are not required to finish the certification process. You may just want to participate in the in-class portion;

this means that once you have completed the requirements discussed up to this point, presentation included, nothing more will be expected of your participation in the course.

However, to fully certify in this training and to receive the associated raise if you are eligible, you will need to participate fully in the in-class portion/presentation AND complete the portfolio assignments…

Question 13

So let’s go over the requirements for the portfolio assignments…

Answer 13

[have volunteers read first two sections of the portfolio expectations handout - then read and explain the reflection journal expectations]

…Are there any questions about any of those assignments? Or about the course completion requirements in general?

Question 14

Terrific! Let’s go ahead and kick things off with a bit of review from your orientation as new tutors.

Answer 14

For some of you, this will be more recent information than for others…

But regardless of which camp you fall in, some basic review will prove helpful in framing the deep-dive material we’ll cover in this course.

Question 15

First of all, you may or may not recall Ross MacDonald from orientation…

Answer 15

…if not, that’s okay. Ross Macdonald was the tutoring specialist education theorist from whom our department gets it 5 major goals of tutoring…

Let’s go ahead and see how many of those 5 major tutoring goals we can name/recall…

[list, define and discuss each goal]

1) Promoting independent learning - to avoid discouraging students and diminishing their skills through trained dependency

2) Personalizing instruction - helping students craft learning strategies specific to their unique needs as learners

3) Facilitating insight into the learning process, prompting students to practice metacognition - thinking about their own thinking

4) Offering tips for student and college success, so we can help the student succeed in college holistically, rather than simply succeeding in a class or on an assignment

5) Respecting differences - whether differences of culture, identity, ability, exposure or otherwise.

Question 16

Okay, terrific! We have some strong memories in here! Let’s move on to the other of the two innovations of Ross MacDonald from orientation…

Answer 16

The Tutoring Cycle! This was Macdonald’s phrase for the series of phases that the ideal tutoring session will move through - though of course each session will be different.

Again, it’s no big deal if you don’t remember all this material, but let’s try to list as many of the 7 tutoring cycle phases as possible together…[list and define each]

1) Greeting - setting a positive, familiar and friendly tone from the beginning of the session

2) Setting the Agenda - our opportunity to provide students will agency and involvement in establishing what they need help with doing (and also possibly tempering expectations a bit)

3) Identifying key thought processes - both as a way of prompting the student to do metacognition related to the task, and to help us diagnose the initial understanding of the topic by the student…

4) Addressing the task - whether the student does the bulk of the work independently

5) Reviewing concepts - helping to cement those key take-aways for better student retention of the material

6) Confirmation - providing encouragement and positive praise without giving false hope

7) Next steps - connecting students with any additional relevant resources

Question 17

Great work, everyone! Now that…

Answer 17

…we’ve warmed up with some review of our orientation basics, let’s move into the new material for this course, with our first theoretical foundations training module…

Question 18

Slide: Andragogy

(Intro to Module)

Answer 18

Our first major module for this training is going to consist of a walk through and discussion of the concept of andragogy together. We are going to

1) start by defining our terms
2) cover some of the history of the theory,
3) give an overview of the concepts in the theory
4) along the way, we’ll discuss some applications to tutoring as well

But before we launch right in…

Question 19

Slide: Andragogy: What do we know?

(Intro to KWL exercise)

Answer 19

I’m going to ask you to turn to the KWL worksheet in you packet, which we’ll use for different exercises in this class. These are called KWL exercises, and they are actually great for using with students in tutoring sessions if you have the time.

The idea is to write down both what you already know about a concept and what you would like to learn; then, after reviewing the material, jot down a quick recap of what you did learn.

Question 20

KW Exercise: Andragogy

Answer 20

For the first of the three terms on the worksheet, that is andragogy, I’ll give a few minutes for you to jot down both what you believe you already know about this concept (it’s okay if you are totally unfamiliar, just write that…).

Then in the same row, 2nd column, write down what you would like to learn about andragogy, from what it is down to nitty-gritty details that you might be curious about. So we’ll take about 5 minutes for that now…

Anyone want to share out their K or W?

Question 21

Slide: Andragogy: What it is (and What it isn’t)

Answer 21

Awesome! So now that we’ve had a chance to do some preliminary reflection, we’ll turn to the andragogy worksheet in the packet (should be the very next doc).

Please feel free to fill in the blanks and complete the short answer questions as we move through this module together.

Question 22

Andragogy Definition Brainstorm

Answer 22

As with any discussion grounded in theory, we’ll want to begin by defining our key terms, not the least of which is andragogy itself.

So what is andragogy? Any guesses? (write ideas on whiteboard)

Question 23

Andragogy Defined

Answer 23

There is more than one definition of andragogy in the field of educational research, but for our purposes, we’ll define it very simply as:

The theory and practice of teaching adults.

The term has its origins in the Greek word “Andragogos”, meaning “Leader of Men”.

Interestingly this term does not go back to ancient Greece, but more on that in a moment.

Also, the root of the term refers to men, but we are referring to all adults when we use it. Maybe in the future, it will be a term that is more inclusive, like “eniligogy”, from the root “enilikas”, which means simply “adult” in Greek. But for now, “andragogy” is the term the literature uses so it’s the term that we as educators are stuck with.

Question 24

Pedagogy: Term Introduced

Answer 24

A similar Greek word, meaning “the Leader of Children”, provides the basis for our next key term: “Pedagogy”.

Fun fact: in ancient Athens, the “Paidagogos” was typically a well-educated enslaved person who was kept to educate the children of wealthy families. You see, even from the beginning, educators have been poorly compensated…

Question 25

Pedagogy: Term Defined

Answer 25

Pedagogy, or the “theory and practice of teaching children”, eventually evolved to be the term western peoples used to refer to the science of teaching in general, as the teaching of children was the sole focus of philosophers of education for centuries.

Question 26

Andragogy is NOT Pedagogy Discussion Why we focus on comparing the two in this course…

Answer 26

But it’s critical for us to note that andragogy (the practice of teaching adult learners) and pedagogy (the practice of teaching child learners) are very much NOT the same. For us as tutors in a community of adult learners, its critical for us to compare these theories so that we can use that comparison to better understand the needs of the learner demographic we serve. So let’s embark on that comparison. Can anyone think of any significant differences in how adults and children approach learning? (write distinct answers in table on whiteboard)

Question 27

Affirmation of ideas & The sources of key differences

Answer 27

All great thinking! This is a smart group, because not only have you all hit on many of the basic differences in these realms of education, but you’ve also identified some of the major reasons for them, from differences in psychology, adult to child, to differences of circumstance and societal expectations.

Question 28

There are basically 4 major categories of difference one might use as a general framework for comparing pedagogy on the one hand and andragogy on the other: 1) Pedagogy is more subject-centric but andragogy offers more student centric lessons

Answer 28

Focusing mostly on the subject matter of a discipline for a child learner can be effective, as they tend to require less engagement with ultra-specific learning needs that humans tend to develop over a whole lifetime. However, adults learn best if their long-established needs as students are factored into the presentation of lessons.

Question 29

2) Then we have knowledge transfer, typical of pedagogy, vs. knowledge sharing, more characteristic of andragogy

Answer 29

Child learners often see themselves as sponges in education, sopping up information that instructors, whom they assume to be “in the know”, present in a “deposit” of knowledge Adult learners much prefer to have learning be a journey of mutual discovery, on which they embark as peers with instructors and tutors. This provides them with a sense of autonomy (self-involvement) and agency (control over educational methods) in the process.

Question 30

3) Then there is the key difference that pedagogy tends to be more authoritative, while andragogy can afford to be more collaborative.

Answer 30

Child learners are often more comfortable if adult instructors present information with final authority, as they are used to looking to authority figures for initiation into core concepts in their young quest to make sense of the world. By contrast, adult learners already have long-established exposure to core concepts shared across society, so there is much more mutual common ground for discussion with educators. If higher educators fail to collaborate with adult learners in their educational journey, and try to dictate instead, they will come across as condescending, infantilizing students and they will risk losing student engagement.

Question 31

4) Finally, there is the critical difference that pedagogy usually uses more formal assessment methods, whereas andragogy relies on a mutual and less formal assessment of a student’s progress with material

Answer 31

Child learners are not expected to assess their own learning styles and progress; they are expected to rely on the formal assessment of their progress through grades and teacher to parent feedback. They are often removed from the assessment check-in process altogether. On the other hand, adult learners check their own progress as much as instructors do, assessing their own skill and knowledge level with feedback from co-equals in an ongoing, mutual exchange….

Question 32

Slide: Andragogy: Brief History of the Theory

Answer 32

So when did educators start thinking about differences in how to practice teaching from child to adult learners? Well, for hundreds of years, pedagogy was the only term used to refer to the science of teaching in general, largely because philosophers of education didn’t consider learning to be a truly ongoing process after the transition from childhood.

Question 33

Alexander Kapp

Answer 33

But then, in the 1830s Alexander Kapp, a German grammar school teacher and education theorist, coined the term “andragogy”. He was mostly concerned with how best to teach children. But he was the first to frame his approach to that question with a comparison to how adults learn. His discussion of adult learning didn’t get very far, but he was the first to suggest that adults continue their education well beyond their transition from childhood. He argued that adult learners keep learning from three sources throughout life: 1) instructors/mentors 2) self-reflection 3) life experience Kapp never went into much detail on these points, at least not to the extent that he ever developed a proper “theory of andragogy”

Question 34

Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy

Answer 34

It wasn’t until the 1920s that Kapp’s term “Andragogy” even gained any traction in education theory, with its next major use being in the work of German sociologist Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy. Rosenstock-Huessy offered some thoughts on the nature of learning as a social phenomenon, insisting that in modern society, it can be thought of as a shared experience of mutual discovery between people trying to solve communal problems. He also argued that a learner’s background and personal history/experience were major sources of data as different learners try to gain knowledge about the world.

Question 35

Malcolm Knowles

Answer 35

Of course, none of this was fleshed out in any systematic theory until education researcher Malcolm Knowles, in the 1960s, articulated his famous “6 Assumptions of Adult Learners”

Question 36

Slide: Adult Learning Theory: Knowles’ Six Assumptions

Answer 36

Knowles’ Theory really is the first significant analysis of the unique attributes of adult students, so we are now going to devote some time to watching a video, specifically covering each assumption. As we do, you’ll want to go ahead and fill out the bottom half of the andragogy worksheet. Afterward, we discuss together to see how clear the concepts in the video were for everyone. [Play video]

Question 37

Knowles’ Six Assumptions Discussion Intro

Answer 37

So now that we’ve seen the video, let’s take Knowles’ assumptions one at a time and discuss how each may affect how we interact with adult learners in the tutoring context… The first of Knowles’ assumptions was, of course, the adult learner’s Need to Know… What was Knowles’ assumption on that point?

Question 38

The Need to Know

Answer 38

Yes, great! Essentially, the need-to-know assumption answers the question: Does it matter to me as a learner to know why the material I’m being taught is important? Child learners would typically answer: “No.” They tend to trust that those teaching know why this will be vital knowledge as they grow older. Adult learners would typically answer: “Yes.” They must know why each concept is important in the context of the whole subject, and how the subject is relevant to to their life goals.

Question 39

Explanation of the Need to Know

Answer 39

It is often very telling when teenagers begin to question why their class material is relevant as in, “When will I ever use the quadratic formula?” It shows that they are in a state of transition to the adult-learning “need to know”

Question 40

What are some ways that we as tutors can recognize and cater to our adult learners’ highly developed need to know? Ideas?

Answer 40

All good examples! Ultimately, we respect our students’ need to know when we try to show how concepts build on one another, and are connected, both to each other and to the life experience of our students. It might be as simple as pointing out to a calculus student how the difference quotient was so important in algebra because it has direct application to calculus. It might be asking a business student who is brainstorming an essay to think about how the writing prompt applies to their future goals in the business world.

Question 41

How about Self-concept?

Answer 41

What did Knowles assume about the way adults perceive themselves in their role as learners?

Question 42

Self-Concept

Answer 42

Ultimately, the assumption of self-concept answers the question: “How responsible am I for directing my own learning?” Child learners might answer: “Well, I have to do the classwork, but at the end of the day, I am dependent on my teacher’s ability to instruct me. Without VERY detailed guidance, step-by-step, I will be easily confused.” Adult learners would be more likely to argue: “Others can guide me, but ultimately, how much I understand/retain is a function of my independent effort, focus, and engagement with material.”

Question 43

Self-Concept Explanation

Answer 43

In essence, when we adhere to the tutoring goal of promoting independent learning from MacDonald, we are catering to the student's independent self-concept. Adult learners, in reality, show varying states of dependency, but “spoon feeding” answers to them will risk demoralizing them, due to the self-concept they carry as independent learners.

Question 44

How can we, as tutors, cater to that independent self-concept in adult learners we work with?

Answer 44

Good thinking! We should be trying to structure activities that allow for independent or “self-directed” work. In the tutoring context, that can mean walking away for a time, giving adequate time for our students to answer questions, and providing good open-ended questions in the first place. We can also encourage collaboration in study groups, or ask students if they would be comfortable explaining to the whole study group, to empower them in the review process. I do, we do, you do, is another great method for encouraging students in their independent self-concept. And of course, there is the practice of Socratic questioning, which we'll learn more about later on today...

Question 45

Experience of Learner Intro Question

Answer 45

The third of Knowles’ assumptions has to do with a learner’s prior experiences. What was Knowles’ arguing with that assumption?

Question 46

The Experience of the Learner

Answer 46

Yes, fantastic! This assumption answers the question: Do I have a robust bank of experiences from which to draw insights in my study process? Again, child learners would almost all have to answer in the negative. They would acknowledge that they largely rely on the experiences of older people, to gather data about the world abstractly and by proxy. Adult learners, by contrast, come into learning with a large bank of life experiences that will color their learning styles and how they synthesize facts.

Question 47

Explanation of the Experience of the Learner

Answer 47

The fact of adults’ robust life experience gives rise to another: that classroom groups of child learners will likely be more homogenous, while groups of adult learners will likely be more heterogeneous. This is because children as very alike in their relative lack of life experience. But adult learners having had many experiences different to the experiences of their classmates, will have more wildly different approaches to the discovery process, one to another.

Question 48

How then, can we cater to the adult-learner’s prior experience?

Answer 48

Yes, that’s right! We can go out of our way as tutors, to practice individualization, getting to know each student, at least enough to probe their interests, struggles and learning styles. Ask what has worked for students in their quest to understand the material up to this point. Examples could include: “Does it usually help to have ideas in this class drawn out, visually? We could easily do some graphing together” or “How long do you feel comfortable working before you usually need a brain break? We can always take one between problems, as you feel it’s necessary…”

Question 49

How about the next assumption, the adult learners’ readiness to learn?

Answer 49

Very good! This is one that personally feel is a bit glossed over in the video.

Question 50

The Readiness to Learn

Answer 50

Essentially, this assumption answers the question: “How does my development as a person up to this point impact how ready I am to tackle new material?” The child learner would have to admit that their psychological/neurological development has a direct impact on their ability to grasp the fundamentals of a subject. Most adult learners, on the other hand, are ready and eager to learn new concepts not as a result of their physical and mental development, but more as a result of their engagement with the material. One of the best ways to engage adult learners to show them how what their learning has direct relevance to their lives.

Question 51

How can we assist in inspiring our adult students’ readiness to learn when we are tutoring them?

Answer 51

In order to stimulate engagement and aid our students’ readiness to learn, we should both share our passion/engagement. This is another case where it helps to do everything we can to show the relevance of concepts we cover with students. For example, if they are interested in becoming engineers, we can stress the importance/relevance of the algebra basics we are tutoring, and how they will continue to appear at every level of higher math they will eventually take in reaching their goal. On the English side, we could explain the importance of solid organization of ideas in writing that goes into the job-hunt.

Question 52

What about the orientation to learning?

Answer 52

What did Knowles mean by that?

Question 53

Orientation to Learning

Answer 53

Yes! Great thinking! This assumption speaks to the question: “What matters to me more, the mere content I am learning or how it can be applied for practical purposes?” Child learners tend to be content-oriented. They trust that what they are being taught is worth knowing, largely for its own sake. They may benefit more from assessments that speak directly to how much they have understood/retained (quizzes, answer teacher’s questions, etc…) Adult learners tend to be task-oriented instead. They have a deep desire to apply new knowledge to practical problems. They tend to benefit more from projects, case-studies, brainstorming sessions, participating in thought experiments, or in-class discussions/debates.

Question 54

How can we as tutors cater to the adult learner’s task-based orientation to learning?

Answer 54

Indeed! We can work to provide micro-tasks/problems/challenges to students in our tutoring sessions. Examples: A programming tutor could suggest that a student who is just learning about loops write a program that performs a simple search, for solid practice with those loops. Or an English tutor could pose a hypothetical counterargument to claims made in an English paper, asking the student to consider the counter-claim and to brainstorm rebuttals.

Question 55

The final assumption of Knowles’ is the adult’s motivation to learn. What is that all about?

Answer 55

Exactly! This one answers the question: What drives me to pursue the challenges in my educational journey? Child learners would have to answer that they are mostly motivated by external/outside forces, like the wishes of parents/teachers/society. Adult learners are far more internally motivated to learn, driven by internal forces, like their desire to succeed, to improve their livelihoods, to exercise their curiosity, and so on.

Question 56

How, finally, can we as tutors cater to adult learners’ internal motivations to learn?

Answer 56

Definitely! We can start by individualizing with the student again. Ask them why they came to college, why they chose RRCC, why they are interested in their major. It will help shed light on the internal forces that drive them. That info can help us tailor our methods to each student. If they say that they are motivated by a desire to earn a lucrative salary in the future, we could discuss the higher-paying applications of their subject of study with them. “You know, there are often special incentives and bonuses for students who are multi-lingual, so someday you may be very glad you frequented this language lab as often as you do!” If they say that they are motivated by a passion for some subdiscipline or topic in their intended field, we can try to give relevant examples of that subfield in action: “So your dream is to design roller coasters? That’s awesome! You know, a lot of calculus goes into making those machines safe for humans to ride, analyzing curves/loops and their relationship to speed…”

Question 57

Slide: Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

Answer 57

Okay, wonderful discussion, all! We are going to finish up this module now with a partner exercise. So go ahead and partner off, and together, the two of you will fill in the blanks on the table outlined on this worksheet I am handing out now. For each category, jot down some things ways that pedagogy and andragogy are distinct in that specific context. We’ll take about 10 minutes for that now.

Question 58

Okay, everyone. Let’s come back together now.

Answer 58

Overall, I am very impressed with our level of intuition about what makes adult learning distinct from child learning. In this discussion, we’ve hit on some of the specific learner traits we can reasonably assume our population of students here at RRCC to have. I’ll just conclude by letting you know that in order to complete the requirements for the course, you’ll want to complete the “L” portion of the KWL exercise for “andragogy”.

Question 59

Questions?

Answer 59

Does anyone have any questions or comments or other contributions about andragogical theory before we wrap this module up and take a break? Okay, terrific discussion, everyone. Let’s take five, and then we’ll come back and tackle the next module, on constructivism.

Question 60

Slide: Constructivism Introduction

Answer 60

So up to this point, we have covered a lot of material on the needs that define our adult learners as a group. In order to fully activate that knowledge in our tutoring space, we now need to discuss a major body of theory that dictates how to meet those unique needs: The theory of constructivism.

Question 61

What do we know?

Answer 61

For the second of our three KWL exercises, take about 5 minutes to jot down: 1) what you believe you already know about constructivism as a theory of knowledge and education...again, if that's nothing yet, then that is more than acceptable to write down. 2) what you would like to learn, from basic principles in the theory to details you are curious about...[give 5 minutes]

Question 62

Okay, terrific! Does anyone want to share out their K or their W?

Answer 62

As with the andragogy KWL exercise, you'll get an opportunity at the end of this module to jot down some of what we learn here together.

Question 63

Slide: Video - Traditional Teaching

Answer 63

Before we get into rigorously defining and describing constructivism as a theory, I want to have you all watch a quick video that will introduce the concept of constructivist teaching in broad strokes. In the beginning of the video, the narrator will introduce a quick exercise, which I would like to do together, so be listening for those instructions and I will halt the video so we can complete the exercise at that time... [start video - halt at 1:51]

Question 64

Video pop quiz questions review

Answer 64

[review pop quiz questions with trainees - restart video and halt at 2:52] So who here has had to sit through a lesson, class or tutoring session like this? I know I have!

Question 65

Now, we'll watch as the narrator defines constructivism...

Answer 65

...as an alternative approach to more traditional teaching methods [restart video; halt at 5:16] x So based on the video here, who'd like to summarize, in a nutshell, what the theory of constructivism argues about the nature of knowledge gathering and the needs of learners? [allow share out]

Question 66

Right! Constructivism in a nutshell argues that...

Answer 66

...knowledge is gained as a function not of depositing information from one person to another, but as an building process, where new discoveries and comprehension are "built up" actively by a student, using data from current exploration of material and from prior experience

Question 67

I think it's great that you all got so much out of the video!

Answer 67

(even if it was itself a little "traditional-teachingy" and not as actively constructivist as the theory it described. It would have been easy to tune out, but you all didn't, so job well done!

Question 68

Slide: Constructivism and Learning - Blending Form & Content

Answer 68

So that was a very broad-strokes introduction to constructivism in the video

Question 69

In order to fully flesh out the theoretical details, however, we now turn to...

Answer 69

...an exercise that will blend the content of the module - constructivist learning - with the form by which we learn it. In this exercise, you will work both individually and with a partner to employ a constructivist approach to learning about constructivism, rather than my transferring the knowledge of that theory to you, lecture-style as we did with the theory of andragogy.

Question 70

Go ahead and look at the constructivism worksheet...

Answer 70

The first side has terms that you will research and define individually, using your own devices or devices here in the laptop cart. The second side has some thought-provoking questions that you will answer with your partner; those questions will ask you to synthesize some of the definitions you gathered from your individual research. We'll take about 20 minutes for the individual research portion, and then about 10-15 minutes for the partner discussion of the questions on the backside. After that, we'll come together for a class recap/discussion of the content. Alright, begin!

Question 71

Slide: Traditional Teaching vs. Constructivism Okay, everyone let's bring it back together now and grapple with some of these questions as a group...

Answer 71

First off, what did you all discover with your definitions?

Question 72

Does anyone want to share out formal definitions of constructivism that you found?

Answer 72

[allow responses] Right! Constructivism is essentially "A theory which posits that knowledge is interactively built using independent experiences and not simply transferred from those who have it to those who do not." Just like with this slide's illustration here, constructivist educators are more concerned with the experience, exposure and self-motivated building of information, rather than the mere transfer and reproduction of it. So we constructivist methods and concerns reflected with the teacher in panel B here...

Question 73

Slide: Zone of Proximal Development

Answer 73

How about the Zone of Proximal Development, from educational theorist Lev Vygotsky? What is the meaning of that term and concept?

Question 74

Right. The Zone of Proximal Development...

Answer 74

...is essentially an abstract region of the intellect, which exists where material can be understood by students and related tasks completed, but only with appropriate assistance. [refer to graph] A corollary idea is that as the level of skill in a learner increases, the number of tasks learners can complete without assistance increases, and the complexity of content at the threshold of the zone of proximate development directly increases with it.

Question 75

Vygotsky's model also illustrates the need for "scaffolded learning". Did anyone run across that phrase in their research? What is scaffolding? How does it relate to this idea?

Answer 75

Right! Scaffolding is a teaching/tutoring method that 1) breaks material into manageable chunks for students, and 2) allows students to execute tasks relating to the chunks that the student can handle without assistance, while providing more direct assistance with those chunks of the assignment that veer into the zone of proximal development.

Question 76

Discussion Questions:

Answer 76

So let's take a look at the questions on the back that you had discussed with your partner.

Question 77

1) What is the relationship between Piaget's disequilibrium concept and the zone of proximal development? Partners to share out?

Answer 77

Correct! The ZPD is the region of knowledge where a student requires some appropriate level and method of assistance. Hence it is in the ZPD that a student is most likely to experience cognitive disequilibrium - the need to integrate new experiences into their personal bank of knowledge and skills.

Question 78

2) How do the concepts of the ZPD and disequilibrium relate to the theory of constructivism? Anyone want to share what you and your partner discovered?

Answer 78

Indeed. Constructivism states that knowledge is a building process founded on prior experience. Disequilibrium occurs when new experiences challenge the current synthesis of facts and knowledge in a learner's mind. So constructivism suggests that the most effective growth in learning will occur in a state of disequilibrium. Likewise, constructivism suggests that the main field for knowledge growth will be the ZPD, as this is where new experience meets old knowledge, fosters disequilibrium and gives rise to discoveries of new facts that reconcile the knowledge base with that new experience.

Question 79

3) How does constructivism relate to the theory of andragogy? Any groups to share? [allow responses]

Answer 79

Andragogical theories, like those posed by Malcolm Knowles, state that adult learners have much greater pools of life experience to draw from and crave interactive and discussion-based lessons that speak to practical applications of their knowledge. For constructivist educators of adult learners then, there is much more to scaffold upon and connect to the learner's experience, and adult learners can be expected, by and large, to favor/benefit from a more constructivist than traditional teaching/tutoring approach.

Question 80

4) Finally, how can these concepts be applied to effective tutoring? Any pairs to share?

Answer 80

Tutors can serve as guides in the ZPD, chunking information and helping students scaffold as they interactively discover Tutors can also help students emotionally weather the frustrations, and reap the rewards of embracing cognitive disequilibrium, by serving as examples of how beneficial stepping outside of the intellectual comfort zone can be. Tutors can provide a constructivist approach to learning perhaps even more readily than classroom instructors, given the interactive, discussion-based and application-based style of academic support.

Question 81

Slide: Constructivism: Final Thoughts Anyone have any final questions or comments about constructivist educational theory and how we might apply it to tutoring? [allow for responses]

Answer 81

Great! Let's go ahead and move into the "L" portion of the KWL worksheet for the row on constructivism. Take a couple minutes to jot down a few things you learned. [allow for activity] Anyone want to share what they wrote in that box before we move into our last break and final module? [allow responses] Fantastic! Take 5 everyone!

Question 82

Slide: Introduction to the Socratic Method of Questioning

Answer 82

Alright, welcome back, all! Let's go ahead and move into our final module of training for this session. This one covers the Socratic Method of Questioning and its valuable uses in tutoring encounters...

Question 83

Slide: Socratic Method of Questioning KWL

Answer 83

As with the other two modules for today, we are going to do the KW portions of a final quick KWL exercise. Take a few minutes to write what you already believe you know about the Socratic Method of Questioning (hint: it's a philosophical, as well as educational, concept). Again, it's okay to put down that you don't know anything about it just yet, if that is the case. Take a moment to jot down what you would like to learn as well...

Question 84

Handout - Socratic Method of Questioning

Answer 84

Alright, everyone, let's have a look at the handout labeled "The Socratic Method of Questioning". I want you to all take about 5 minutes to read the front side entirely. Then, we'll come back and discuss together. [allow 5 minutes]

Question 85

Okay, let's come back together now.

Answer 85

So first of all, what is the Socratic method of questioning? "Right! The Socratic Method is named after Socrates, ancient Athenian philosopher, AKA the gadfly of Athens. He was so called because he would spend hours following people, asking them open-ended questions and trying to get them to validate their opinions/beliefs with logic."

Question 86

Tutors can play a key role in this regard for students...

Answer 86

...in some sense, when we are tutoring effectively, we are acting as the gadflies of Red Rocks!

Question 87

So the Socratic Method of Questioning in Education is...

Answer 87

...the asking of open-ended questions to cause students to do what today we call "metacognition", thinking about their own thinking and constantly assessing the quality and rigor of their thinking.

Question 88

But all that is surface-level information on this topic, like we covered in the mandatory orientation class. What is an "open-ended question"? And what does the handout suggest are the possible types of Socratic Questions, and their intended purpose in terms of fostering metacognition in students?

Answer 88

Right! We have: Clarity - questions intended to cause students to make their thinking and communication more direct/explicit Accuracy - questions that get students to think about how they know something they believe/suspect/theorize is true... Precision - questions that make students hone and communicate the details of their thinking Relevance - questions that get students to consider how their ideas are inter-related Depth - questions that challenge the scope of student thinking or prompt students to consider alternative perspectives Logic - questions that force students to evaluate the rational basis of their claims/solutions Significance - questions that prompt students to weigh the importance of a topic, problem or other academic task

Question 89

Those of you who have read your Greek philosophers will recall that...

Answer 89

Socrates was a big fan of dialogue-based philosophical discovery.

Question 90

Almost every piece of literature that features Socrates was written by Plato...

Answer 90

Platonic Dialogues all picture Socrates (who never wrote anything down) participating in conversations, questioning the rational basis for the beliefs of his conversation partners. Like Socrates, we as tutors participate in these academic dialogues.

Question 91

Slide: Example socratic dialogue

Answer 91

Phenomenal! Alright, let's look at this sample Socratic dialogue together, any volunteers to read for student? Any volunteers to read for tutor? [Allow read-through time/space]

Question 92

Excellent read-through! Very dramatic!

Answer 92

Can anyone identify the types for some of the Socratic questions in this example? [allow responses]

Question 93

On the back of the handout, you will see an activity worksheet...

Answer 93

I want you to spend about 10 minutes with your partner; come up with an imaginary tutoring scenario in the discipline that one of you tutors... Then, create your own hypothetical Socratic dialogue the tutor and student might have. This means that for everything the "student" says, the "tutor" should respond with a Socratic, open-ended question that prompts self-examination and deeper responses by the student. You'll have 10 minutes, and then we'll come back together, discuss and see a sample dialogue...

Question 94

Socratic dialogue exercise share out

Answer 94

Great work, folks! Any teams want to share out their Socratic dialogue with the bigger group? If so, one of you can role-play the student and the other, the tutor... [give time for readings]

Question 95

Slide: Socratic Questioning - Applying what we've learned

Answer 95

So that concludes our dive into Socratic Questioning. Hopefully it gave you some more tools and tips about how to employ these powerful questioning techniques in tutoring sessions. Are there any final questions on Socratic questioning before we move into our closing discussion?

Question 96

Okay, great! Before moving into our final classroom business and wrap up session #1 together, please take a couple minutes to fill in some things you learned about Socratic Questioning to complete the KWL worksheet.

Answer 96

[allow time to fill in] Anyone want to share what you filled in for the "L" box in the row for Socratic Questioning? [allow responses]

Question 97

Closing Remarks

Answer 97

Okay, all! You made it to the end of Session #1! Let's cover some class business before we call it quits for this session today...

Question 98

Remember that...

Answer 98

The next session for the class, two Fridays from today, is the final one. Remember to review session #1 (it helps to complete all handouts from session 1 before we convene for session #2) Remember to send a request for a presentation topic to confirm with me for your presentation next time... Remember to actually create your presentations...again, 5-8 minutes please and be mindful of the rubric I provided in the packet today...