Some of my web pages include this category at the bottom, which dives deeper into the choices and strategies I’ve made to help my students learn. Here I try to explain how I’ve used various teaching and learning methods for that specific project.
While several approaches can help you be a good teacher, one I try to remember often is that colleges and schools aren’t teaching institutions; we are learning institutions. Students and teachers form a symbiotic relationship, depending on each other for care, trust, and engagement.
Here are several web page links that show Behind the Learning:
Here are some teaching and learning approaches I’ll address in the Behind the Learning sections:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
What is UDL?
UDL is a research-based framework developed to anticipate learning barriers and build flexibility and accessibility into lessons from the start.
The Three Core Principles
1. Engagement — The WHY of learning
How do we motivate students and help them connect with learning?
- Offer meaningful choices and connect learning to students’ interests.
- Encourage collaboration, participation, and persistence.
2. Representation — The WHAT of learning
How do we help students access and understand information?
- Present information in different ways, such as demonstrations, videos, captions, written instructions, and visuals.
- Give students opportunities to review information at their own pace.
3. Action & Expression — The HOW of learning
How do students practice, apply learning, and show what they know?
- Provide practice, useful feedback, and opportunities to revise.
- Help students develop problem-solving skills and independence.
The Goal: Help Every Student Grow
UDL aims to develop expert learners who are motivated, knowledgeable, and increasingly independent.
The key idea: Instead of waiting for students to struggle and then making adjustments, anticipate common barriers and build options into your teaching from the beginning.
Start small. You don’t have to redesign an entire course. One thoughtful change to an existing lesson can make learning more accessible and teaching more manageable.
Three Learning Theories Every Instructor Can Use
Referenced from Jordan Brick’s New Faculty Experience Blackboard training course
You don’t need to be an educational theory expert to help students learn. But understanding a few basic ideas about how people learn can help you make better classroom decisions.
Here are three useful ways to think about learning—and simple ways to put them into practice.
1. Motivational Learning: Help Students See the Value
The big idea: Students are more likely to learn when they believe they can succeed and understand why the material matters.
When students begin something new, they may be wondering:
- Can I actually do this?
- Why do I need to learn this?
- How will this help me in my future career?
As an instructor, you can help answer these questions.
What this looks like in the classroom:
- Start with something interesting. Show a real-world example, a short video, or a problem students might encounter on the job.
- Connect learning to careers. Explain how a skill will be used in the workplace. For example, show automotive students how a diagnostic skill helps identify a real vehicle problem.
- Help students believe they can succeed. Encourage them, recognize progress, and break challenging tasks into manageable steps.
- Give students some choice. When possible, let students choose a topic, project, or example that interests them.
Try this: Before starting a lesson, ask yourself, Why would my students care about learning this? Then find a simple way to show them.
2. Cognitive Learning: Help Students Understand and Remember
The big idea: Students learn more effectively when new information connects to what they already know and is presented in manageable steps.
Simply covering material doesn’t mean students have learned it. They need time to process information, practice skills, make connections, and check their understanding.
What this looks like in the classroom:
- Break complex tasks into steps. Instead of explaining the entire process at once, demonstrate one part, let students practice it, then move on to the next.
- Show students what success looks like. Use examples, demonstrations, diagrams, or visual guides to make unfamiliar ideas easier to understand.
- Check understanding along the way. Ask students to explain a step, demonstrate a skill, answer a quick question, or try a short practice activity.
- Provide support at first. Give students a checklist, guided notes, or step-by-step instructions. As they gain confidence, encourage them to work more independently.
- Avoid overwhelming students. Introduce a few key ideas at a time, and give them opportunities to practice before adding more information.
- Use different ways to explain ideas. Combine spoken explanations with written directions, visuals, demonstrations, and hands-on practice.
Try this: Think about a skill students find difficult. Could you demonstrate it in smaller steps, provide a visual guide, or let students practice before asking them to complete it independently?
3. Social Learning: Help Students Learn from Each Other
The big idea: Students learn by observing others, sharing ideas, practicing together, and receiving feedback.
Learning doesn’t have to happen only through an instructor’s explanations. Classmates can also be valuable learning resources.
What this looks like in the classroom:
- Build a respectful classroom. Learn students’ names, show interest in their progress, and make it clear that questions and mistakes are part of learning.
- Let students work together. Use partner activities, small-group problem-solving, peer demonstrations, or collaborative projects.
- Encourage students to explain their thinking. Explaining how they solved a problem can help students understand a process more deeply.
- Make feedback a conversation. Instead of simply telling students what is wrong, ask questions that help them identify problems and discover possible solutions.
- Give students opportunities to learn from examples. Let them observe a demonstration, review a sample project, or see how a classmate approaches a task.
Try this: Find one opportunity for students to learn with or from each other. For example, ask partners to compare their solutions to a problem and explain why they made different choices.
Putting It All Together
These three ideas work together. Students are more likely to learn when they see the value of a task, have the support they need to understand it, and have opportunities to practice and learn with others.
You don’t have to change everything you do. Start with one lesson and ask yourself:
- Motivation: How can I help students see why this matters?
- Understanding: How can I make this easier to learn and remember?
- Connection: How can students learn from practice, feedback, or each other?
Small, thoughtful changes can meaningfully shape how students experience learning—and how confidently they apply what they’ve learned.