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Definitions of Teaching: Taken in Part From B. O. Smith's

The document discusses various definitions of teaching. It begins by describing operational definitions that define teaching as imparting knowledge or skill, but notes these terms can be ambiguous. It then examines descriptive definitions, including teaching as success (resulting in learning), as an intentional activity, as a normative activity, and toward a scientific definition. A working definition proposed is "teaching is undertaking certain ethical tasks or activities the intention of which is to induce learning." The document also discusses the relationship between teaching and learning.

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217 views

Definitions of Teaching: Taken in Part From B. O. Smith's

The document discusses various definitions of teaching. It begins by describing operational definitions that define teaching as imparting knowledge or skill, but notes these terms can be ambiguous. It then examines descriptive definitions, including teaching as success (resulting in learning), as an intentional activity, as a normative activity, and toward a scientific definition. A working definition proposed is "teaching is undertaking certain ethical tasks or activities the intention of which is to induce learning." The document also discusses the relationship between teaching and learning.

Uploaded by

f47r1e
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Definitions of Teaching

(www.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/310content/teachlearn/teaching_learning.ppt, accessed on Wed, Apr 06, 2011)

taken in part from B. O. Smith’s


Definitions of Teaching
Operational Definitions of Teaching

 "the action of a person who teaches; the profession


of a teacher”
 "teaching is imparting knowledge or skill"
Terms defining teaching such as imparting,
knowledge, and skill are often ambiguous

 imparting --
– telling? conditioning? constructing?
 knowledge --
– knowing? believing? comprehending? understanding?
 skill --
– knowing that? (a bike is ridden this way)
– knowing how? (to ride a bike in actuality)
– knowing to? (ride a bike when necessary)
Descriptive Definitions of Teaching

 Teaching as Success
 Teaching as Intentional Activity
 Teaching as Normative Activity
 Scientific Definition of Teaching
Teaching as Success

 "teaching is that which results in learning"


 There are drawbacks with this form of definition.
– Learning is the responsibility of the teacher!
– If students do not learn, it is the fault of the teacher.
 This is the process - product approach.
– students are a product of the system
– confuses teaching (a task) with learning (an objective)
 By this definition, an external observer cannot tell
whether or not a teacher is actually teaching; e.g.,
cannot observe teacher to see if teaching is
actually occurring.
Teaching as Intentional Activity

 "teaching is undertaking certain tasks or activities


the intention of which is to induce learning"
 A teacher can anticipate that certain activities will
result in learning, but not guarantee it.
 In short, successful teaching cannot be reduced to
a set of general rules, or a prescribed pattern of
behavior.
Teaching as Normative Activity

 "normative teaching requires that the activities of teaching


conform to certain ethical conditions"
– conditioning (stimulus-obeying behavior)
– indoctrinating (uniformed belief)
– brainwashing (conditioned behavior/uninformed belief)
– informing (information with explanations or evidence, no
experience provided)
– training (rule-obeying behavior)
– instructing (training and informing)
– teaching (processes of verification, concern for what student
thinks, preparing them for independent action)
Toward of Scientific Definition of Teaching

 "teaching is the process of carrying out those


activities that experience has shown to be effective
in getting students to learn"
 a major problem is that there is very little research
that agrees systematically on anything
 craft wisdom is frequently good, but sometimes is
in error
 a scientific definition is probably not possible
given student autonomy
A Working Definition of Teaching

 “teaching is undertaking certain ethical tasks or


activities the intention of which is to induce
learning”
Relationship between Teaching and Learning

 Teaching is what teachers do.


 Learning is what students do.
 Does a relationship between good teaching and
student learning exist?
 To a degree, but how are they related and to what
extent is unclear.
If such a connection truly exists, then...

 your ability to teach should be judged on the basis


of student learning.
 you should be held accountable for student
learning despite poor parenting, negative attitudes,
and other social ills.
 your pay should be based at least in part on
student outcomes.
There is not necessarily a connection between
teaching and learning.

 some students can and will learn in spite of bad


teaching
 some students will not learn even with the best
teaching

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