Fostering Deep Learning

1. Fostering Deep Learning Bill Reynolds Director, Institute for Faculty Development September 30& October 7, 2015

2. Reflecting on teaching • Something you did in this first week of class that primed students for deep learning • An unexpected challenge or other surprise you faced

3. Questions to consider in preparing to teach • What do the best teachers know and understand? • How do the best teachers prepare to teach? • What do they expect of their students? • What do they do when they teach? • How do they treat their students? • How do they check their progress and evaluate their efforts?

4. People learn most deeply (i.e., in ways that have a sustained and substantial influence on the way they subsequently think) when: • They are trying to answer questions or solve problems they find intriguing, important, or beautiful. • Upcoming session on questioning • They can try, fail, receive feedback, and try again before anyone makes a judgment of their work. • They can collaborate with other learners struggling with the same problems. • They can speculate even before they know anything. • They face repeated challenges to their existing fundamental paradigms (i.e. faced with “disorienting dilemmas”).

5. Thinking fast and slow • System 1: Automatic, intuitive fast • System 2: Deliberative, reasoned, slow • When we’re surprised, System 2 is activated

6. People learn most deeply (i.e., in ways that have a sustained and substantial influence on the way they subsequently think) when: • They can get support (emotional, physical, and intellectual) when they need it. • They care that their existing paradigms don’t work. • They feel in control of their own learning, not manipulated. • They believe that their work will be considered fairly and honestly. • They believe that their work will matter.

7. People learn most deeply (i.e., in ways that have a sustained and substantial influence on the way they subsequently think) when: • They believe that intelligence and abilities are expandable--that if they work hard, they will get better at it. • They believe other people have faith in their ability to learn. • They believe that they can learn. • They have the chance to do the discipline before they know the discipline. • They can learn inductively rather than deductively, moving from the specific to the general rather than the general to the specific.

8. Activity (9/16/14) • What “paradigms of reality” (Brookfield would call these “assumptions”) are students likely to bring with them that you will want them to challenge? • How can you help them construct that intellectual challenge? • I.e., what disorienting dilemmas have you introduced?

9. Fostering Deep Learning (cont’d) • First: Next week is precepting session. Any questions before we jump into this week’s topic? • QUESTION • What assumptions about their own learning do students bring to your class (e.g., ability to learn, style of learning, other)? • How have you learned what you know about their assumptions? (If you’re not sure, how might you find out?)

10. Mindset (from Carol Dweck’s work) • Fixed mindset • Believing that your qualities/abilities are set in stone • Intelligence is fixed • Risks, challenges are avoided • Growth mindset • Believing that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through effort • Hallmark: passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even when it’s not going well • Risks, challenges are exciting, sought after

11. Stereotype threat (from work of Claude Steele) • The threat of being viewed through the lens of a negative stereotype • Fear of doing something that would confirm that stereotype • External: the situational threat of being stereotyped • Different from internalization of negative stereotype (i.e., self-fulfilling prophecy) • Can be induced in groups that would not have been socialized to have group inferiority • E.g., white males of high ability (SAT avg. 712) were induced to underperform by being shown articles about phenomenal math achievement of Asians)

12. Mechanism • When stereotypes are evoked, they fill people’s minds with distracting thoughts—secret worries about confirming stereotype. • Usually not even aware of it, but they don’t have enough mental energy left to do well or engage in effortful behavior. • Exhaustion from “attributional ambiguity” • Extra vigilance triggered by situations in which stereotypes may operate • Result: “disidentification” (psychic adjustment that realigns self-regard so it no longer depends on how one does in given situation)

13. Additional details • The most skilled, achievement-oriented students were most impaired by ST. • May have long seen selves as good students, but “led into the domain by their strengths, they pay an extra tax on their investment—vigilant worry that their future will be compromised by society’s perception and treatment of their group” (Steele, 1999). • Related to research on health consequences of stereotype-related stress: b.p. of Black students performing difficult cognitive task under ST was elevated compared to Black students not under ST or to White students.

14. Reducing ST • Underperformance appears to be rooted in social mistrust. • How to foster racial trust? • Tell students you are using high standards • Tell them that a review of their work leads you to believe they can meet those standards • Other strategies • Emphasize malleability of intelligence • Readings on brain plasticity • Combat fixed mindset

15. Final question • People learn most deeply when: • They feel in control of their own learning, not manipulated. • What do you (or could you) do to help students feel more in control of their learning? • Next week in F222—precepting session • If you are visiting you don’t need to come to this one