We learn best by example

It is often said that people learn best by following the example set by someone else being observed.

This is in contrast with being taught by telling the students what to do, which as I recall was the dominant mode of teaching when I was in school.

So I now imagine what it might be for teachers to teach by example of themselves. A teacher could go through the process of discovering math, bit by bit, starting with an imagined need to know if the how many of something is enough to do something specific that is wanted to do; then the idea of counting things that are similar, and then making it easier than physically doing by using symbolic math to add up groups of things without actually putting the groups physically in one basket to determine how many is the sum, although that basketing would be done a few times to show how the teacher discovers that the more abstract math gives the same answer, as part of the going through the discovery of addition, subtraction, multiplication and into algebra, solid geometry, matrices, the increments of calculus, tensors and onward. Examples of how these numbers and mathematical processes, as applied to real things in the world, each step of the way. And examples of picking out which mathematical process or equation that is likely to provide predicted values the easy way, before doing it with more labor in the physical world.

Teaching by the teacher setting an example of themselves in front of the students. "Gee, look at what just happened when I did that! Wow! So what would happen if I ..."

Computer projection systems could bring the student into close observation of what the teacher is doing as part of his/her learning discovery process, no straining to see and hear from the back of the classroom, through distractions of horde of students backs and desks in between. It could be there right at student's desk terminal, close up of what is going on up there with the teacher.

Eventually computer terminals at each student desk could bring it even closer and provide for immediate feedback input by the student, too; and maybe some of that could be done via internet so student can learn much at home first, via computer watching the teacher go through the discovery process of what is being learned at the moment.

Sure, that makes the teacher a bit of an actor, pretending to not know something then going through the steps of learning by discovering firsthand, for the watching students (wherever they might be.) But is not the conventional teacher a bit of an actor, ever laying down the law of what is, portraying it over and over again to each class?

The recording of science experiments in nitty-gritty detail, as if being discovered for the first time, could portray increasingly complex knowledge, which would also have the advantage of the student being able to tie each bit of new knowledge to how it was discovered, and then how it was generalized and then how it can be applied to solve the student's questions, whether for being tested or to answer questions about life that the student has. The complex research equipment and its functioning processes could be part of such "learning by watching example being discovered by someone" so when the student goes into a science lab in physical reality, equipment will be identifiable and how it works and what it can do will be more quickly integrated into the student's doings in the lab.

How does "teaching by setting the example by the teacher" work for, say, economics and world history? By acting it out, for the students to watch. And by bringing in multimedia seamlessly into the teaching, helping the students to generalize the principles involved.

Again, computer terminals at the students desk, (whether in classroom or at home) provides instant feedback from the student, such as in predicting result of what comes next, and sending that to the teacher as feedback. In fact, an optimum class session could be recorded by the teacher, and then during the actual class, the teacher spends his/her time interacting with what responses the students are making toward what they are observing during the class. The student could even do a back-up-and-replay for some point they missed on the first pass, too, until it all makes sense.

This may seem like a small difference from ordinary conventional classroom education techniques, but it could be a very profoundly effective difference, that of learning by the example set before us by the teacher and teacher's resources. Significantly different from being "lectured at," and then cramming to pass tests.

Because we learn best by example.

While educators might at first resent having to learn a whole new way to teach, I think they might suddenly discover that teaching their subject matter just got a whole lot more fun for them, re-living the discoveries of life, each class.

After all, wouldn't it be better if the discovery of life be always interesting and enjoyable, for both student and teacher alike? Wouldn't that in itself be setting a great example before going into the working world for real? People do best what they enjoy most, and the country needs a lot more of that "doing best" these days.

Teaching is about the discovery of life; so let the teacher show that discovery of each bit of life in such ways that the student can empathically watch, ready to copy the doings themselves.

Jim Cline 20071005