Contextual Teaching and Learning

Susan Jones Sears The Ohio State University

Improving Teaching

Goals: Describe and Discuss

What Contextual Teaching and Learning Is and Is Not, Examples of Contextual Teaching and Learning, Supports for Implementing Contextual Teaching and Learning

Improving Teaching

Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) is a conception of teaching and learning that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real world situations and motivates students to make connections between knowledge and its applications to their lives as family members, citizens, and workers.

Improving Teaching

CTL is supportive of rigorous content. Students need the equivalent of college prep courses as well as a career emphasis.

Improving Teaching

CTL
Engages students in defining and researching problems.
They experience the messiness of ill-structured situations that are typical of the real world. They assume the role of stakeholders who are affected by the resolution of the problem. They engage in higher-level thinking and disciplined inquiry as they participate in authentic activities.

Improving Teaching

CTL Provides opportunities for students to learn knowledge and skills in meaningful contexts such as the home, the community, and the workplace.

Improving Teaching

CTL Builds on the knowledge learners possess and uses their life experiences and contexts as instructional platforms to help them move from what they know to what they do not know.

Improving Teaching
CTL

Encourages students to direct their own learning and monitor their own progress.

Improving Teaching
CTL

Supports instruction that encourages students to learn together and from each other.

Improving Teaching

CTL

Uses assessments that sample the actual knowledge, skills, and dispositions desired of students.

CTL is not
a lecture-only method of teaching, busy-work or activity for activitys sake, doing the questions at the end of the chapter, rote memorization, teacher dominated goal-setting, paper and pencil tests

Examples of Contextual Teaching

An agriculture teacher and a math teacher put their students together to design a mist system for the high school greenhouse. The project involved calculating the volume of liquid and the amount of PVC pipe required for the project.

Contextual Teaching

A textiles teacher and an English teacher invited speakers from business and industry to make presentations to students on workplace standards and quality control. Students practiced notetaking and interviewing skills as they listened and then wrote a 1- 3 page report that both teachers graded.

Contextual Teaching

Students in food nutrition, chemistry, and journalism classes investigated the metal content of foods before and after cooking using various types of pans. They prepared omelettes using stainless steel, cooper, cast iron, glass, and coated cookware. Chemistry students used food samples to make chloride ions and

Contextual Teaching

The students tested the samples at a local university. They calculated the ratios of standard metal concentrations in eggs and mushrooms before and after cooking. They made graphs showing the results which were dramatic, e.g. egg samples cooked in cast iron experienced a 176% gain in iron.

Contextual Teaching
Students writing scores were poor and the English teacher and cosmetology teacher were searching for a way to improve them. They decided to have their students publish a trade journal. The students focused on vocational content and technical writing skills.

Contextual Teaching

Project Guidelines: First students write five occupation-related articles in English class. After receiving feedback on the articles, the students choose three to include in the magazine. They write these articles: 1) an interview with an expert in their field, 2) a how-to article, 3) a review of a book in a career or technical field, 4) an article comparing and contrasting new products, 5) a persuasive article on opportunities for career advancement.

Contextual Teaching

Students are assigned to groups of four per journal. Each student accepts responsibility for ensuring quality in one phase of production, e.g. designing the cover, and each student is required to include one of two exercises: games, puzzles or a full-page advertisement related to a career or technical area.

Contextual Teaching

Other Ideas:
Generate solutions to critical problems facing the community, Critically examine major world events as they unfold, Deliver a community service and then reflect on the experience

Benefits for Students

Promotes higher order thinking and problem solving, Promotes student engagement and involvement, Relates what student is learning to real world problems and their lives, and Promotes authentic methods of assessment.

Supporting Teachers Who Want to Change

Provide

externships and service learning opportunities teachers time to collaborate and plan teaching units and align curriculum with standards,

Give

Supporting Teachers Who Desire to Change

Consider

providing larger blocs of instructional time professional development for teachers

Provide

Web Addresses for Contextual Teaching

www.cew.wisc.edu

www.bgsu.edu

Contextual Teaching and Learning

Teaching for Understanding Through Integration of Academic and Technical Education

By Gene Bottoms & Deede Sharpe