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EDUC 420
EDUC 420 Issues in Learning and Teaching | INTRO
ISSUES IN LEARNING
AND TEACHING
0.1 Introduction to the Course
• preliminary introductions and overview
• metaphor and thought
• issues in learning
• issues in teaching
Fall 2019
Werklund School of Education EVERYTHING said today will be repeated in one form or
another in the outline, plenaries, and/or readings.
University of Calgary A PDF of the presentation will also be posted on D2L.

preliminaries metaphor/thought issues in learning issues in teaching

Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching” Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching”

EDUC 420 EDUC 420

The Teaching Team Course Calendar Description

EDUC 420 presents an overview of the central issues related to

Instructor: the nature of learning and teaching for those preparing for the
teaching profession.
Brent Davis (Thu, 13h00–15h00, or by appt) Themes include:
• the nature of learning;
Teaching Assistants: • current realities in society;
Jennifer Markides (Tue, 12h30–14h30) • patterns of growth and development; and
Alan Stephen (Thu, 12h30–14h30) • the changing dynamics of the teaching profession.

Such issues vary greatly across different “moments” of education …

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Such issues vary greatly across different “moments” of education …

The course is structured as a movement through these moments. The course is structured as a movement through these moments.
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Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching” Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching”

Assignments EDUC 420

Course Outline
TASK DESCRIPTION WEIGHT

It’s available online through D2L … and pretty detailed.

1
Exam In-class, close-book, 20-item multiple choice test
MOMENT 20
(Sep 19) using self-scoring IF-AT response sheet

Question Group-based, in-class development of a “hinge”

2
MOMENT (Oct 09) question, along with peer critique
20

3
Poster Group-based extension of a Moment-3 or -4 topic,
MOMENT (Nov 18) 20
presented as “pedagogical” poster

4
Video Same-group-based production of 2-minute video to
MOMENT (Nov 27) 20
complement poster

Response Cards Brief responses to questions posed during plenary

20
(almost daily) sessions

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EDUC 420 Response Card #1: Which of these moments resonates most with you?

Response Cards
EDUC 420 • Fall 2019 Response Cards
Response Card 0.1 • 3–6 questions per session
Name: ____________________
• used for lots of reasons, but mainly to
UCID: ____________________ inform upcoming classes
• You must pick up your form by the time
1.
the first question is asked.
2. • We hope to explore electronic options.
3.
These cards contribute to your grade:
4.
• 1% per card for each of 14 cards, and
5.
• 1% for six occasional content questions
6. based on readings (not announced in
advance).
For today, please don’t change any answers after you’ve committed to one.
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EDUC 420 EDUC 420

Response Cards Course Text
Engaging Minds: Cultures of Education
and Practices of Teaching (3rd edn.)
2. Which of the following words
comes closest to describing
this person’s emotional state? • Editions 1 and 2 aren’t useful! They’re VERY different.
• The e-version isn’t recommended due to formatting
a) angry anomalies.
b) puzzled • Today’s follow-up reading: Prologue (pp. 1–8),
c) amused which will be made available through D2L. (Other
d) dismissive chapters won’t be.)

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issues assignments
in teaching

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EDUC 420 EDUC 420

QUERIES DURING CLASS QUERIES OUTSIDE OF CLASS

• Contact details & office hours are provided in the course outline.
If you have a question about content as I’m rolling
• School rule: You must use your ucalgary.ca email.
along, please ask. If I don’t see your hand, I invite
you to find a strategy to help me notice. • For questions only I can answer, brent.davis@ucalgary.ca.
• For other questions not answered in the outline,
One proven tactic: – Surnames A–M, your first point of contact is Jennifer,
• Shout: “Hey, I have a question!” jmmarkid@ucalgary.ca
– Surnames N–Z, your first point of contact is Alan,
alan.j.stephen@ucalgary.ca

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EDUC 420 EDUC 420

QUERIES OUTSIDE OF CLASS If you have advice about the course …

During-course suggestions
– If you have thoughts about changes that might improve
your experience NOW, please let us know.

After-course FOCUS GROUP

Me, typically, before and after class
Okay for minor issues, but bear in mind
that I’ll be distracted by many other things.
– You’re invited to volunteer to be part of a group to give
feedback and recommendations after the course. It’ll
Me, sometimes, during office hours
meet in January. (Details will come up in December.)
Time set aside specifically for you.

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EDUC 420 EDUC 420

From a past focus group meeting … “… people think you could be more approachable …”

Participant: “We think you know what you’re talking about, but a
lot of people think you could be more approachable …” ing
m be
on : ink I’ ticing.
vitati ou th o
“… You should read:” An in wa y, if y you’re n
g
wron what
u the dback on
bs yo e
ing ru provide fe
high Department n.)
or Ala
Teacher Nurse
eth
som an d an d /
Store Greeter
ice, if e agency Jenn
Physician
a d v k u g h
have
WARMTH
se ta ro
If you etc., plea te th
unica
, omm
Teacher Scientist a putz fre e to c
(Fee l
Telemarketer Lawyer
low
low STRENGTH high

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Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching” Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching”

[Artificial Intelligence] [Science Fiction]

EDUC 420 A helpful “error” of AI researchers and SF writers

Issues in Learning and Teaching | INTRO
mid-1940s
– construction of Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer)
– emergence of metaphor COMPUTER AS BRAIN

0.1 Introduction to the Course mid-1950s

– predictions (proposed and developed mainly in science fiction)
• preliminary introductions and overview that computers would soon surpass human brains
– emergence of metaphor BRAIN AS COMPUTER
• metaphor and thought
1960s–1990s – bafflement that the best computers couldn’t do
• issues in learning things that even young children routinely master …
… including abilities to recognize people, interpret emotions,
• issues in teaching
infer meaning, understand humor, create new things …

EVERYTHING said today will be repeated in one form or Turn of the millennium – sweeping realization that humans
another in the outline, plenaries, and/or readings. are capable of logic, but MOST of our thinking isn’t logical at
A PDF of the presentation will also be posted on D2L. all.

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Humans are ANALOGICAL creatures who are Humans are ANALOGICAL creatures who are
capable of (but not very good at) LOGIC. capable of (but not very good at) LOGIC.

Human learning/knowing was once Cognitive science has shown it to be

commonly defined in terms of logical mostly a matter of analogical and
& sequential processes. associative processes.

And this is important because our

logical à linear,
orderly, one-thing-at-a-
time, standardizable
images, metaphors, analogies, and so on
analogical à unruly,
disorderly, multiple-things- enable/disable our thinking
at-once, idiosyncratic
and

compel/prohibit our acting.

For the most part, we think associatively
through images, metaphors, analogies, and so on.

preliminaries metaphor/thought issues in learning issues in teaching preliminaries metaphor/thought issues in learning issues in teaching

Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching” Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching”

Associative reasoning compels/prohibits action … Metaphor

In 2012, the Edmonton Public School Board suspended high COMMON SENSE DEFINITION: figure of speech that poetically
school teacher Lynden Dorval for giving grades of zero or humorously relates two different things. … For example …
when students didn’t hand in assignments or missed tests.

• Tea bags are the wieners of the tea world.

• Teachers should be warm.
• … the sum sn approaches the limit …
• Learning is picking things up.
• Teaching is instructing.

Once considered the stuff of fancy and flourish, metaphor is now

understood as the opposite: as serious and foundational.
It is the principal mode of human reason.
Response card #2 and #3 • Fill in the blanks:
#3 because grades are ________.
I lean toward ________ #4
[Dorval or EPSB]

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Metaphor
[from Greek meta “over, across” + pherein “to carry, bear”]
On metaphor …
TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18
minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and
COGNITIVE SCIENCES DEFINITION: the (usually automatic) Design converged, and today covers almost all topics – from science to business to global issues.
process of mapping one category of experience onto another.

A snippet on the use of metaphor.

Pay close attention to the contrast between

object-based and agent-based metaphors.

IMPORTANT COROLLARIES: we tend to blend unrelated metaphors; James Geary | Metaphorically Speaking
to be most powerful, metaphors must operate implicitly. (filmed July 2009)

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We often conflate literal and metaphorical.

gravity warps
heat flows space

Associative reasoning enables/disables thinking (examples from science)

atoms are little

solar systems

the brain is CBC reporter, several days after the August 12th, 2015 Tianjin blast:
a computer “The chickens and rabbits are literally canaries in the coal mine.”

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Metaphors can also be visual Recapping some vital points

E.g.,
PCs at the time • Thinking and learning are mainly analogical/associative, not
• “desktop”
demanded text- logical/deductive.
• “file”
based, logical • Metaphor-based thought is powerful because it allows us to tap
• “folder”
command into well-understood experiences to make sense of new ones.
• “trash”
sequences.
• “search” • Metaphoric thought is most powerful when we’re unaware
• “hard drive” we’re using metaphoric thought …
Macs used images
that let users link • … and that means, even though we use metaphor constantly,
One of the reasons that Apple Inc. ended embodied knowledge we’re rarely aware we’re doing it.
up on top was because the company was to abstract • Metaphor is both description and prescription – it frames
among the first to recognize the power of manipulations. perception and compels action.
visual metaphors.

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EDUC 420 EDUC 420

Issues in Learning and Teaching | INTRO Response Cards
EDUC 420 • Fall 2019
Response Card 0.1
0.1 Introduction to the Course 5. In a word,
Name: ____________________
what’s “learning”?
• preliminary introductions and overview UCID: ____________________

• metaphor and thought 1. [resonant moment] Your one-word answer

2. [what’s that person feeling?] should be a synonym
• issues in learning (and probably a verb).
3. [Dorval or EPSB]
• issues in teaching
4. [what grades are] And you might be tempted to
EVERYTHING said today will be repeated in one form or 5.
change it as things progress,
another in the outline, plenaries, and/or readings. but please resist the urge.
A PDF of the presentation will also be posted on D2L. 6.

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150 synonyms of learning the BIG issue around “learning”

absorbing catching on to determining getting the drift making sense of reviewing
acclimating changing differentiating getting the hang of majoring in routinizing
accommodating coming across digging getting the knack of mastering seeing
acculturating coming around digesting getting the message matriculating seeing the light
accustoming coming to know discovering getting the picture memorizing sensing
acquainting coming upon distinguishing getting there minoring in shaping up
sniffing out
Theories of learning are toothbrushes …
acquiring committing to memorydrinking in getting used to nailing down
adapting complying diving into getting wind of noticing soaking up
adjusting comprehending enrolling gleaning osmosing specializing in
amassing cognizing familiarizing grasping perceiving storing
appreciating conning fathoming grinding perusing studying
apprehending conceiving figuring out habituating picking up stumbling on
apprenticing concluding finding out hearing picking up on taking a course
ascertaining conforming fitting hitting upon poring over taking in
assimilating connecting fixing in the mind imbibing practicing taking up
attaining connecting the dots following immersing in preparing thinking
being enlightened constructing formulating improving mind progressing training in
being taught construing gaining incorporating putting together traversing
being told consuming gathering inferring reading unburying
being trained cracking the books getting internalizing realizing uncovering … everyone has one,
becoming able cramming getting act together interpreting receiving understanding
becoming versed culling getting down cold intuiting recognizing unearthing but no one wants to use anyone else’s.
brushing up on deducing getting down pat latching onto rehearsing wading through
burning midnight oil deriving getting hold of lucubrating remembering working out
catching detecting getting into making coherent retaining wrapping mind around

Did anyone pick a synonym/metaphor/theory that isn’t on this list?

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the BIG issue in learning LearningDiscourses.com

There 500+ RECOGNIZED theories of learning in Education.

Anchored Instruction (Bransford) Critical Constructivism

from Learning-theories.com
– Behaviorist theories
– Cognitivist theories
–
Constructivist, social, and situational theories
– Motivational and humanist theories
– Design theories
– Descriptive and Meta Theories
– Identity Theories
– Media and Technology Theories
– Miscellaneous Theories
Cognitive Apprenticeship (Collins) Cultural Constructivism
Communities of Practice (Wenger) Genetic Epistemology
Connectivism (Siemens) Mathematical Constructivism dominated by dominated by
Personal Constructs Theory
Constructivism (Piaget)
Discovery Learning (Bruner) Piagetian Constructivism object-based agent-based
Multiliteracies (New London Group) Radical Constructivism
Schema Theory metaphors metaphors
Semiotics (Saussure)
Social Development Theory (Vygotsky) Social Constructivism
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Trivial Constructivism
Situated Learning (Lave)

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Moments in Education & Discourses on Learning

Some

Systemic Sustainability Education

Grades are evaluations/ measures. Grades are rewards/punishments. Grades are impressions.
common
MOMENT 1: MOMENT 2: MOMENT 3: metaphors

MOMENT 4:
for grading
Standardized Authentic Democratic
Grades are exchange/payment. Grades are tools to manage/control. Grades are power exchanges.
Education Education Citizenship
Compare these
Education
to your answer
for Response
Card #3.
Grades are consequences/outcomes. Grades are rankings/sortings. Grades are feedback for growth.

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MOMENT 2:
EDUC 420
Authentic
Education
Issues in Learning and Teaching | INTRO
Grades are evaluations/ measures. Grades are rewards/punishments.
Some
Grades are impressions.
common
MOMENT 1: metaphors
MOMENT 3:
Democratic
0.1 Introduction to the Course

Standardized ß Dorval | for

EPSB grading
à
Citizenship • preliminary introductions and overview
Education
Education • metaphor and thought
Grades are exchange/payment. Grades are tools to manage/control. Grades are power exchanges.
Compare these • issues in learning
Pause for a moment and compare to your answer
MOMENT 4: • issues in teaching
Systemic
for Response
your responses to #2, #3, and #4. Sustainability EVERYTHING said today will be repeated in one form or
CardEducation
#3. another in the outline, plenaries, and/or readings.
A PDF of the presentation will also be posted on D2L.
Grades are consequences/outcomes. Grades are rankings/sortings. Grades are feedback for growth.

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EDUC 420 150 synonyms of teaching

Response Cards admonishing
advising
alerting
cultivating
culturing
demonstrating
feeding
fitting
forming
implanting
impregnating
impressing upon the mind
listening
manuring
mastering
prompting
proselytizing
protecting
ameliorating developing fostering impressing upon memory mediating putting up to
qualifying

??
beating into directing framing improving mentoring
reading a lesson

ING
bettering directing attention to giving a discourse improving minds minding
EDUC 420 • Fall 2019 brainwashing disciplining giving a lecture improvising modeling readying
Response Card 0.1 breaking disseminating giving a lesson incepting
N K moralizing rearing

THI
Name: ____________________
6. In a word, breaking in drawing in
drawing out
giving a sermon
giving an idea
inculcating
indoctrinating
nourishing
nurturing
refining
reforming
breeding
Y m e:
remediating

THEongest the
briefing drilling giving instruction inducting occasioning
UCID: ____________________ what’s “teaching”? bringing forward edifying giving new ideas infiltrating N G
opening eyes H I schooling
E T
E
bringing up educating giving the facts infixing M
participating shaping
O
ER e s t r
caring emancipating giving voice influencing D S
pedagogy sharpening
1. [resonant moment] AR
catechizing
W
empowering grafting informing
OW persuading sharpening wits

AT perhaps t
2. [what’s that person feeling?]
Your one-word answer challenging enabling h grilling infusing T
G… perturbating shepherding

WH
changing encouraging grounding N
T I initiating
ingrafting pointing out showing
should be a synonym enculturating guidingR E C polishing up showing the ropes
3. [Dorval or EPSB]
(and probably a verb).
coaching
communicating
DI
enlarging the mind I Shabituating inoculating pounding into sowing seeds
conditioning enlightening I N G holding forth instilling practicing structuring
4. [what grades are] CH
conversing EA
exercising
Texplaining
honing
illuminating
instructing
interpreting
preparing
priming
taking in hand
taming
converting
5. [synonym for learning] convincing expounding illustrating inuring processing telling
correcting facilitating imbuing lecturing prodding training
6. cramming familiarizing with imparting liberating professing tutoring

How many of you chose a synonym that isn’t on this list?

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What does Google Image tell us? Why the consistency across synonyms and images?

PART OF THE REASON:

• The word teacher is derived

from the OE tacn, “to point.”
• In fact, the index finger was

EX
IND
once known as the
TEACHE “teacher.”
R
• (Index is Latin for “point.”)

But what about the differences across that huge list?

That’d be what this course is about …
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EDUC 420 Practice M/C Questions

Final Details
1. Which of the following statements about analogical thinking is NOT true.
• PDFs of PPTs will be posted on D2L – 2 versions: a) Human thinking is much more analogical/associative than logical/deductive.
– stripped down, posted in advance b) Analogy is currently understood as the principal strategy of human thought.
– complete, posted after the session c) Analogical thought is most powerful when we’re unaware we’re using analogical thought.
d) Analogy works by literally carrying one set of experiences into another set of
experiences.
• Once again, the assessment task associated with Moment 1
(Standardized Education) is a 20-item multiple choice exam … 2. There are hundreds of synonyms for the word teaching in the English language. An awareness
that’s going to happen in two weeks. of the range of these synonyms is important for a great many reasons. With regard to the
themes and intentions of this course on Issues in Learning and Teaching, which among the
following is the most important reason for developing an awareness of this vocabulary?
• On the advice of past years’ focus groups, I will include a few a) The diversity helps us understand the many nuances of learning.
practice M/C questions AS THE FINAL SLIDE in the posted b) It never hurts to have a bigger vocabulary.
versions of this and the next three PPTs. c) The diversity is a window into the highly conflicted nature of the profession.
d) Descriptions can be prescriptions.

Plenary 0.1 | Introduction to “Issues in Learning and Teaching”

Brent’s Responses to Practice M/C

Questions
1. (d)
The description provided is figurative, not literal. Nothing is actually “carried over.”

2. This is actually an example of a poor question, as more than one of the answers is defensible.
I included it here to make several points, including
- Recognizing the “truth” in each answer is important for understanding what this course is
about.
- It’s not easy to structure a good question (as will be explored more in Moment 2). That’s
partly because every response should sound plausible … and the line between “plausible”
and “defensible” isn’t always a clear one.
- When it actually counts, if you come across a flawed question, you’re invited to critique
it and appeal your score.
All that said, hopefully the rest of the questions you encounter in this course are more flaw-
free.
In any case, from where I sit, the best answer is (c), but (d) is also compelling. Choice
(a) is out because it’s about learning, not teaching. Choice (b) is out because it’s a generic
statement that doesn’t really point to what the course is about at all.

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