Elements of Teaching for Understanding

The elements of teaching for understanding are exactly what the phrase indicates. In order for teachers to teach for understanding, they first have to choose a goal and then decide how they might tie that goal in with personal experiences. In some cases, teachers can compare historical events with current events to help create a path to understanding based on experience. In other cases, understanding of how a current method is used without being realized it is used will help further understanding.

Consider the lesson about writing online. Before it could be done, there has to be an understanding of what was already known by the students as well as how they used that knowledge In other words, what is their experience and how does that tie in with current methods?

The strengths of this method of instructional design are that it leaves room for students to become personally involved with the lesson, to see how they currently use the methods that are being taught to them and to compare what they are doing with what they used to do. This helps ease the transition to a new process.

The weakness of this method is that teachers do not always have the time to know the personal elements that the students experience and which would make it possible to make the lesson more effective. In fact, discussions concerning the lesson may be the path that the teacher takes to gain further understanding, so the strength of allowing room for students to become personally involved with the lesson may be helpful in this lesson as well as future ones. As always, a combined approach works best. Using Gagne's nine events of instruction along with Wiggin's theory of backwards design will be helpful in designing a lesson that uses measurable goals and methods while still accounting for the students' own experiences.
Comparing Learning Theories