Generative Classroom Strategies, part 2
Generative Classroom Strategies, part 2
Jonathan Firth's Memory & Metacognition Updates #33
Hello everyone. I hope things are going well so far this term.
Last time, I explained some of the generative strategies covered in Fiorella and Mayer’s work. As I mentioned then, I decided to focus on the first four strategies that those researchers have recommended. This week, I’ll continue the list with the remaining half: strategies 5–8.
The Strategies, Continued
5) Self-testing
I’ve said plenty about this elsewhere… retrieval practice is definitely a useful classroom strategy! But what makes it generative? The main explanation provided by Fiorella & Mayer is that it works with meaningful materials such as prose passages, and it boosts transfer. These features mean that self-testing is not just about input of new information, but involves integration with existing schemas.
How to use it: Rather than the standard use of quizzing of older content to tackle forgetting, self-testing as a generative strategy would be best timed as a consolidation task during learning or fairly soon after an initial learning session. To boost conceptual understanding, ensure that this is not just about checking factual details, but that self-testing also focuses on higher-order skills and ‘why’ questions as well.
6) Self-explanation
Self explanation is essentially pretty similar to summarising, but occurs without writing anything down. As Dunlosky and Rawson (2015) have said, it involves “explaining how new information is related to known information, or explaining steps taken during problem solving.” I discuss here how it can be used to improve the effectiveness of studying from notes.
How to use it: This is a good target for improving student metacognition. In class, the teacher/lecturer can ask students to pause and explain in their own words why something is the case, why it happened, why it’s important, how the process works, etc. This could be done orally or written down. Raise awareness of why this is useful, and scaffold them to start asking the same questions themselves.
7) Peer Teaching
Peer teaching is a widely used strategy, strongly endorsed by the likes of John Hattie. The benefits may be partly (or even mostly) due to retrieval practice, but as with self-testing (see above), it also provides an opportunity for learners to organise their knowledge. When explaining to a peer, they make links between new information and older ideas.
How to use it: As with answering a teacher’s questions, immediate peer teaching may indicate performance rather than learning. Therefore, consider using this as a review activity after a delay. A few days later (or perhaps a week), pair up students and ask them to explain elements of the previous topic to each other.
8) Enacting
Perhaps the least obvious of the eight strategies is enacting. This is where we use objects or gestures to act out or explain a concept. For example, perhaps a learner uses hand movements to explain a process in math, or uses toys to represent the events of a story. Gestures are known to play a key role in communication, and the strategy has some similarities to the benefits of drawing (see last week’s update). Personally I find that I am using gesture a lot when I explain things in classes and lectures – online teaching during the pandemic limited this a lot!
How to use it: Gesture and other forms of enacting could be encouraged in class, perhaps paired with peer teaching. Experiment with having students use no gestures at all or explain things only via gesture. This could help to raise their awareness of how to do it effectively. Uses of models and figures could be useful in some subjects, but don’t obsess over the accuracy of these – it’s more about the ideas they represent. For example, using simple tokens to represent players on a pitch when learning about sports strategy would be a better use of time than crafting accurate models of each player.
Concluding Comments
Over the past few weeks I have explained the rationale behind generative learning, linking it to schemas as well as drawing connections with memory and metacognition.
However, theory is all very well, but we also need to know how to put it into action! I hope that the last two updates have shown how to do so, and encouraged you to try out some of these eight generative strategies in your context.
All of the strategies I’ve discussed are supported by Fiorella & Mayer’s research, and a lot of other supporting papers, too. Still, there remains some debate about exactly how best to use each strategy. I am sure I will come back to these issues.
You can find out more about the strategies, the background theory and the supporting evidence in the following article by Logan Fiorella and Richard Mayer:
Fiorella & Mayer (2015) – Eight Ways to Promote Generative Learning
There are other strategies, too. For example, I mentioned the practice of generating predictions a couple of weeks ago. Generative learning is not just about these eight strategies, but they are probably the best understood and evidenced.
I’d love to hear how you’re getting on with all this. Have you tried any of these strategies in the past week or two, or are any of them already a key part of your practice? I do love to hear examples, so feel free to reply to/comment on this post via the Substack app or the website.
Next up, something that I’ve been focusing on a lot in my own work over recent weeks: metacognition and writing.
All the best,
Jonathan
Last week: Generative Classroom Strategies, part 1
Website: www.jonathanfirth.co.uk
Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe to Memory & Metacognition Updates below, so that you don't miss anything!