Teaching that Sticks
Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the popular book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, have applied key principles of their stickiness theory to teaching. The resultant 13 page e-book is available in PDF format at their web site or on scribd.com as a free download.
Borrowed from their research, the brothers Heath apply six traits that make ideas (and teaching) stickier. Sticky ideas are:
SIMPLE.
“This process of prioritization is the heart of simplicity. It’s what we call ‘finding the core.’ Simplicity doesn’t mean dumbing down, it means choosing. Some concepts are more critical than others. And as the teacher, you’re the only one who can make that determination.”
UNEXPECTED.
“Piquing curiosity is the holy grail of teaching.” Cialdini said, “You’ve heard of the famous Ah ha! experience, right? Well, the Ah ha! experience is much more satisfying when it’s preceded by the Huh? experience.
So how do you create the ‘Huh?’ experience with your students? George Loewenstein, a behavioral economist, says that curiosity arises when we feel a gap in our knowledge. Loewenstein argues that gaps cause pain. When we want to know something but don’t, it’s like having an itch we need to scratch. To take away the pain, we need to fill the knowledge gap. We sit patiently through bad movies, even though they may be painful to watch, because it’s too painful not to know how they end.
Movies cause us to ask, What will happen? Mystery novels cause us to ask, Who did it? Sports contests cause us to ask, Who will win? Crossword puzzles cause us to ask, What is a 6-letter word for psychiatrist? Pokemon cards cause kids to wonder, Which characters am I missing?
One important implication of the ‘gap theory’ is that we need to open gaps before we close them. Our tendency is to tell students the facts. First, though, they must realize they need them.”
CONCRETE.
“Concreteness etches ideas into our brain—think of how much easier it is to remember a song than a credit card number—even though a song contains much more data!”
CREDIBLE.
“For an idea to stick, it needs to be credible. YouTube-era students don’t find it credible that hanging out outside, for a long period of time, alone, could be conducive to great thinking. So how do you combat their skepticism? You let them see for themselves. It’s like a taste test for ideas.”
EMOTION.
“That’s what Emotion does for an idea—it makes people care. It makes people feel something. In some science departments, during the lesson on ‘lab safety,’ the instructor will do something shocking: They’ll take some of the acid that the students will be handling and use it to dissolve a cow eyeball. A lot of students shudder when they see the demonstration. They feel something. Lab safety ‘dos and don’ts’ don’t grab you in the gut, but a dissolving eyeball sure does.”
STORY.
“The second surprise about stories is why stories, even boring stories, are so sticky. The answer starts with some fascinating research done on ‘mental simulation.’ Brain scans show that when people imagine a flashing light they activate the visual area of the brain; when they imagine someone tapping on their skin they activate tactile areas of the brain. The activity of mental simulation is not limited to the insides of our heads. People who imagine words that start with “b” or “p” can’t resist subtle lip movements, and people who imagine looking at the Eiffel Tower can’t resist moving their eyes upward. Mental simulation can even alter visceral physical responses: When people drink water but imagine it is lemon juice, they salivate more. Even more surprisingly, when people drink lemon juice but imagine it is water, they salivate less. … The takeaway is simple: Mental simulation is not as good as actually doing something—but it’s the next best thing. And, to circle back to the world of sticky ideas, what we’re suggesting is that the right kind of story is, effectively, a simulation. Stories are like flight simulators for the brain.“
The free booklet gives practical suggestions and examples of how to use “stickiness” to improve lessons and teaching. The authors are quick to remind readers that the principles are pragmatic design guidelines for better teaching not just theories for the way instructional design works. “Teaching that Sticks” is an entertaining and informative read for anyone who designs, writes or presents classes or educational material. A companion booklet “Making Presentations that Stick” is also available.
References.
http://www.madetostick.com/teachers/
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