How vs. Why
I love using the expressions "If you keep asking WHY....You'll get WISE!" Content delivery should focus not just on a student's ability to perform a tasks or apply a skill. Sure a step by step lab will show them how to do something, but do they understand why they did what they did?
IT has a lot of acronyms. If I ask a what an acronym means, I usually follow up with the question.."Ok. So what does it do?" or "How does it work?"
This often gets a discussion going and helps reinforce the concept presented for everyone.
I agree, the more opportunities you give a class to ask themselves the "how and why's", the better the retention is afterwards. It gives the student another way (style) to learn the material.
I found adding the how and the why is the most important part of the learning process. The why is important because it allows the students to develop critical thinking skills. This gives them the ability to apply what they have learned to other situations.
DENNIS,
This is what I consider to be "value added" instruction. No only do students have to know the content they need to know how it can be applied. When they can make application they start to see relevance and then they really get excited about what they are learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
