Dear Log Moocs,
Every class is made up of individuals who learn in different ways, at different paces, and with different prior experiences. Understanding how learning happens is at the heart of effective teaching.
In Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Learners and Learning, you explore how students construct understanding, how misconceptions form, and how motivation, prior knowledge, and context shape learning. Recognising these factors helps teachers design learning experiences that support all students, not just those who find learning easy.
A key message from the course is that learning is an active process. Students need opportunities to think, question, discuss, and make connections if understanding is to be deep and lasting.
Try this in your classroom:
Identify one concept your students often struggle with. Plan a short activity that encourages them to explain the idea in their own words or apply it in a new context.
Continue your learning
Return to the Learners and Learning course to explore the next section and deepen your understanding of how students learn.
If you’ve completed this course, consider exploring another in the Foundations of Teaching for Learning series to build on these insights.
Warm regards, The Commonwealth Education Trust
