Make me teach to learn better.

Daniele Catalanotto
Mar 29, 2022
A Service Design principle about how to better learn and be lazy as a teacher

I’m a teenager. I’m fascinated by my Art History teacher. I wonder: “How can she memorize all of this!”. So I ask her. Her answer is simple:

“I really started to learn and memorize the art history when I had to teach it to students.”

There even seems to be a few studies (1) and theoretical (2) elements that support her experience. 

Today, I use this idea in my own teaching. I try not to teach. But instead, I give a list of resources to go through to different groups. And then ask them to explain it to the rest of the groups. And it seems to work.

So when you have to train staff members, maybe instead of teaching them stuff, ask them to teach it to themselves.

—

(1) In the book Indistractable, the author mentions a study by Drs Lauren Eskreis-Winkler and Ayelet Fishbach. It seems that researchers have found that when we explain something to others, we get more motivated to change our own behaviour.

(2) For example, the Generation Effect seems to say that We remember better information when we explain it rather than when we just read it.

Little side notes

  • This is the second draft of this Service Design Principle.
  • I wasn't able to reduce the lengths compared to the first version but instead passed theoretical elements in the footnotes.
  • Once adapted, even more, this principle will be part of the book "Service Design Principles 201-300"
  • As always feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.


Like
Patrick Marcelissen
May 5, 2022
As a trainer this one gives me a smile. See picture
Clear to read
Daniele Catalanotto
May 6, 2022
Oh thanks for that reference, didn't know that research!
Deleted
Oct 29, 2022
Funny, but whenever I’ve taught a course people groans when I suggest a small group discussion or role play practice or team project. They seem to think I’m trying to get out doing work (lecturing) by having them engage in busywork. 🤣
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 29, 2022

The third draft of this Service Design Principle

I’m a teenager fascinated by my Art History teacher. I ask her: “How can you memorize all of this!”. She answers:

“I started learning and memorizing art history when I had to teach it.”

There even are studies (1) and theories (2) that confirm her experience.

Today, I use this idea in my teaching. I try not to teach. But instead, I give students resources to explore. I then ask them to explain what they learned to the rest of the group.

So let me ask you.

What’s one topic for which you could try to let your staff learn by teaching?

Footnotes

(1) In the book Indistractable, the author mentions a study by Drs Lauren Eskreis-Winkler and Ayelet Fishbach. It seems that researchers have found that when we explain something to others, we get more motivated to change our own behaviour. — Duckworth (2018). Dear Abby: Should I Give Advice or Receive It?. Psychological Science. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/h74o accessed 19 October 2022.

(2) For example, the Generation Effect seems to say that We remember better information when we explain it rather than when we just read it. — (2022). Generation Effect. Wikipedia. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/zdFc accessed 19 October 2022. Additionally, the Learning Pyramid model shows that people remember way more when they present things rather than just hear about them. — Learning pyramid. Wikipedia. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/fDbx accessed 29 October 2022.

Daniele’s notes

  • This is the third draft of this principle.
  • I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 20 % compared to its previous draft.
  • I’ve added a conclusion question to turn to help readers turn this principle into action.
  • I’ve added a reference to the Learning Pyramid that Patrick Marcelissen suggested.