disadvantages of problem solving teaching style

5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Problem-Based Learning [+ Activity Design Steps]

Written by Marcus Guido

Easily differentiate learning and engage your students with Prodigy Math.

• Teaching Strategies

Advantages of Problem-Based Learning

Disadvantages of problem-based learning, steps to designing problem-based learning activities.

Used since the 1960s, many teachers express concerns about the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in certain classroom settings.

Whether you introduce the student-centred pedagogy as a one-time activity or mainstay exercise, grouping students together to solve open-ended problems can present pros and cons.

Below are five advantages and disadvantages of problem-based learning to help you determine if it can work in your classroom.

If you decide to introduce an activity, there are also design creation steps and a downloadable guide to keep at your desk for easy reference.

1. Development of Long-Term Knowledge Retention

Students who participate in problem-based learning activities can improve their abilities to retain and recall information, according to a literature review of studies about the pedagogy .

The literature review states “elaboration of knowledge at the time of learning” -- by sharing facts and ideas through discussion and answering questions -- “enhances subsequent retrieval.” This form of elaborating reinforces understanding of subject matter , making it easier to remember.

Small-group discussion can be especially beneficial -- ideally, each student will get chances to participate.

But regardless of group size, problem-based learning promotes long-term knowledge retention by encouraging students to discuss -- and answer questions about -- new concepts as they’re learning them.

2. Use of Diverse Instruction Types

You can use problem-based learning activities to the meet the diverse learning needs and styles of your students, effectively engaging a diverse classroom in the process. In general, grouping students together for problem-based learning will allow them to:

• Address real-life issues that require real-life solutions, appealing to students who struggle to grasp abstract concepts
• Participate in small-group and large-group learning, helping students who don’t excel during solo work grasp new material
• Talk about their ideas and challenge each other in a constructive manner, giving participatory learners an avenue to excel
• Tackle a problem using a range of content you provide -- such as videos, audio recordings, news articles and other applicable material -- allowing the lesson to appeal to distinct learning styles

Since running a problem-based learning scenario will give you a way to use these differentiated instruction approaches , it can be especially worthwhile if your students don’t have similar learning preferences.

3. Continuous Engagement

Providing a problem-based learning challenge can engage students by acting as a break from normal lessons and common exercises.

It’s not hard to see the potential for engagement, as kids collaborate to solve real-world problems that directly affect or heavily interest them.

Although conducted with post-secondary students, a study published by the Association for the Study of Medical Education reported increased student attendance to -- and better attitudes towards -- courses that feature problem-based learning.

These activities may lose some inherent engagement if you repeat them too often, but can certainly inject excitement into class.

4. Development of Transferable Skills

Problem-based learning can help students develop skills they can transfer to real-world scenarios, according to a 2015 book that outlines theories and characteristics of the pedagogy .

The tangible contexts and consequences presented in a problem-based learning activity “allow learning to become more profound and durable.” As you present lessons through these real-life scenarios, students should be able to apply learnings if they eventually face similar issues.

For example, if they work together to address a dispute within the school, they may develop lifelong skills related to negotiation and communicating their thoughts with others.

As long as the problem’s context applies to out-of-class scenarios, students should be able to build skills they can use again.

5. Improvement of Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills

Successful completion of a problem-based learning challenge hinges on interaction and communication, meaning students should also build transferable skills based on teamwork and collaboration . Instead of memorizing facts, they get chances to present their ideas to a group, defending and revising them when needed.

What’s more, this should help them understand a group dynamic. Depending on a given student, this can involve developing listening skills and a sense of responsibility when completing one’s tasks. Such skills and knowledge should serve your students well when they enter higher education levels and, eventually, the working world.

1. Potentially Poorer Performance on Tests

Devoting too much time to problem-based learning can cause issues when students take standardized tests, as they may not have the breadth of knowledge needed to achieve high scores. Whereas problem-based learners develop skills related to collaboration and justifying their reasoning, many tests reward fact-based learning with multiple choice and short answer questions. Despite offering many advantages, you could spot this problem develop if you run problem-based learning activities too regularly.

2. Student Unpreparedness

Problem-based learning exercises can engage many of your kids, but others may feel disengaged as a result of not being ready to handle this type of exercise for a number of reasons. On a class-by-class and activity-by-activity basis, participation may be hindered due to:

• Immaturity  -- Some students may not display enough maturity to effectively work in a group, not fulfilling expectations and distracting other students.
• Unfamiliarity  -- Some kids may struggle to grasp the concept of an open problem, since they can’t rely on you for answers.
• Lack of Prerequisite Knowledge  -- Although the activity should address a relevant and tangible problem, students may require new or abstract information to create an effective solution.

You can partially mitigate these issues by actively monitoring the classroom and distributing helpful resources, such as guiding questions and articles to read. This should keep students focused and help them overcome knowledge gaps. But if you foresee facing these challenges too frequently, you may decide to avoid or seldom introduce problem-based learning exercises.

3. Teacher Unpreparedness

If supervising a problem-based learning activity is a new experience, you may have to prepare to adjust some teaching habits . For example, overtly correcting students who make flawed assumptions or statements can prevent them from thinking through difficult concepts and questions. Similarly, you shouldn’t teach to promote the fast recall of facts. Instead, you should concentrate on:

• Giving hints to help fix improper reasoning
• Questioning student logic and ideas in a constructive manner
• Distributing content for research and to reinforce new concepts
• Asking targeted questions to a group or the class, focusing their attention on a specific aspect of the problem

Depending on your teaching style, it may take time to prepare yourself to successfully run a problem-based learning lesson.

4. Time-Consuming Assessment

If you choose to give marks, assessing a student’s performance throughout a problem-based learning exercise demands constant monitoring and note-taking. You must take factors into account such as:

• Completed tasks
• The quality of those tasks
• The group’s overall work and solution
• Communication among team members
• Anything you outlined on the activity’s rubric

Monitoring these criteria is required for each student, making it time-consuming to give and justify a mark for everyone.

5. Varying Degrees of Relevancy and Applicability

It can be difficult to identify a tangible problem that students can solve with content they’re studying and skills they’re mastering. This introduces two clear issues. First, if it is easy for students to divert from the challenge’s objectives, they may miss pertinent information. Second, you could veer off the problem’s focus and purpose as students run into unanticipated obstacles. Overcoming obstacles has benefits, but may compromise the planning you did. It can also make it hard to get back on track once the activity is complete. Because of the difficulty associated with keeping activities relevant and applicable, you may see problem-based learning as too taxing.

If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages -- or you just want to give problem-based learning a shot -- follow these steps:

1. Identify an Applicable Real-Life Problem

Find a tangible problem that’s relevant to your students, allowing them to easily contextualize it and hopefully apply it to future challenges. To identify an appropriate real-world problem, look at issues related to your:

• Students’ shared interests

You must also ensure that students understand the problem and the information around it. So, not all problems are appropriate for all grade levels.

2. Determine the Overarching Purpose of the Activity

Depending on the problem you choose, determine what you want to accomplish by running the challenge. For example, you may intend to help your students improve skills related to:

• Collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Curriculum-aligned topics
• Processing diverse content

A more precise example, you may prioritize collaboration skills by assigning specific tasks to pairs of students within each team. In doing so, students will continuously develop communication and collaboration abilities by working as a couple and part of a small group. By defining a clear purpose, you’ll also have an easier time following the next step.

3. Create and Distribute Helpful Material

Handouts and other content not only act as a set of resources, but help students stay focused on the activity and its purpose. For example, if you want them to improve a certain math skill , you should make material that highlights the mathematical aspects of the problem. You may decide to provide items such as:

• Data that helps quantify and add context to the problem
• Videos, presentations and other audio-visual material
• A list of preliminary questions to investigate

Providing a range of resources can be especially important for elementary students and struggling students in higher grades, who may not have self-direction skills to work without them.

4. Set Goals and Expectations for Your Students

Along with the aforementioned materials, give students a guide or rubric that details goals and expectations. It will allow you to further highlight the purpose of the problem-based learning exercise, as you can explain what you’re looking for in terms of collaboration, the final product and anything else. It should also help students stay on track by acting as a reference throughout the activity.

5. Participate

Although explicitly correcting students may be discouraged, you can still help them and ask questions to dig into their thought processes. When you see an opportunity, consider if it’s worthwhile to:

• Fill gaps in knowledge
• Provide hints, not answers
• Question a student’s conclusion or logic regarding a certain point, helping them think through tough spots

By participating in these ways, you can provide insight when students need it most, encouraging them to effectively analyze the problem.

6. Have Students Present Ideas and Findings

If you divided them into small groups, requiring students to present their thoughts and results in front the class adds a large-group learning component to the lesson. Encourage other students to ask questions, allowing the presenting group to elaborate and provide evidence for their thoughts. This wraps up the activity and gives your class a final chance to find solutions to the problem.

Wrapping Up

The effectiveness of problem-based learning may differ between classrooms and individual students, depending on how significant specific advantages and disadvantages are to you. Evaluative research consistently shows value in giving students a question and letting them take control of their learning. But the extent of this value can depend on the difficulties you face.It may be wise to try a problem-based learning activity, and go forward based on results.

Create or log into your teacher account on Prodigy -- an adaptive math game that adjusts content to accommodate player trouble spots and learning speeds. Aligned to US and Canadian curricula, it’s used by more than 350,000 teachers and 10 million students. It may be wise to try a problem-based learning activity, and go forward based on results.

Calmer Classrooms

Behavior management training for teachers and schools, 3 different teaching styles, the pros & cons.

In this blog, we are going to be looking at three prominent teaching styles and their pros and cons. We will be asking the question, “Which one are you?”  We will also try to identify if your teaching style is helping you or hindering you in your ability to manage the classroom.

Prefer to watch the video, click here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiR29z-X7nI&t=609s

1. The Authoritarian Approach

So the first teaching style I want to talk about is the authoritarian style. The authoritarian is probably what your caricature of an old school teacher might be back in the day.  The teacher was the boss, very strict and behaviour was managed with rules and consequences. The teacher laid down the law, which had a set of consequences. If you broke the rules, then you got the consequence and there was no room for error, leeway or margin. 

Now the authoritarian structure is not all bad. I know that it has probably fallen out of favour a little bit, but there are some key elements to behaviour management in the authoritarian style of teaching that we should all pay attention to. The first thing is this. An authoritarian style is very effective at establishing boundaries. If you have done any work with me or done any of my courses, you know that I am a big advocate for having clearly communicated boundaries and expectations in the classroom. If you do not communicate your expectations, there will not be any structure or behaviour in the class, so this teaching style is very good at establishing the rules and managing those rules very effectively. 

The authoritarian style operates off hierarchies. Human nature is such that when we walk into a room, we tend to assess the status of the person we are interacting with. We do this subconsciously. We place them in a hierarchy depending on how we perceive them. So if we perceive them to be someone in authority we tend to give deference to them. If we perceive them to be someone lower than us, then we give no deference to them. 

Now with younger children, if somebody is in charge and they have a clear set of rules, they will very quickly defer to that person. So if you are teaching younger children, having clear expectations, being very firm with your boundaries can be very good at establishing a rapport and respect between them and the teacher. This tends to fall apart with older students because, as they become teenagers, they go through a process called individualization, where they are actually looking for ways to separate themselves from the adults that are in charge of them. 

So very often an authoritarian style can work negatively with teenagers. It can actually create a power struggle, where the teenager wants to show their dominance over the teacher. So, an authoritarian teacher, who is working with a student who is like this, will often find that the interaction will escalate unnecessarily. 

Sometimes the authoritarian teacher can leave no room for understanding the humanity of a person. Managing human behaviour is more grey than black and white. Sometimes circumstance and background do play a part in how people behave and so we need to be flexible enough to understand that and work with each student individually. The authoritarian never see it like that but he sees it like this; “These are the rules, these are the consequences and we are not departing from that”. If you take that approach, what will often happen is that you will break your relationship with the student because you cannot see the humanity of the person.

If you don’t take the time to investigate and to understand what they are going through, then you will make a decision or give a consequence that is insensitive, lacking in empathy or perhaps not in the best interest of the child long term so be really careful of that aspect. 

Also, the authoritarian structure as I mentioned before, is based upon a power hierarchy. The teacher says,  “I am the boss because I am the teacher so you will respect me”. Now, that’s fine if that is the way you see yourself, however, many children are not raised with that perception of teachers. Back in the day, parents would tell you that your teacher is in charge, you need to respect them, it doesn’t matter whether you like them or not. Well, that is not the case anymore. Most families are raising their children to be a bit more independent. There is no expectation that students automatically have to respect their teachers. 

So when you have children coming into the classroom that does not necessarily defer to you automatically, you have to earn that respect and you have to take time to build the rapport and the relationship before they will respect you. If you just come in with the authoritarian approach, it does not compute for them and it can actually create barriers between you and the students.

2. The Democratic Approach .

The second style is the democratic style. Now, the democratic style is more collaborative, the teacher and students work together to form the rules and the consequences. They discuss everything and it becomes a  process by which the teacher becomes a facilitator, who helps the students to contribute ideas about how the classroom is to be managed. This can be really powerful because it allows students to feel like they are valued because their opinions are valued. It makes them feel heard when the teacher is listening to them and they get to express themselves. It also teaches them cooperation with each other and also cooperation with the teacher. 

So there are some positives with the democratic approach but there are also some cons as well. What can sometimes happen is that it can blur the line between teacher and student. If you lean too much towards the democratization of behaviour management, what will often happen is that the students stop respecting the teacher as the person who is ultimately responsible for their well-being and for outcomes, which is the reality of teaching. Although it is nice to be collaborative with your class, ultimately the buck stops with you. You have to take responsibility for the behaviour in your class and the academic outcomes in your class.

So that requires you to take charge of the classroom and that is not always possible if you are totally democratic. Sometimes that line can be blurred and the students can try to take advantage of it. It can also dilute the importance of clear expectations, that you as a teacher, may have established  (and I recommend you do).  By creating a democratic environment, students may feel that those rules don’t apply to them because they don’t agree. 

By giving them too much say in how things are, you may find it hard to enforce rules or get them to adhere to your expectations in the classroom. These are a couple of cons with the democratic approach. It is valuable but there are some weaknesses in it when it comes to behaviour management.

3. The Laissez-Faire Approach

The third type I wanted to look at is the laissez-faire approach. Laissez-faire teachers are very relaxed and very permissive in the way that they manage kids, there is nothing off limits. They really want to encourage kids to be independent, creative and self-determining, which can be very positive. Teaching students to think independently, be creative and to problem-solve by themselves, is a really powerful thing that children need to learn.  

The difficulty with this approach is, that with a lack of structure it usually leads to chaos. Chaos, when it comes to managing children, really breeds anxiety amongst students because kids thrive on structure. They thrive on feeling secure and knowing where they are going. So by creating a laissez-faire approach where there is no structure, the children are really going to start saying, “Well who is really in charge here? Who is managing this operation?” For some children that will cause anxiety which can manifest itself as negative behaviour and can create a chaotic environment. It becomes noisy, difficult to concentrate and difficult to keep children on task. It can also tend towards creating an attitude of self-indulgence. 

When there is no structure, expectation or you do not consider the other people in your environment, students become so self focussed. They think, “Everything is about me, you are here for my benefit and to help me get what I want.” That can cause children to feel entitled and they can be a bit “bratty” and difficult to work with. 

 I do not want you to say, “This is right, this is wrong”. I want you to evaluate your teaching practice and ask yourself which teaching style sounds more like you? You will probably have a tendency towards one. If you can see value in some of the pros of the other systems then start to incorporate them. If you see negatives in the system or style that you are using, then you need to address that, say, “Ok this is stuff I can change to make my behaviour management more effective.” Like I said before, teaching is not governed by one type of behaviour management. It is not black and white and so you really need to be able to shift between three teaching styles. 

A lot of the time I tend to go towards more authoritarianism. I am more about the structure and having clear expectations. However I understand there is a human aspect to teaching, I need to make allowances and talk to kids. I need to be able to work collaboratively with them. It is not always black and white. There are times where I actually need to encourage children to be independent. They need to be less dependent on me and to start thinking for themselves. So your teaching style ebbs and flows and you figure out where you sit within that spectrum of styles. 

Take the pros and address the cons. That will make your teaching practice more effective. Yes, I know that was a lot to read but I hope you found it really helpful. Do not forget that I have my free ebook “Behavior Management Blueprint,” that is available on my website. When you download this free ebook you also get a five video email course where I walk you through the five keys to managing behaviour more effectively.

If you would like to learn more about managing classroom behaviour effectively, why not check out our FREE video course Behaviour Management Blueprint . See below for details.

FREE eBook – Behaviour Management Blueprint:

​5 Essential Strategies for Effective Behaviour Management

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• Effective Teaching Strategies

Problem-Based Learning: Benefits and Risks

• November 12, 2009
• Maryellen Weimer, PhD

Problem-based learning, the instructional approach in which carefully constructed, open-ended problems are used by groups of students to work through content to a solution, has gained a foothold in many segments of higher education.

Originally PBL, as it’s usually called, was used in medical school and in some business curricula for majors. But now it is being used in a wide range of disciplines and with students at various educational levels. The article (reference below) from which material is about to be cited “makes a critical assessment” of how PBL is being used in the field of geography.

Much of the content is relevant to that discipline specifically, but the article does contain a useful table that summarizes the benefits and risks of PBL for students, instructors, and institutions. Material on the table is gleaned from an extensive review of the literature (all referenced in the article). Here’s some of the information contained in the table.

Benefits of Problem-Based Learning

For Students

• It’s a student-centered approach.
• Typically students find it more enjoyable and satisfying.
• It encourages greater understanding.
• Students with PBL experience rate their abilities higher.
• PBL develops lifelong learning skills.

For Instructors

• Class attendance increases.
• The method affords more intrinsic reward.
• It encourages students to spend more time studying.
• It promotes interdisciplinarity.

For Institutions

• It makes student learning a priority.
• It may aid student retention.
• It may be taken as evidence that an institution values teaching.

Risks of Problem-Based Learning

• Prior learning experiences do not prepare students well for PBL.
• PBL requires more time and takes away study time from other subjects.
• It creates some anxiety because learning is messier.
• Sometimes group dynamics issues compromise PBL effectiveness.
• Less content knowledge may be learned.
• Creating suitable problem scenarios is difficult.
• It requires more prep time.
• Students have queries about the process.
• Group dynamics issues may require faculty intervention.
• It raises new questions about what to assess and how.
• It requires a change in educational philosophy for faculty who mostly lecture.
• Faculty will need staff development and support.
• It generally takes more instructors.
• It works best with flexible classroom space.
• It engenders resistance from faculty who question its efficacy.

Reference: Pawson, E., Fournier, E., Haight, M., Muniz, O., Trafford, J., and Vajoczki, S. 2006. Problem-based learning in geography: Towards a critical assessment of its purposes, benefits and risks. Journal of Geography in Higher Education 30 (1): 103–16.

Excerpted from The Teaching Professor , February 2007.

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15 Teaching Styles: The Complete Guide for Effective Teaching

Teachers can foster a more engaging classroom by tapping into the power of multiple teaching styles. Incorporating alternative approaches to instruction helps capture student interest and provides additional reinforcement that facilitates long-term knowledge retention – creating an unbeatable learning atmosphere!

What are we waiting for? Let’s begin!

1. Lecture-based teaching style

Distinctive features:, student ages it works best for:.

Lecture-based teaching style is a versatile learning tool, helping students of any age gain knowledge and understanding. From elementary school to college and beyond, this style of instruction encourages critical thinking by engaging learners in an immersive educational experience.

Usage examples:

2. inquiry-based teaching style.

Inquiry-based teaching is a student-focused method that encourages active learning and creative thought. With this style, students explore the world around them by questioning, analyzing challenges, and developing their own understanding of topics.

3. Collaborative teaching style

4. flipped classroom teaching style, 5. problem-based teaching style.

Problem-based teaching invites students to take the helm in their learning journey, utilizing real-world problems as a motivation for critical thinking and problem solving. Working collaboratively with peers, they can foster creative solutions while developing invaluable skills that are transferable across multiple contexts.

Problem-based teaching is an incredibly effective way of engaging students, especially in middle school, high school and college.

6. Demonstration teaching style

7. hands-on teaching style, 8. visual teaching style.

Visual teaching techniques have become a popular approach to education, utilizing visual aids such as videos, images, charts and more. This helps students further engage in the educational process by enabling them to learn concepts quickly through visuals that are easier for their minds to digest than pure texts alone.

9. Kinesthetic teaching style

10. game-based teaching style, 11. project-based teaching style, 12. direct instruction teaching style, 13. socratic teaching style, 14. experimental teaching style.

All students can benefit from experimental teaching, but the style is especially impactful among older learners who have a greater appreciation for science and are ready to tackle more sophisticated experiments.

15. Self-directed learning teaching style

What teaching style is best for today’s students, overview of current research and trends in education, and how they relate to teaching styles, overall major pros and cons of switching different teaching styles, how to choose the most effective teaching style, keep learning, leave a comment cancel reply.

The Pros and Cons of Different Teaching Styles

Teaching is a crucial part of any educational institution. It helps students to learn new concepts and acquire knowledge that they can use in their future endeavors. Different teaching styles are available, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of various teaching styles.

Table of Contents

What are teaching styles.

Teaching style refers to the methodology used by an educator to facilitate learning. It can be classified into various types, including traditional, progressive, and hybrid. The teaching style adopted by an educator can have a significant impact on the learning outcomes of students.

Traditional Teaching Styles

Traditional teaching styles are characterized by a teacher-centered approach, where the teacher is the primary source of information. Lectures, memorization, and drills are common teaching techniques. While this teaching style has been used for centuries, it has some disadvantages.

Advantages:

A structured and organized approach

Consistent and predictable

Suitable for large classes

Disadvantages :

Can be boring and unengaging

May not cater to different learning styles

Limits creativity and critical thinking

Progressive Teaching Styles

Progressive teaching styles are student-centered approaches, where the student is actively involved in the learning process. The teacher acts as a facilitator, and students learn through collaboration, exploration, and discovery. This teaching style is gaining popularity in modern educational institutions.

Promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Encourages creativity and innovation

Caters to different learning styles

Disadvantages:

Can be time-consuming and challenging to implement

May lack structure and organization

Requires highly motivated and self-directed learners

Hybrid Teaching Styles

Hybrid teaching styles combine elements of both traditional and progressive teaching styles. It aims to provide a balance between structured instruction and student-centered learning. This teaching style is gaining popularity, particularly in online and distance learning settings.

Combines the benefits of traditional and progressive teaching styles

Suitable for diverse learners and learning environments

Provides flexibility and adaptability

Requires careful planning and implementation

Can be challenging to maintain balance

May not be suitable for all subjects and learning outcomes

Factors Influencing Teaching Styles

Various factors can influence the choice of teaching style, including the subject matter, learning outcomes, student characteristics, and institutional policies. Educators need to consider these factors when selecting a teaching style.

Subject Matter

Some subjects require a more structured and organized approach, while others may require a more exploratory and collaborative approach.

Learning Outcomes

The desired learning outcomes can influence the teaching style adopted. For example, if the learning outcomes emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving, a more progressive teaching style may be suitable.

Student Characteristics

The characteristics of students, including their learning styles, motivation, and interests, can influence the teaching style. Educators need to consider these factors to ensure that the teaching style is appropriate for all students.

Institutional Policies

Institutional policies, such as class size, course duration, and assessment methods, can influence the teaching style adopted by an educator.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Teaching Style

Choosing the right teaching style is crucial for effective learning outcomes. Educators need to consider various factors, including the subject matter, learning outcomes, student characteristics, and institutional policies, when selecting a teaching style. A mismatch between the teaching style and the learning outcomes can result in poor learning outcomes, disengaged students, and low motivation.

The benefits of choosing the right teaching style include:

• Improved learning outcomes
• Increased student engagement and motivation
• Enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Catering to different learning styles and preferences

In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching. Different teaching styles have their own advantages and disadvantages, and educators need to choose the most appropriate teaching style based on various factors. It is important to strike a balance between structured instruction and student-centered learning to ensure effective learning outcomes.

Ultimately, the goal of teaching is to facilitate learning and help students acquire knowledge and skills that they can use in their future endeavors. The right teaching style can make a significant difference in achieving this goal. By considering various factors and choosing the appropriate teaching style, educators can create a conducive learning environment that fosters engagement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Learn about: Transform your classroom today with these 10 proven tips for crafting a unique and powerful classroom management plan that will set your students up for success

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The 5 most effective teaching styles (pros & cons of each), share this article.

Even though every instructor is unique, the prevalent style of teaching has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, along with the new cultural norms and technological advancements.

Educational researchers today define at least five different teaching styles on a spectrum that moves from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered one:

Other teaching methods outside of the core five exist as well. The Spectrum of Teaching Styles in Physical Education defines 11 distinct teaching styles that can be used to coach students in schools and universities.

While most instructors can be described by a single personal model of teaching, the best ones always adjust their teaching strategies to their students and the learning process at hand.

That’s why it’s important to know what the different teaching styles are and have a clear idea of how to use them when needed.

Skip ahead:

Demonstrator

Facilitator, is one style of teaching better than others , how to adapt teaching styles to different learning styles, does classroom diversity influence my style of teaching .

5 different teaching styles to use today

A lot of educators in traditional teaching environments with decades of experience are not aware of their primary teaching style, even though their approach to teaching has a direct effect on student participation and student engagement.

Let’s explore five teaching style examples to show how broad differentiated instruction in classroom settings can be.

The lecturer style (sometimes called the formal authority style) is familiar to anyone who’s sat through long unidirectional lectures in giant university auditoriums. In this teaching style, the teacher takes up a central role and delivers information to a large group of students in a structured and organized manner. The subject matter is usually singular and predetermined. 

Because the students are many, there’s not enough room or time for personalized interactions between the teacher and the students. However, students are encouraged to take notes and ask questions at the end of each lecture. There are usually no activities planned.

An example of the Lecturer teaching style in action is when a guest speaker is invited to a school or an office to give a presentation. After the guest speaker presents the topic for an hour, they encourage students to ask questions if there’s anything they don’t understand or would like to clarify. 

Pros of the Lecturer teaching style

• It’s p ossible to teach large groups of students at once
• It’s easy to prepare lecturers
• It provides a clear structure and organization to the content
• It can be time-effective in covering a broad range of material

Cons of the Lecturer teaching style

• There’s limited student engagement and interaction 
• Students won’t be able to retain information properly because they’re not actively engaging with the lecturer
• This teaching method does not cater to diverse learning styles

Under the demonstrator style, the teacher still retains a lot of authority but is more open to trying a student-centered approach to teaching. You can see the demonstrator encouraging students to come up with problem-solving strategies, ask questions and simulate what they’ve just learned.

The demonstrator often goes beyond lectures and demonstrates concepts or skills to the students using visual aids (presentations, images, and films), hands-on activities, and practical examples. As a result, this method is applicable to more learning styles.

An example of the Demonstrator teaching style in action is when a teacher conducts a science experiment or an art workshop in the classroom. The students huddle around the demonstrator to observe and participate in the experiment or workshop. When the teacher is done with the demonstration, they encourage the students to emulate the processes that they’ve observed to create the same (or similar results). 

As the students work, the teacher is there to provide them with visual aids and multimedia to enforce concepts and principles, and answer any questions they may have regarding the project. The teacher may also encourage peer sharing and feedback, which helps students to actively engage in the learning process.

Pros of the Demonstrator teaching style

• It incorporates a variety of teaching formats
• Hands-on learning can enhance students’ understanding of the subject matter
• Visual aids and demonstrations can make concepts more memorable 
• Students can ask for immediate clarification through examples and practical applications

Cons of the Demonstrator teaching style

•  It doesn’t accommodate the needs of all students
• This teaching style may not be suitable for all subjects or topics 
• This style requires adequate resources and preparation, which can be hard if the teacher is short on time or has a low budget
• During a demonstration, there’s often no time to cover a large amount of content

The hybrid (also known as blended) style strives to strike a balance between teacher- and student-centered approaches. It also tries to integrate both traditional and modern teaching methods, which makes it a great style for adapting to the needs of diverse learners.

Most of the time, the teachers who follow the hybrid style bring their own knowledge and expertise into the class. They still have a structure for every lecture but are able to adjust their flow and come up with the right activities to keep the students engaged. A hybrid teaching style integrates lectures, demonstrations, group activities, and even technology into one learning session. 

For example, a hybrid teacher may assign online readings or videos for students to review before class.  There can also be an online discussion forum where students share insights and questions. In class, the students can build upon the online discussion with hands-on activities, group discussions, or problem-solving tasks related to the material they reviewed. 

While the hybrid approach tends to be quite effective in a variety of settings, it can make covering information-heavy courses difficult due to its slower pace.

Pros of the Hybrid teaching style

• This teaching style uses a variety of methods that cater to diverse student needs 
• It integrates traditional and modern approaches for a balanced learning experience 
• It gives teachers the flexibility to adapt to different learning preferences 
• Students remain active and engaged for longer

Cons of the Hybrid teaching style

• This teaching style requires careful planning and the coordination of different teaching elements 
• Finding the right balance between traditional and modern teaching methods may be challenging
• It’s dependent on the available resources and technology  
• It can be less focused and slow
• It requires a lot of energy from the teacher

Shifting to an even more student-centered approach, there’s the facilitator style of teaching.

Instead of giving one-directional lectures, a facilitator encourages inquiry-based learning. Students learn by thinking critically, asking questions, and discussing real-world case studies. Some other activities might be designed to improve problem-solving skills and help understand the subject matter better through practical challenges.

A great example of the Facilitator teaching style in action is a Socratic seminar, which promotes Socrates’ belief that asking questions, inquiring about things, and engaging in constructive debates are the best ways to learn. 

In a Socratic seminar, students seek a deeper understanding of complex or vague ideas through thoughtful dialogue and divergent thinking. The facilitator provides a specific topic or text for students to read through and ponder upon. Then, the facilitator poses open-ended questions to stimulate critical thinking. The students answer these questions, argue civilly for or against a motion, share ideas, and build on each other’s responses to get an all-around understanding of the topic/text.

Another example is a case study analysis, where the facilitator presents a real-life case study related to the subject matter. Then, the facilitator prompts a class discussion where students analyze the case, identify key issues, and proffer solutions. The teacher guides the discussion, encouraging critical thinking and collaboration among students. 

Pros of the Facilitator teaching style

• This teaching style helps students develop self-sufficiency, as the teacher provides guidance and support rather than direct instruction
• It fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills
• It supports student-centered learning and autonomy

Cons of the Facilitator teaching style

• This style doesn’t work well for theory-heavy classes
• It requires a skilled facilitator to guide discussions effectively 
• It may take more time to cover content compared to traditional methods 
• Students may need additional support if they’re not accustomed to this teaching method

The most student-centric teaching style of all is called the delegator style (also known as the group style). Here, the teacher is merely present as an observer, and it’s the group of students who are doing all the work.

Most of the learning in the delegator style happens peer-to-peer, through frequent collaborations and discussions. The instructor is practically removed from the position of authority and only facilitates the discussions instead.

The delegator style works best for lab-based experiments, group tutoring classes, creative writing, debates, and other peer-to-peer activities. In these activities, the teacher divides the class into small groups and assigns each group a project related to the course content. The students are responsible for planning, executing, and presenting their findings, while the teacher acts as a mentor, providing guidance and support throughout the project.

This approach encourages students to take ownership of their education and become self-directed learners.

Pros of the Delegator teaching style

• This teaching style encourages learning and collaboration among students
• It allows for individualized learning experiences
• It promotes the development of problem-solving and decision-making skills

Cons of the Delegator teaching style

• This teaching style can be inefficient since students have to find the right answers for themselves
• It may not be suitable for all subjects or students

These are just five of the most popular teaching styles that instructors can choose from when creating their courses. Depending on the system you look at, there might be even more, as described in a paper titled Teaching Styles and Language Performance by Edgar R. Eslit and Mercedita B. Tongson.

As you can see from the list above, each style of teaching has its pros and cons. So there’s no definitive winner here — rather, you should learn to mix and match based on a situation.

When preparing your course content, you can imagine which teaching style would help your students learn the material best. If you’re not sure, try experimenting with a few different styles for the first few student cohorts to find out.

We’ve written about the seven main types of learning styles before, which are essential for every instructor to understand.

There’s no doubt that different students shine under different teaching approaches.

There’s a famous “empty vessel” theory, for example, which asserts that students’ minds are essentially empty until teachers pour their knowledge into them, lecture-style.

But cooperative learning which requires more group work and would pair well with the facilitator or delegator style of teaching. Check out Cohort-Based Learning for a deeper dive into this kind of teaching style.

Interactive learning can be a great fit for the demonstrator or facilitator style, and so on.

Another reason to have different teaching styles in your arsenal is the diversity of students you might see in your class. As students learn better by different approaches and at a different speed, you should be able to adjust your teaching style on the fly to maximize the learning opportunity for all.

It’s likely that your primary teaching style won’t be purely of the big five discussed above, but rather an ever-changing mix that would be unique to you and the students you teach.

In addition, as teachers lead students and help students become future leaders, you should be aware of the kind of leadership that you want to facilitate through your teaching.

How to create a perfect course online

Do you want to put your teaching style to practice? There’s no better way to do that than creating a brand new online course. The only thing you need is a course-creation platform to do that.

Thinkific is an intuitive and easy-to-use platform for all teachers to create beautiful online courses in no time. The platform adjusts easily to various teaching styles through the use of multimedia materials, from presentations to videos to quizzes to member communities.

Best of all, no coding skills are required. Just pick a gorgeous template and quickly customize it to your need with a drag-and-drop editor.

Get started today for free and see how easy creating an effective course can be.

This was originally published in June 2022, it has since been updated in February 2024 to include new info.

Colin is a Content Marketer at Thinkific, writing about everything from online entrepreneurship & course creation to digital marketing strategy.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Problem-Based Learning in the Workplace

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Problem-based learning (PBL) is a way to train students or employees by challenging them instead of lecturing to them. College for America says PBL engages workers because it's hands-on, instead of abstract, so they can see how useful the material they're learning is. Before you implement PBL in your company training, however, you should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of problem-based learning.

In PBL, your employees learn by doing. You give a team of employees a problem such as marketing a new product or streamlining administrative processes and then watch them tackle it. For serious employee buy-in, the problem should be something relevant to their daily work.

Definition of Problem-Solving Method of Teaching

The Center for Teaching Innovation says the definition of the problem-solving method of teaching is a student-centered approach. Rather than sit and listen to a teacher explain things, students teach themselves by working in groups on an open-ended problem.

The University of Iowa says , for example, that a conventional anatomy class might show the ligaments of the knee and ask students to identify and label them. A PBL approach presents them with a video clip of an athlete being injured and asks them to analyze it: How will the injury affect the knee? Which ligaments are involved? A unit on engineering and levers might give them a problem that has to be solved by building and deploying levers.

The Center for Teaching Innovation says PBL is not just about learning the subject but is also about the skills the learning exercises teach. Typically students have to define the problem, research it, evaluate solutions, choose one and report on the results. Among the skills involved are:

• Working in teams
• Leading and managing project teams
• Good communication between team members
• Critical thinking
• Evaluating team processes and seeing where they need improvements
• Researching
• Problem solving, a valuable skill in any field

PBL on the Job

College for America says PBL may be even more useful in the workplace than in schools. Adult employees have little patience for sitting around being taught stuff if they can't see how it applies to their jobs. Education through problem solving makes the lessons applicable. This should rank high when you're listing the advantages and disadvantages of the problem-solving approach.

A sample PBL exercise could involve devising a marketing plan for a new product line. The exercise could include a SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats – a survey of your customers and your budget for expansion. Based on that, a team would draw up the marketing plan. Another PBL challenge could involve streamlining operations.

The advantage of PBL in the workplace is that, as in the classroom, it involves learning by doing. Rather than listen to someone break down the key components of a marketing plan, your employees are working together to make a plan happen. Whatever information they learn, they're more likely to retain it that way. At work, PBL enables you to evaluate your team. The marketing plan exercise, for example, can show if any of your staff have a flair for that kind of work.

The Comm Lab website says another advantage of problem-based learning is that it's flexible. Your business may need training on a variety of topics but whether the training is general employee stuff or super-niche, it's always possible to apply a problem-based learning approach. The Instructional Design website adds some more advantages:

• Problem-based learning is non-linear. Your staff will have to explore multiple avenues and ideas, approaching them in whatever way seems to make sense. That gives them more flexibility than a more narrowly focused method.
• It's personalized. Working in teams will give each employee a chance to exercise their strengths – researching, generating ideas, writing – and apply them to a joint solution. 
• A good problem-based challenge doesn't leave employees flying blind. It has enough of a structure that they have a good idea of the destination and at least some concept how to get there.

Getting It Right

Just like any training method, the difference between a success and a buzzword is how well your company applies PBL. It's important to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of problem-based learning to apply it effectively. College for America says, for instance, that PBL needs a clear goal and that the goal needs to tie in with skills and competencies required at work. Giving your marketing team an engineering problem won't engage them as much as something related to their jobs.

The State University website says there are other factors to consider when designing a PBL program:

• The problem should be complex and open-ended rather than a yes/no solution.
• The challenge should require participants with multiple different skill sets.
• The results should be measurable. A regular class in marketing might end with a written test on the concepts. A marketing PBL should have some kind of clear end result to shoot for.
• The challenges shouldn't be too closely tied to a specific discipline. You want your team to become better problem solvers, not just good at solving problems in, say, network connectivity.

Pros and Cons

The StuDocuBlog says that PBL's advantages include practitioners retaining what they learn for longer. The actual hands-on experience burns it into their brains in a way a mere lecture can't. It improves teamwork and interpersonal skills. However, it takes more effort to make PBL work than you'd have to expend on regular training. You have to come up with a challenge and then pay attention to how well your team performs. Simply checking off a box saying they completed the required training isn't enough.

The Edutopia website says for your school or organization to use PBL effectively, you have to be clear on the end game. In the classroom, problem-based learning works if it engages students in the subject matter they're supposed to learn; the same is true at work. Whether you want better customer service, fewer manufacturing errors or quicker turnarounds on orders, your PBL training should be tailored to those ends.

Another problem is in the teamwork element. One of the points of PBL is to have your people improve their team skills, but you still need to judge them as individuals. You give the entire team a problem, but if you evaluate performance based solely on the team's work, you won't be able to judge individual performance. It's important to know which employees did what, and how effectively.

One factor to consider is whether your company culture lays the groundwork for this kind of team-building training. Problem-based learning is designed for collaborative environments. If your workplace is more cutthroat and individualistic, you may need to change the culture before you throw your staff into a PBL experience.

• Center for Teaching Innovation: Problem-Based Learning
• University of Iowa: Subject-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based Learning
• CommLab India: 5 Reasons to Design Training With a Problem-Based Approach
• StuDocuBlog: The Pros and Cons of Problem-Based Learning
• Edutopia: 5 PBL Pitfalls to Avoid
• Instructional Design Australia: What Is Problem Based Learning and Why Should We Use It?
• State University: Instructional Design: Problem Based Learning

Fraser Sherman has written about every aspect of working life: the importance of professional ethics, the challenges of business communication, workers' rights and how to cope with bullying bosses. He lives in Durham NC with his awesome wife and two wonderful dogs. You can find him online at frasersherman.com

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Problem-Solving Method in Teaching

The problem-solving method is a highly effective teaching strategy that is designed to help students develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities . It involves providing students with real-world problems and challenges that require them to apply their knowledge, skills, and creativity to find solutions. This method encourages active learning, promotes collaboration, and allows students to take ownership of their learning.

Table of Contents

Definition of problem-solving method.

Problem-solving is a process of identifying, analyzing, and resolving problems. The problem-solving method in teaching involves providing students with real-world problems that they must solve through collaboration and critical thinking. This method encourages students to apply their knowledge and creativity to develop solutions that are effective and practical.

Meaning of Problem-Solving Method

The meaning and Definition of problem-solving are given by different Scholars. These are-

Woodworth and Marquis(1948) : Problem-solving behavior occurs in novel or difficult situations in which a solution is not obtainable by the habitual methods of applying concepts and principles derived from past experience in very similar situations.

Skinner (1968): Problem-solving is a process of overcoming difficulties that appear to interfere with the attainment of a goal. It is the procedure of making adjustments in spite of interference

Benefits of Problem-Solving Method

The problem-solving method has several benefits for both students and teachers. These benefits include:

• Encourages active learning: The problem-solving method encourages students to actively participate in their own learning by engaging them in real-world problems that require critical thinking and collaboration
• Promotes collaboration: Problem-solving requires students to work together to find solutions. This promotes teamwork, communication, and cooperation.
• Builds critical thinking skills: The problem-solving method helps students develop critical thinking skills by providing them with opportunities to analyze and evaluate problems
• Increases motivation: When students are engaged in solving real-world problems, they are more motivated to learn and apply their knowledge.
• Enhances creativity: The problem-solving method encourages students to be creative in finding solutions to problems.

Steps in Problem-Solving Method

The problem-solving method involves several steps that teachers can use to guide their students. These steps include

• Identifying the problem: The first step in problem-solving is identifying the problem that needs to be solved. Teachers can present students with a real-world problem or challenge that requires critical thinking and collaboration.
• Analyzing the problem: Once the problem is identified, students should analyze it to determine its scope and underlying causes.
• Generating solutions: After analyzing the problem, students should generate possible solutions. This step requires creativity and critical thinking.
• Evaluating solutions: The next step is to evaluate each solution based on its effectiveness and practicality
• Selecting the best solution: The final step is to select the best solution and implement it.

Verification of the concluded solution or Hypothesis

The solution arrived at or the conclusion drawn must be further verified by utilizing it in solving various other likewise problems. In case, the derived solution helps in solving these problems, then and only then if one is free to agree with his finding regarding the solution. The verified solution may then become a useful product of his problem-solving behavior that can be utilized in solving further problems. The above steps can be utilized in solving various problems thereby fostering creative thinking ability in an individual.

The problem-solving method is an effective teaching strategy that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. It provides students with real-world problems that require them to apply their knowledge and skills to find solutions. By using the problem-solving method, teachers can help their students develop the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.

• Jonassen, D. (2011). Learning to solve problems: A handbook for designing problem-solving learning environments. Routledge.
• Hmelo-Silver, C. E. (2004). Problem-based learning: What and how do students learn? Educational Psychology Review, 16(3), 235-266.
• Mergendoller, J. R., Maxwell, N. L., & Bellisimo, Y. (2006). The effectiveness of problem-based instruction: A comparative study of instructional methods and student characteristics. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 1(2), 49-69.
• Richey, R. C., Klein, J. D., & Tracey, M. W. (2011). The instructional design knowledge base: Theory, research, and practice. Routledge.
• Savery, J. R., & Duffy, T. M. (2001). Problem-based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. CRLT Technical Report No. 16-01, University of Michigan. Wojcikowski, J. (2013). Solving real-world problems through problem-based learning. College Teaching, 61(4), 153-156

Coach and Performer

Teaching Styles

A ‘teaching style’ is the method a teacher uses to instruct a person or group. Better teachers and coaches can use a variety of styles; they will not rely on one teaching style alone. Instead they will change their approach depending on the situation and the members of the group. Before a selecting a particular teaching style the coach must consider a number of factors that will determine the effectiveness of the teaching style. These factors are categorised into learner characteristics, situational characteristics, task characteristics and teacher characteristics.

Spectrum of Teaching Styles (Mosston & Ashworth, 1986, 2002).

Mosston and Ashworth designed a continuum or ‘spectrum’ that categorised different teaching styles. Each style is represented by a letter on the model. The teaching style at A is the command style, whilst K is self-teaching. The spectrum that they developed clearly shows the proportion of input from the teacher and the learners in each teaching style. You can see that at A the teacher makes all decisions whereas K is learner led. For example if you chose to learn how to play an instrument or how to speak a foreign language from books in your own time with no help from anyone then this is self teaching. Not all styles are assessed on the A level PE syllabuses but the ones you need to know are included on this site.

Command Style

The command style (point A) of teaching is sometimes called the didactic method. An aerobics or similar fitness instructor will usually use this method when leading a class. Using this teaching style means the teacher is in total control as they make all the decisions, with little or no input from the learners. This style is very similar to the authoritarian leader. The command style is an effective way of teaching a new skill, particularly when the group are beginners. The teacher presents clear information on skills and these are then learnt correctly. In situations where there are time constraints for example a football manager needs to give a team talk before the team plays extra time after drawing a match so the command style is used so tactics can be quickly communicated to the team. This style is also good in dangerous situations, such as rock climbing, as it is important that the coach/teacher monitors the group and controls behaviour to ensure safety. When working with large groups the command style is also preferred as behaviour is controlled and directed.

There are some disadvantages of the command style. It discourages thinking or questioning so learners become ’clones of teachers‘. Therefore they become reliant on the teacher and don’t take responsibility for their own learning. This style does not require performers to use thought and reasoning and can hamper creativity and stifle decision making skills. Consequently learners may find it difficult to solve their own problems and may result in a lack of understanding of the task in hand. As individuals learn at different rates differentiation can be an issue so more able learners can become bored or de-motivated.

Reciprocal Style

In the reciprocal style of teaching (point B) the teacher allows the members of the group to work in pairs or small groups to teach each other. The teacher sets a task and the students carry out that task but one acts as a performer and the other as a leader or coach. This enables one student to learn the skill whilst the other student gains experience of observing and analysing performance. The teacher retains overall control of the learning experience although less control than the command style. This style is useful in promoting group cohesion and interaction. Individuals in the group develop their personal skills, such as communication skills and decision making. However, some disadvantages that arise are potential conflict between the learners and this style is more time consuming to achieve desired results.

guided discovery

Guided Discovery Style

In the guided discovery style of teaching (point F) the teacher acts a as facilitator and gives prompts to help a learner find the best solution to a problem. For example in a baseball or softball lesson on hitting a coach may ask a novice group to work out what the best technique is to hit the ball. He/she may instruct the group to try different grips, for example both hands together or hands apart, he/she may also tell them to try different stances (e.g. wide stance or feet closer together). The students will hopefully work out the best solution with these initial prompts from the teacher. Another example could be how to score in 3 v 2 situations in hockey. Advantages of the discovery style is that it allows more than one solution to the problem and the variety of approaches to be developed encourage creativity in the learners. This in turn develops the learner’s decision making skills and the use of cognitive skills allows learners to think for themselves, encouraging independence and taking responsibility for their learning. The understanding of the task is increased and skills are easier to remember, the learners are able to work at one’s own pace and this increases motivation, and their sense of achievement. The nature of the tasks in discovery learning is often more interesting and improves confidence and communication skills, group interaction and team work.

problem solving

Problem Solving Style

The problem solving style of teaching followed guided discovery on the first spectrum in, however, it was removed from later versions. In this style the teacher sets an activity or open-ended questions that allow the performer to produce their own interpretation of the task. Dance is a suitable medium for this approach, where a performer is asked to respond to a theme, with the capability of selecting their own music to support their interpretation of the theme.

An advantage of the problem solving style is that it increases the learner’s understanding of the skill and task, as the performer learns to make their own decisions it presents a more challenging and interesting learning environment. This style presents the learner with a variety of approaches and it can be exciting for them to have independence over the task and ultimate self-satisfaction when the task is successfully completed. Disadvantages of the problem solving style are that it requires learners to have confidence and the ability to express themselves. Learners need to have a broad knowledge of the topic in question and without this the process can be time consuming and learning is slower, ultimately the individual may find it difficult to know what has been learnt and could learn incorrectly.

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The effect of the teacher's teaching style on students' motivation.

SUBMITTED BY:  MARIA THERESA BARBEROS,  ARNOLD GOZALO,  EUBERTA PADAYOGDOG  SUBMITTED TO:  LEE TZONGJIN, Ed.D.  CHAPTER I  THE EFFECT OF TEACHERS' TEACHING STYLE ON STUDENTS' MOTIVATION

Introduction

The teachers, being the focal figure in education, must be competent and knowledgeable in order to impart the knowledge they could give to their students. Good teaching is a very personal manner. Effective teaching is concerned with the student as a person and with his general development. The teacher must recognize individual differences among his/her students and adjust instructions that best suit to the learners. It is always a fact that as educators, we play varied and vital roles in the classroom. Teachers are considered the light in the classroom. We are entrusted with so many responsibilities that range from the very simple to most complex and very challenging jobs. Everyday we encounter them as part of the work or mission that we are in. It is very necessary that we need to understand the need to be motivated in doing our work well, so as to have motivated learners in the classroom. When students are motivated, then learning will easily take place. However, motivating students to learn requires a very challenging role on the part of the teacher. It requires a variety of teaching styles or techniques just to capture students' interests. Above all, the teacher must himself come into possession of adequate knowledge of the objectives and standards of the curriculum, skills in teaching, interests, appreciation and ideals. He needs to exert effort to lead children or students into a life that is large, full, stimulating and satisfying. Some students seem naturally enthusiastic about learning, but many need or expect their instructors or teachers to inspire, challenge or stimulate them. "Effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher's ability to maintain the interest that brought students to the course in the first place (Erickson, 1978). Not all students are motivated by the same values, needs, desires and wants. Some students are motivated by the approval of others or by overcoming challenges.

Teachers must recognize the diversity and complexity in the classroom, be it the ethnicity, gender, culture, language abilities and interests. Getting students to work and learn in class is largely influenced in all these areas. Classroom diversity exists not only among students and their peers but may be also exacerbated by language and cultural differences between teachers and students.

Since 2003, many foreign professional teachers, particularly from the Philippines, came to New York City to teach with little knowledge of American school settings. Filipino teachers have distinct styles and expressions of teaching. They expect that: education is interactive and spontaneous; teachers and students work together in the teaching-learning process; students learn through participation and interaction; homework is only part of the process; teaching is an active process; students are not passive learners; factual information is readily available; problem solving, creativity and critical thinking are more important; teachers should facilitate and model problem solving; students learn by being actively engaged in the process; and teachers need to be questioned and challenged. However, many Filipino teachers encountered many difficulties in teaching in NYC public schools. Some of these problems may be attributed to: students' behavior such as attention deficiency, hyperactivity disorder, and disrespect among others; and language barriers such as accent and poor understanding of languages other than English (e.g. Spanish).

As has been said, what happens in the classroom depends on the teacher's ability to maintain students' interests. Thus, teachers play a vital role in effecting classroom changes.

As stressed in the Educator's Diary published in 1995, "teaching takes place only when learning does." Considering one's teaching style and how it affects students' motivation greatly concerns the researchers. Although we might think of other factors, however, emphasis has been geared towards the effect of teacher's teaching style and student motivation.

Hypothesis:

If teacher's teaching style would fit in a class and is used consistently, then students are motivated to learn.

Purpose of the Study

The main thrust of the study was to find out the effect of the teacher's teaching style on students' motivation.

Action Research Questions

This paper attempted to answer specific questions such as: 1. What is the effect of teacher's teaching style using English As A Second Language Strategies on student's motivation? 2. How does teacher's teaching style affect students' motivation? 3. What could be some categories that make one's teaching style effective in motivating students?

Research Design/Methods of Collecting Data

The descriptive-survey method was used in this study, and descriptive means that surveys are made in order to discover some aspects of teacher's teaching style and the word survey denotes an investigation of a field to ascertain the typical condition is obtaining. The researchers used questionnaires, observations, interviews, students' class work and other student outputs for this study. The questionnaires were administered before and after ESL strategies were applied. Observation refers to what he/she sees taking place in the classroom based on student's daily participation. Student interviews were done informally before, during, and after classes. Several categories affecting motivation were being presented in the questionnaire.

Research Environment and Respondents

The research was conducted at IS 164 and IS 143 where three teachers conducting this research were the subjects and the students of these teachers selected randomly specifically in the eighth and sixth grade. The student respondents were the researchers' own students, where 6 to 7 students from each teacher were selected. Twenty students were used as samples.

To measure students' motivation, researchers used questionnaires which covered important categories, namely: attitudes, student's participation, homework, and grades. Open-ended questions were also given for students' opinion, ideas and feelings towards the teacher and the subject. The teacher's teaching style covers the various scaffolding strategies. The data that were collected from this research helped the teachers to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses so as to improve instruction. The results of this study could benefit both teachers and students.

Research Procedure

Data gathering.

The researchers personally distributed the questionnaires. Each item in each category ranges from a scale of 5-1 where 5 rated as Strongly Agree while 1 as Strongly Disagree. The questionnaires were collected and data obtained were tabulated in tables and interpreted using the simple percentage. While the open ended questions, answers that were given by the students with the most frequency were noted.

Review of Related Literature

Helping students understand better in the classroom is one of the primary concerns of every teacher. Teachers need to motivate students how to learn. According to Phil Schlecty (1994), students who understand the lesson tend to be more engaged and show different characteristics such as they are attracted to do work, persist in the work despite challenges and obstacles, and take visible delight in accomplishing their work. In developing students' understanding to learn important concepts, teacher may use a variety of teaching strategies that would work best for her/his students. According to Raymond Wlodkowski and Margery Ginsberg (1995), research has shown no teaching strategy that will consistently engage all learners. The key is helping students relate lesson content to their own backgrounds which would include students' prior knowledge in understanding new concepts. Due recognition should be given to the fact that interest, according to Saucier (1989:167) directly or indirectly contributes to all learning. Yet, it appears that many teachers apparently still need to accept this fundamental principle. Teachers should mind the chief component of interest in the classroom. It is a means of forming lasting effort in attaining the skills needed for life. Furthermore teachers need to vary teaching styles and techniques so as not to cause boredom to the students in the classroom. Seeking greater insight into how children learn from the way teachers discuss and handle the lesson in the classroom and teach students the life skills they need, could be one of the greatest achievements in the teaching process.

Furthermore, researchers have begun to identify some aspects of the teaching situation that help enhance students' motivation. Research made by Lucas (1990), Weinert and Kluwe (1987) show that several styles could be employed by the teachers to encourage students to become self motivated independent learners. As identified, teachers must give frequent positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well; ensure opportunities for students' success by assigning tasks that are either too easy nor too difficult; help students find personal meaning and value in the material; and help students feel that they are valued members of a learning community. According to Brock (1976), Cashin (1979) and Lucas (1990), it is necessary for teachers to work from students' strengths and interests by finding out why students are in your class and what are their expectations. Therefore it is important to take into consideration students' needs and interests so as to focus instruction that is applicable to different groups of students with different levels.

CHAPTER II  PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents and analyzes data that answer the subsidiary problems of the study. Table I showed that out of the 20 student respondents, 50% were males and 50% females. Of the male students respondents, only 2 males belong to the high group while 8 males from the low group. For the females, each of the group had 5 respondents. It also showed that there were 7 respondents from the high group and 13 came from the low group.

Table 1:Respondents by Gender

Table 2 showed that out of the 20 students respondents, 80% of students were of Hispanic origin; 10% of respondents were White (not of Hispanic origin); and 10% were Black (not of Hispanic origin); while 0% were of American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander ethnicity. The results also showed that among the Hispanic, 40% came from the low and 40% came from the high group. There were only 10% White respondents from both groups. There were 10% respondents who were Black from both groups.

Table 2: Respondents by Ethnicity

Table 3 showed that 15% of the respondents had grades between 96-100 in Science, 0% between 91-95, while 15% scored between 86-90, the same as the range between 81-85. However, on the low group 25% of the respondents had grades between 71-75, 5% each had a range between 66-70 and 61-65; while 15% of the respondents did not have Science last year.

Table 3: Grades in Science

Table 4 revealed that for students' motivation-attitude, more than half of the respondents agreed that they are always excited to attend classes this school year. 75% of the students believed that Science is fun and interesting. Similarly, 80% of the respondents agreed that Science is important for them and 60% said that they love Science.

For student motivation-participation, it showed that more than half of the respondents affirm that they are always prepared in their Science classes. 75% of the students participated in Science activities; 50% did their Science assignments consistently.

For student motivation-homework, it could be noted that 60% of the students completed their homework on time and 50% found homework useful and important. 85% of the students said that they got enough support to do homework at home and 90% said that the teachers checked their homework.

For student motivation-grades, 65% got good grades in Science. 65% of the respondents said that they study their lessons before a test or a quiz. More than half of the respondents disagreed that the terms or words used in the test were difficult to understand. Less than half of the respondents agreed tests measure their understanding of Science concepts and knowledge, while 80% thought that grading is fair. On the other hand, the data under teaching style as noted on table 4 showed that 65% of the students strongly agreed that they have a good relationship with their Science teacher and no one disagreed. 75% noted that their Science teachers used materials that were easy to understand. 60% said that their teachers presented the lessons in many ways. More than half of the students said that they understood the way their Science teachers explained the lesson while 25% were not sure of their answer. 75% said that they got feedback from their Science teacher.

Table 4: Data on the Five Categories

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Lecturing with style.

"Lectures can not carry the major responsibility for conveying information; readings should do that."

• When Should I use the Lecture Method?
• Building a Lecture that Really Works
• Presentation Tips

When to use lecture vs. other strategies

There are three main reasons to use the lecture format:.

• to transmit information,
• to create interest (and to motivate students),
• to promote understanding (affect).

Lectures are preferred when:

• the background information is not available or accessible to the students
• the facts or problems are conflicting or confusing in nature
• the experience of speaker will contribute to clarification of the issues
• time is of the essence
• a change of pace is needed
• the best way to understand a topic is through oral presentation

To determine if you need to lecture vs. another instructional strategy, consider:

What are you trying to do.

• Expedient transmission of facts? The lecture format is good, but delays feedback.
• Discussion allows feedback and the checking of knowledge, but the rate of transmission is slow.
• Lecture/demonstration is superior in tests of specific information.
• Discussion is superior on measures of problem-solving and scientific methods.
• Mini-lectures (5-15 minutes) can be used to establish context or a setting for role playing.

The Best Lectures:

• impart new information,
• explain, clarify, and organize difficult concepts,
• model a creative mind at work or the problem-solving process,
• analyze and show relationships among seemingly dissimilar ideas,
• inspire a reverence for learning,
• challenge beliefs and habits of thinking,
• breed enthusiasm and motivation for further study.

Disadvantages of the lecture method:

• In its purest form , it is a passive method of learning.
• Usually doesn't allow the opportunity for students to ask questions.
• Attempts to transfer the same content at the same pace. How can students distinguish what is most important?
• Provides one teacher's interpretation of the subject matter.

Advantages of the lecture method:

• It's good to introduce a new subject or focus on a content area
• Can be used to put the subject into its context
• Can present material that is not yet available in print or books
• Is efficient (in transmission, not necessarily learning)

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Building a lecture that really works

• Focus on a single topic--know what your objectives for the lecture are. What three to five things do you want your students to come away from the lecture with?
• Synchronize slides (and images) to go with your verbal presentation. Select graphics that represent the ideas, concepts or words.
• Know your lecture style and what you're comfortable with.

Different ways to organize lectures

• Classical-typical outline format (works well when you want to transmit information)
• Problem-centered-problem posed (offer solutions with advantages and disadvantages) (works best to create an interest in the content)
• Sequential-extended argument or chain of reasoning that leads to a conclusion (works well to promote understanding of a subject)
• Comparative-comparison
• Thesis-argument or assertion made and justified

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Teaching Lecture Tips

• Put a brief outline of the lecture on the blackboard or overhead transparency before you begin.
• Use examples to allow students to think about other examples that may be relevant to their experience.
• Look at the class.
• Speak loud enough for the entire class to hear.
• Vary your tone of voice.
• Be enthusiastic!
• Start with a problem and interweave evidence and examples to lead to a conclusion.
• Be organized!
• Speak loudly and clearly, change tone, use pauses. Don't be afraid of a few seconds of silence.
• Explain, recap, repeat and summarize main points and relate main points to current examples and applications.
• Invite questions and ask questions. Encourage participation, involve the group.
• Don't try to cover everything or give too much factual information.
• Keep track of the time and pace your material
• Don't talk when you're writing or facing away from your audience.
• Don't read your notes.
• Stress key words and pause for emphasis.
• Notice your non-verbal behavior as well.

The Nuts and Bolts

• Outline a clear purpose and objectives for the lecture: Write them down and mention them!
• Attract attention relay an anecdote, pose a dilemma, ask a question, relate a humorous experience, refer to a context-related quote, introduce contradictory facts or opinions.
• Establish any ground rules: are questions in the middle okay, or should students wait until the end?
• Include a structure. Cover 3-5 concepts or ideas, provide advance organizers (relay what is coming and why it might be important), provide students with an agenda. Structure the lecture so that it flows from one point to another (opening, body [content], closing).
• Summarize and highlight the main points.
• Conclude with the key points and relate to the future--what should students do with the information from today?

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What are the advantages and disadvantages of problem solving method of teaching?  

Insight from top 5 papers, source papers (5).

Related Questions

Teachers face various challenges when implementing problem-based learning (PBL). These challenges include low mastery skills among students, insufficient teaching time, a lack of ICT infrastructure , difficulties in designing and implementing problem-based tasks , establishing a collaborative group, lack of communication and motivation, changing roles of the college faculty member, and loss of control within the classroom . Additionally, the lack of awareness and perceived barriers to PBL adoption, such as assessing and reporting student learning, allowing student needs to determine curriculum coverage, and a loosely structured learning environment, hinder successful implementation . Overcoming these challenges requires creativity, enthusiasm, and a student-centered teaching approach to foster interest and skills in solving problems through PBL.

Problem-solving skills are crucial for students as they navigate academic and professional challenges in the 21st century. These skills involve analyzing complex problems, developing creative solutions, and effectively implementing them . Various models, such as the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model, provide a structured approach to problem-solving, emphasizing stages like understanding the problem, generating ideas, and evaluating results . Studies have shown that problem-solving skills can be effectively enhanced through innovative teaching methods like Collaborative Mind Mapping (CMM) and the Somatic, Auditory, Visual, and Intellectual (SAVI) model . Evaluating students' problem-solving skills based on factors like grade level, gender, and academic performance can help tailor educational approaches to individual needs . In vocational education, skills competitions serve as platforms for students to showcase their problem-solving abilities and enhance their skills .

Problem solving in teaching classrooms faces various challenges. Research emphasizes the importance of integrating problem-solving activities into classes to enhance meaningful learning . However, the teaching of problem-solving skills, especially in subjects like physics, requires careful analysis to avoid student failure . Effective problem-solving instruction should be guided by learning theories, offering principles for instructors to follow . Teachers often struggle to inspire in-service teachers to adopt problem-based instruction due to limited experiences, highlighting the need for instructional models that focus on reflection and building a discourse community . Overall, addressing issues in problem solving in teaching requires a comprehensive approach that considers the nature of tasks, teacher roles, educational resources, classroom culture, and student accessibility to mathematics and science concepts.

Problem solving can be learned and improved through various teaching methods and approaches. Problem-based learning (PBL) is one such method that promotes the development of problem-solving skills . Research has shown that implementing PBL in the classroom can enhance students' problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills . Additionally, the use of discovery learning with a cognitive conflict approach has been found to improve students' problem-solving skills in physics . These findings suggest that problem solving is a skill that can be cultivated through effective teaching strategies and approaches. By providing students with opportunities to engage in real-world problem-solving tasks and encouraging critical thinking, educators can help students develop and enhance their problem-solving abilities.

Learning problem-solving skills is helpful for students as it enhances their problem-solving abilities and improves their academic performance . Active learning models, such as RICOSRE, can effectively develop problem-solving skills in students with different academic abilities . Implementing problem-based learning can also improve problem-solving skills in specific subjects, such as additives in food and beverages . Problem-based learning not only helps students learn course content but also promotes the development of problem-solving ability and communication skills . Integrative learning, which enables students to establish connections between different topics, is crucial in cultivating critical thinking skills and the ability to choose the most appropriate approach to problem-solving . Overall, learning problem-solving skills through various teaching methods and approaches can greatly benefit students in their academic and real-world problem-solving endeavors.

Trending Questions

Personalized diabetes care has shown significant improvements in patient outcomes by focusing on individual variability and tailored treatment strategies. Studies like the OneCare-IMPACT Program and the OPTIMAL study have demonstrated that personalized approaches lead to better clinical results, including reduced HbA1c levels, improved glycemic control, significant weight loss, and decreased reliance on diabetes medications . By considering multiple risk factors and utilizing personalized treatment strategies, such as the Parameter Response Efficacy (PRE) score, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can achieve enhanced outcomes and reduced risks of complications . This approach not only improves physical health outcomes but also enhances medication adherence, patient satisfaction, and overall quality of life, highlighting the importance of individualized care in diabetes management.

Epigenetics, as highlighted in the provided research papers , plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. It involves heritable and stable changes in gene expression through modifications in DNA bases, histone proteins, and non-coding RNA sequences. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, post-translational modifications of histones, and engagement of small or long non-coding RNAs, which can either activate or suppress gene expression. These modifications influence chromatin structure, determining whether genes are accessible for transcription or remain silenced. Epigenetic changes are reversible and can be induced by various factors such as age, diet, stress, and disease states. Understanding epigenetics is essential in unraveling the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors that impact gene expression and ultimately contribute to various biological processes, development, health, and diseases.

Temperature plays a significant role in the delamination behavior of composite materials, influencing various aspects such as fracture toughness, bridging stress, and failure mechanisms. Studies have shown that both mode I and mode II delamination behaviors are affected by temperature changes. For instance, mode I delamination tests reveal that fracture toughness increases linearly with temperature, with higher temperatures resulting in more bridging fibers and increased fracture resistance, as observed at 130°C where the fracture resistance is 136.9% higher than at room temperature . Similarly, mode II delamination studies on T800/epoxy composites indicate that fracture resistance curves (R-curves) vary with temperature, and numerical models based on cohesive zone models can effectively simulate these behaviors under different thermal conditions . Additionally, in solid-state additive manufacturing processes like cold spray (CS) and warm spray (WS), an increase in particle temperature can reduce residual stress amplitude, thereby mitigating interfacial delamination even when depositing thick layers . The temperature-dependent cohesive model for hybrid aluminium–glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates also demonstrates that cohesive zone properties change with temperature, affecting the stress distribution along the crack front in both mode I and mode II delamination scenarios. For example, at 70°C, the stress distribution shows a uniform low stress along the crack front with higher stress concentration at the edges, which differs from the stress profiles at 30°C and 110°C . These findings underscore the importance of considering temperature effects in the design and analysis of composite structures to ensure their reliability and performance under varying thermal conditions.

Researchers have employed various methodologies to study the effectiveness of interventions aimed at enhancing reading fluency. These methodologies include single-case research designs with a focus on technology-assisted interventions for students with learning disabilities or difficulties , video self-modeling techniques such as feedforward VSM and positive self-review to improve reading fluency, often in combination with repeated reading interventions , and parent training combined with parent reading tutoring procedures to support children reading below grade level, utilizing components like modeling, practice, phonics, fluency, accuracy, comprehension, and reinforcement . Additionally, studies have explored the impact of supplementing cognitive reading interventions with supports for reading motivation to enhance reading fluency, interest, and self-efficacy in pupils at-risk for reading difficulties . These diverse approaches provide valuable insights into effective strategies for improving reading fluency in different populations.

The impact of Long Terminal Repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) varies significantly across different plant species within the Cucurbitaceae family, as revealed by a comprehensive study on 16 species. The abundance and evolutionary dynamics of LTR-RTs were found to be closely linked to genome size, with distinct proliferations of specific lineages contributing to genome size variation. Different species exhibited varying numbers of full-length LTR-RTs, indicating ongoing rapid evolution post-speciation events. Furthermore, the insertion of LTR-RTs within genes showed diverse functions, with enrichments in metabolic processes. In Gynostemma pentaphyllum, LTR-RTs within introns were found to suppress gene expression, while those within promoters had a complex influence, mainly promoting gene expression. This study provides valuable insights into the organization, evolution, and functional impact of LTR-RTs in Cucurbitaceae genomes .