Teaching and Learning Process Part One of Two

Increasing Student Success

Teaching and Learning Process

This general collection of teaching and learning processes encompasses all glossary terms that were not easily assigned into the other eight categories of this glossary. Check the other eight topical glossaries for relevant terms that apply to your work. A comprehensive glossary is The Greenwood Dictionary of Education (Collins & O’Brien, 2011). A sample of specialty glossaries are available online:

● disabilities (https://www.washington.edu/doit/glossary-disability-related-terms)

● literacy (https://www.literacyworldwide.org/get-resources/literacy-glossary)

● reading (https://iowareadingresearch.org/reading-glossary), and

● writing (https://www.unl.edu/writing/glossary)

academic advising

1. Definitions: (a) Conversation between a student and a faculty or staff member regarding progress towards completing a program of study aligned with the student’s life goals; and (b) In some advising models, students talk with a trained student for some issues regarding advising such as scheduling options or sometimes on issues before the students meet with a staff or faculty member.

2. Examples: Career aspirations, selection of an academic program of study, course enrollment selection, identification of life goals, and developing education action plans.

3: Compare with ACADEMIC COACHING, MENTORING, and PEER EDUCATOR.

academic coaching

1. Definitions: (a) Students implement more effective strategies through guidance by an advanced peer or professional. The relationship is designed to model successful learning behaviors and create accountability of the student to their coach for higher academic results. This coaching occurs through a series of meetings during the academic term; and (b) ACADEMIC COACHING may be provided by a faculty member, staff member, or a trained student.

2. Examples: Identify learning preferences, habits of working, and difficulties or barriers to success.

3. Compare with ACADEMIC ADVISING, MENTORING and PEER EDUCATOR.

academic literacies

1. Definition: (a) Understanding, writing, listening, speaking, critical thinking, and habits of mind that foster academic achievement expected of college students; (b) Understanding a range of academic vocabulary in context; (c) Making meaning beyond the level of a sentence; and (d) Evaluating information to determine if it is fact or opinion and knowing what counts as evidence (Weideman, 2014).

2. Compare with DISCIPLINARY LITERACIES.

academic skills

See BASIC ACADEMIC SKILLS

academic survival skills

See BASIC ACADEMIC SKILLS and STUDY SKILLS

academic tenacity

1. Definition: “Non-cognitive factors that promote long-term learning and achievement can be brought together under the label ACADEMIC TENACITY. At its most basic level, it is about working hard, and working smart, for a long time. More specifically, it is about the mindsets and skills that allow students to look beyond short-term concerns to longer-term or higher-order goals, and withstand challenges and setbacks to persevere toward these goals (Dweck et al., 2014, p. 4).

2. Examples: “(a) Belong academically and socially, (b) See school as relevant to their future, (c) Work hard and can postpone immediate pleasures, (d) Not derailed by intellectual or social difficulties, (e) Seek out challenges, and (f) Remain engaged over the long haul” (Dweck et al., 2014, p. 4).

3. Compare with FIXED MINDSET, GRIT, GROWTH MINDSET, and SELF-REGULATED LEARNER.

achievement gap

1. Definitions: (a) Disparity of educational performance among the general student population, especially groups defined by socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, immigration status, and other demographic measures; and (b) Difference in standardized test score gaps may result in long-term gaps such as persistence towards graduation and workforce employment.

2. Some educators argue that the ACHIEVEMENT GAP is inaccurate since it often relies upon college entry standardized-exam scores and measures of student achievement that are heavily dependent upon exams employing multi-choice questions. These educators argue that these questions are culturally biased due to the format of the questions and the academic content, often based on Western cultural content by White authors. Based on the ongoing scholarly debate before the next edition of this glossary, the term ACHIEVEMENT GAP may be moved to the Less Acceptable Term category. More scholars are using the term OPPORTUNITY GAP instead since it emphasizes the structural reasons for the gap rather than implying that there might be something wrong with the students on the wrong side of the ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

3. Compare with OPPORTUNITY GAP.

active learning

1. Definition: Strategies that engage students actively with their learning through what they do and think rather than passively listening to the instructor.

2: Examples: Small group discussions, role-plays, reflective writing, searching for information, and creating a curriculum.

3. Compare with BANKING CONCEPT OF LEARNING and TRANSMISSION MODEL OF EDUCATION.

active listening

1. Definition: “Attending to the speech, body language, facial expressions, and implied meaning of a person’s communications” (Collins & O’Brien, 2011, p. 7).

adult basic skills

1. Definition: “Basic skills are foundational proficiencies in mathematics, reading, writing, and language. Programs, such as Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education, English for Speakers of Other Languages, and other state, federal and private programs, assist undereducated and/or disadvantaged adults in raising their basic proficiencies” (Florida Department of Education, n.d., para. 3).

advance organizer

1. Definition: “Short introductory text or graphic material presented to students prior to a learning experience that enables students to structure the knowledge, put it in perspective, and increase receptivity to new information” (Collins & O’Brien, 2011, p. 12).

affective strategies

1. Definition: Student behaviors to manage their emotions. A positive environment helps the student to learn.

2. Compare with COGNITIVE STRATEGIES.

assistive technology

1. Definition: “Technology that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities based on the principles of UNIVERSAL DESIGN. Users can interact with the technology in ways that work best for them. Accessible technolog...