Journal Article

Transformational Teaching: Theoretical Underpinnings, Basic Principles, and Core Methods

Zimbardo, Philip G., Slavich, George M.

2012

Overview

Approaches to classroom instruction have evolved considerably over the past 50 years. This progress has been spurred by the development of several learning principles and methods of instruction, including active learning, student-centered learning, collaborative learning, experiential learning, and problem-based learning. In the present paper, we suggest that these seemingly different strategies share important underlying characteristics and can be viewed as complimentary components of a broader approach to classroom instruction called transformational teaching. Transformational teaching involves creating dynamic relationships between teachers, students, and a shared body of knowledge to promote student learning and personal growth. From this perspective, instructors are intellectual coaches who create teams of students who collaborate with each other and with their teacher to master bodies of information. Teachers assume the traditional role of facilitating students' acquisition of key course concepts, but do so while enhancing students' personal development and attitudes toward learning. They accomplish these goals by establishing a shared vision for a course, providing modeling and mastery experiences, challenging and encouraging students, personalizing attention and feedback, creating experiential lessons that transcend the boundaries of the classroom, and promoting ample opportunities for preflection and reflection. We propose that these methods are synergistically related and, when used together, maximize students' potential for intellectual and personal growth.

• Publisher: Springer,Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Active Learning / Adult education / Banduras / Child and School Psychology / Classroom management / Coaching (Performance) / Collaborative learning / Cooperative Learning / Course Content / Education / Educational Principles / Educational Psychology / Educational Theories / Experiential Learning / Feedback (Response) / Group work in education / Learning and Instruction / Learning Processes / Learning theory / Lifelong Learning / Mastery learning / McKeachie, Wilbert James / Problem Based Learning / Psychoeducational Methods / REVIEW ARTICLE / Social learning theory / Student Development / Teacher Role / Teacher Student Relationship / Teachers / Teaching / Teaching Methods / Team learning approach in education / Theory / Transformative learning