The Art of Explaining Science – how to enhance students’ understanding of scientific concepts
What students really understand in class depends a lot on the skills of instructors to explain topics clearly and understandably. Particularly complex scientific concepts are not easy to communicate.
Based on results from research about explanations, we will analyse good and bad examples of explanations from differ-ent areas of research. You will then have the opportunity to develop your own videotaped explanations, optimize them for the audience of students in your classes and discuss your results. We will furthermore address the topic of how to encourage students to generate their own explanations, as students’ self-explanations have been proved to be very efficient for increasing learning outcomes.

Learning outcomes: The participants will be able to…
  • analyse explanations with relevant criteria.
  • develop their own explanations using principles that enhance understanding.
  • create a simple videotaping.
  • prompt students’ self-explanation.

Content:
  • Criteria for excellent explanations in science
  • Principles for developing clear and understandable explanations
  • Self-explanations versus explanations by instructors

Preparation and further information:
The workshop is supplemented by tasks for independent work. Make sure to schedule time for this between the face to face sessions.
Dates:
Target group: all faculty and staff who teach at the university
Max. participants: 14
Trainer: Dr. Annette Glathe, TU Darmstadt
PD Dr. Ulrike Homann, TU Darmstadt
Date: Friday, September 1st 2023,
Friday, September 29th 2023 + self-study units
Time: 9:30 am – 12 pm
Place: Online
Recognition: 12 AE, Teaching & Learning