Alex - Blanksby - How do we make the most of examples, explanations, and elaborations?

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

7:30 PM - 8:45 PM AEST

Alex Blanksby

Alex, creator of Vic Maths Notes, author for the Oxford University Press MATHS series, and that guy that somehow summarised Engelmann and Carnine’s Theory of Instruction, has worked with students with a wide range of abilities since 2014. He has a focus on helping students feel they are capable of understanding mathematics.

Recording

Slides attached

How do we make the most of examples, explanations, and elaborations?

Cognitive science tells us that, especially with novices, the use of worked examples, direct instruction, and self-explanation and elaboration are key. So, what can we do to make the most of each of these? What are the differences between effective and ineffective uses of examples? How do we make our explanations more impactful? What elaborative questions should we be asking students and have them ask themselves to get more out of a given question?