8 Theories and pedagogical strategies for teaching

Today there are many different ways to teach and different approaches to learning that are widely accepted. Throughout history there have been many theories that have helped shape these pedagogical strategies for teaching and learning.

From inquiry-based learning and project-based learning to student-led classroom or teacher-led, there are many ways to engage students in learning.

By understanding these theories and strategies, teachers can build their own pedagogical content knowledge to develop a philosophy of teaching and their own teaching style.

In this blog post, we will explore a variety of pedagogical practices and effective teaching strategies that have helped to shape current practices and impact student learning. 

pedagogical strategies for teaching

Importance of pedagogical approaches

Effective pedagogical strategies for teaching are crucial components of a successful classroom environment, impacting student learning outcomes, engagement, and overall academic achievement. Pedagogy involves the science and practice of teaching.

The pedagogical approaches a teacher uses shapes the learning of their students. This is important for:

1. Student Engagement: 

• ​Active learning strategies such as group discussions, hands-on activities, and interactive lectures keep students engaged and interested in the subject matter.
• Varied teaching methods cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring all students have opportunities to participate and learn effectively.

2. Understanding and Retention:

• Effective pedagogy promotes deeper understanding and retention of concepts through techniques like scaffolding, where complex ideas are broken down into smaller, manageable components.
• Utilizing visual aids, real-life examples, and analogies help students grasp abstract concepts and make connections to prior knowledge.

3. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills:

• Encouraging inquiry-based learning and problem-solving activities fosters critical thinking skills.
• Providing opportunities for students to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information promotes higher-order thinking skills essential for success in academia and beyond.

4. Personalized Learning:

• Differentiated instruction allows teachers to tailor their approach to meet the individual needs and abilities of each student.
• Assessment for learning strategies, such as formative assessments and peer feedback, help teachers identify areas where students require additional support or challenge.

5. Technology Integration:

• Leveraging educational technology tools and resources enhances teaching effectiveness and expands learning opportunities.
• Interactive multimedia presentations, educational apps, and online resources can supplement traditional instruction and engage digital-native students.

6. Teacher-Student Relationships:

• Building positive and supportive relationships with students creates a conducive learning environment where students feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and seek assistance.
• Effective communication and empathy foster trust and collaboration, enhancing students’ motivation and academic performance.

Effective teaching strategies and pedagogy are essential for creating a dynamic, engaging, and inclusive classroom environment that promotes student learning, critical thinking, and personal growth.

By employing a diverse range of pedagogical strategies for teaching and learning, teachers can cater to the individual needs and strengths of their students, fostering a love for learning and preparing them for success in an ever-changing world.

pedagogical strategies for teaching

9 Theories and pedagogical strategies for teaching

There are many theories and pedagogical strategies for teaching, and I won’t be able to cover them all in this blog post, but I have chosen those which revolutionized teaching at the time of their publication and still influence teaching practice today.

1. Gagne’s 9 instructional events (Published 1965)

The nine instructional events outline a structured approach to designing and delivering instruction effectively:

1. Attract Attention: This involves captivating learners’ interest through relevant stimuli or posing thought-provoking questions.

2. State Objectives: Clearly communicate the learning goals to focus learners’ attention and motivate them.

3. Activate Prior Knowledge: Engage learners by connecting new information to what they already know.

4. Deliver Content: Present the instructional material in a logical sequence using various strategies such as lectures or multimedia.

5. Provide Guidance: Support learners by offering explanations, examples, and instructions to aid understanding.

6. Encourage Practice: Offer opportunities for learners to apply newly acquired knowledge or skills actively.

7. Offer Feedback: Provide feedback on learners’ performance to reinforce correct understanding and identify areas for improvement.

8. Evaluate Performance: Assess learners’ progress using quizzes, tests, or practical exercises to gauge achievement of learning objectives.

9. Facilitate Retention and Transfer: Employ strategies like review and application in different contexts to promote long-term retention and application of learned material.

For example:

Gagne’s pedagogical strategies for teaching focus on a teacher-centered classrooms, as they outline a structured sequence of actions for the instructor to follow in order to effectively deliver instruction. The events highlight the teacher’s role in planning, organizing, and facilitating learning experiences for students. Each event is designed to guide the teacher in engaging students, presenting content, providing guidance, and assessing learning.

pedagogical strategies for teaching

2. Bruner’s theory of constructivism 

(Published 1960 & 1968)

Jerome Bruner’s significant discovery was the concept of “discovery learning” and his theory of “constructivism.”

Constructivist pedagogy emphasizes the active role of learners in constructing new knowledge and understanding through exploration and discovery rather than passive reception of information. This involves learning-centered instruction with a focus on the student being the driver of their own learning.

This theory of pedagogical strategies for teaching had a great impact on education as it moved away from a teacher-centred approach. Some noticeable adjustments include:

• Shift from Passive to Active Learning: Bruner’s ideas promoted a shift away from traditional didactic teaching methods toward more interactive and engaging learning experiences where students are actively involved in the learning process.

• Emphasis on Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Discovery learning encourages students to explore, question, and solve problems independently, fostering the development of critical thinking skills and deep understanding.

• Personalized Learning: Bruner’s emphasis on the individual’s active construction of knowledge highlighted the importance of tailoring instruction to students’ needs, interests, and prior knowledge, leading to more personalized and effective learning experiences.

• Hands-On and Experiential Learning: Educators began to integrate more hands-on activities, experiments, and real-world applications into the curriculum to facilitate discovery and experiential learning.

• Promotion of Creativity and Innovation: Discovery learning encourages students to think creatively, make connections between concepts, and generate new ideas, fostering a culture of innovation in education.

• Student-Centered Approaches: Bruner’s theories contributed to the development of student-centered approaches to teaching and learning, where the focus is on facilitating students’ active engagement, collaborative learning, and self-directed learning. This includes a ample small group work, team-based learning, project work, discussion groups, and cooperative learning to build independent learners. pedagogical strategies for teaching

3. Ausubel’s reception learning (Published 1968)

Ausubel’s pedagogical strategies for teaching consisted of the reception learning theory, also known as meaningful reception learning. This theory emphasizes the importance of meaningful learning by actively integrating new information into existing cognitive structures.

Ausubel’s reception learning involves:

• Advance Organizers: Ausubel introduced the concept of advance organizers, which are introductory materials or activities designed to provide a framework for understanding new information. These organizers help learners connect new concepts with their existing knowledge and mental frameworks, facilitating meaningful learning. e.g. Venn diagrams

• Subsumption: Ausubel proposed the idea of subsumption, which involves incorporating new information into existing cognitive structures or “subsumers.” When learners encounter new information that is relevant and meaningful, they assimilate it into their existing knowledge base, thereby enhancing understanding and retention.

• Meaningful Learning: Ausubel emphasized the importance of meaningful learning, where learners actively relate new information to their existing knowledge and experiences. Meaningful learning involves making connections, organizing information, and creating meaningful associations, rather than rote memorization or passive reception of facts.

• Hierarchy of Learning: Ausubel suggested that learning occurs in a hierarchical fashion, with new knowledge being integrated into existing cognitive structures in a structured and organized manner. Learners build upon their prior knowledge and understanding, progressively expanding and refining their conceptual frameworks.

• Relevant and Significance: Ausubel stressed the significance of presenting information in a way that is relevant and meaningful to learners. When new information is connected to learners’ existing knowledge and experiences, it becomes more meaningful and easier to understand and remember.

Ausubel’s reception learning theory highlights the importance of actively engaging learners in meaningful learning experiences, facilitating the integration of new information into existing cognitive structures, and promoting deep understanding and retention.

pedagogical strategies for teaching

4. Pavlov’s & Skinner’s theories of Conditioning

Pavlov & Skinner’s pedagogical strategies for teaching involved that of conditioning, which primarily revolves around the principles of classical and operant conditioning, which are both central concepts in behaviorism (which we will look at next).

Here’s an outline of how these principles are applied in education:

• Classical Conditioning: Classical conditioning, introduced by Ivan Pavlov, involves learning through associations between an environmental (but neutral) stimulus to evoke a conditioned response.

  In education, classical conditioning can be applied to create associations between neutral stimuli and learning outcomes. For example, a teacher might pair a specific tone or visual cue with positive reinforcement (such as praise or rewards) to elicit a desired response from students.

  A classroom example might be that a teacher uses a bell to signal the end of a lesson. Over time, students associate the bell with the end of the lesson and begin to anticipate it, which helps in managing transitions smoothly.

• Operant Conditioning:  Operant conditioning, developed by B.F. Skinner, focuses on learning through consequences. Behavior is strengthened or weakened based on the consequences that follow it. Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior recurring, while punishment decreases it

  In education, operant conditioning is used to shape and maintain desired behaviors in students. Teachers provide reinforcement (positive or negative) to encourage desired behaviors and use punishment to discourage undesirable behaviors. For example, a teacher praises students for raising their hands before speaking in class, reinforcing the desired behavior of waiting for their turn to speak.

The pedagogical strategies for teaching involving conditioning, emphasise the role of environmental stimuli, reinforcement, and consequences in shaping and modifying student behaviors within the classroom setting.

pedagogical strategies for teaching

5. Watson’s theory of Behaviorism (1910s-1920s)

Behaviorism was primarily developed by psychologists such as John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner. Watson is often credited as the founder of behaviorism, while Pavlov’s experiments with classical conditioning and Skinner’s work on operant conditioning further shaped the theory.

These psychologists proposed that behavior could be understood and predicted through observable stimuli and responses, without necessarily considering internal mental processes. These proposals led to pedagogical strategies for teaching that involved manipulating and encouraging certain behaviors in students.

This concept of behaviorism had significant implications for education. Here’s an outline of behaviorism’s key principles as applied to education:

• Focus on Observable Behavior: Behaviorism emphasizes observable behaviors rather than internal mental processes. In education, this means focusing on measurable outcomes such as students’ responses, actions, and achievements.

• Stimulus-Response Associations: Behaviorists believe that learning is the result of associations formed between stimuli and responses. In education, teachers use various stimuli, such as prompts, cues, and instructional materials, to elicit desired responses from students.

• Reinforcement: Behaviorism highlights the role of reinforcement in shaping and maintaining behaviors. Positive reinforcement, such as praise or rewards, increases the likelihood of desired behaviors, while negative reinforcement involves removing unpleasant stimuli to strengthen behaviors.

• Operant Conditioning: Behaviorism introduces the concept of operant conditioning, where behaviors are influenced by their consequences. Teachers use reinforcement techniques, such as rewards or punishments, to shape students’ behaviors and encourage desired outcomes.

• Drill and Practice: Behaviorist approaches often involve repetitive drill and practice to reinforce learning. This repetitive practice helps students strengthen associations between stimuli and responses, leading to improved performance.

• Behavior Modification: Behaviorism advocates for behavior modification techniques to address undesirable behaviors. These techniques include identifying specific behaviors to be modified, implementing reinforcement strategies, and monitoring progress over time.

• Teacher-Centered Instruction: Behaviorist approaches to education tend to be teacher-centered, with the teacher controlling the learning environment and directing students’ behavior through instructions, prompts, and reinforcements.

Behaviorism in education emphasizes the importance of observable behaviors, stimulus-response associations, reinforcement, and operant conditioning techniques in shaping learning outcomes.

While behaviorist principles have influenced educational practices, they are often critiqued for overlooking the role of cognition, motivation, and social factors in learning. 

pedagogical strategies for teaching

6. Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983)

The educational theory of multiple intelligences, proposed by Howard Gardner, suggests that intelligence is not a single, fixed entity but rather a set of multiple distinct abilities or intelligences. 

The theory of multiple intelligences proposes that individuals possess different types of intelligences, each representing a unique way of processing information and solving problems.

Gardner initially identified seven intelligences:

1. Linguistic intelligence: sensitivity to language, words, and communication.

2. Logical-mathematical intelligence: ability to reason logically, analyze problems, and think abstractly.

3. Spatial intelligence: capacity to perceive and manipulate visual-spatial information.

4. Musical intelligence: sensitivity to rhythm, melody, pitch, and timbre.

5. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence: ability to control body movements and handle objects skillfully.

6. Interpersonal intelligence: understanding and interacting effectively with others.

7. Intrapersonal intelligence: self-awareness, self-understanding, and introspection.

Gardner later proposed additional intelligences, such as naturalistic intelligence (sensitivity to nature and the environment) and existential intelligence (contemplation of the ‘big questions’ of life).

According to the theory of multiple intelligences, individuals exhibit varying strengths and weaknesses across the different intelligences. Some individuals may excel in linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence, while others may demonstrate strengths in bodily-kinesthetic or musical intelligence.

The theory of multiple intelligences has several implications for pedagogical strategies for teaching:

• Instruction should be differentiated to accommodate students’ diverse intelligences and learning styles.
• Teachers can use a variety of instructional methods and activities to engage students across different intelligences.
• Assessment should be broad and varied, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding and skills through different modalities.

Educators should foster a supportive learning environment that values and respects students’ unique strengths and intelligences.

The theory of multiple intelligences has faced criticism regarding its empirical support, definitions of intelligences, and practical implications for education. Some argue that the concept of multiple intelligences lacks sufficient scientific evidence and may oversimplify the complexity of human cognition.

pedagogical strategies for teaching 

 7. Sweller’s cognitive load theory

(first suggested 1980s)

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), proposed by John Sweller, focuses on the cognitive processes involved in learning and how the cognitive load imposed on learners affects learning outcomes.

Sweller proposed three types of cognitive load:

• • Intrinsic Load: The inherent difficulty or complexity of the learning materials or tasks. Intrinsic load is determined by the complexity of the content and the learner’s prior knowledge.

  • Extraneous Load: Additional cognitive load imposed by the instructional design, such as irrelevant information or poorly designed instructional materials.

  • Germane Load: Cognitive load related to the processing and integration of new information into existing mental schemas, which facilitates learning and long-term retention.

According to CLT, effective learning occurs when cognitive load is managed appropriately. High cognitive load can overwhelm learners’ working memory capacity, leading to cognitive overload and impairing learning.

CLT suggests that learning tasks should be designed to minimize extraneous cognitive load and optimize germane cognitive load, allowing learners to focus their cognitive resources on understanding and integrating new information.

Implications for pedagogical strategies for teaching:

• Reducing Extraneous Load: Instructional materials should be carefully designed to minimize extraneous cognitive load. This may involve:

  • Simplifying instructions and explanations.

  • Using clear and concise language.

  • Presenting information in a structured and organized manner.

  • Minimizing distractions and irrelevant information.

• Managing Intrinsic Load: Teachers should scaffold learning by breaking down complex concepts into smaller, more manageable chunks. This may involve:

  • Providing worked examples or step-by-step demonstrations.

  • Gradually increasing the complexity of tasks as learners gain proficiency.

• Optimizing Germane Load: Learning tasks should promote active engagement and deep processing of information to optimize germane cognitive load. This may involve:

  • Encouraging elaboration and reflection on new concepts.

  • Providing opportunities for practice, feedback, and reinforcement.

  • Fostering metacognitive awareness and self-regulated learning strategies.

Cognitive Load Theory provides valuable insights into the cognitive processes involved in learning and offers practical guidelines for instructional design and educational practice aimed at optimizing learning outcomes.

pedagogical strategies for teaching

8. Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory (late 20th Century)

Transformative Learning Theory, proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 20th Century, explores how learners (study was on specifically adults) undergo significant cognitive shifts or transformations in their beliefs, perspectives, and assumptions as a result of critical reflection and experience. 

Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) suggests that learning is not simply the acquisition of new information or skills but rather a profound process of perspective transformation.

Transformative learning involves critically examining one’s beliefs, assumptions, and perspectives, and reevaluating them in light of new information or experiences.

4 Key Concepts for TLT:

1. Perspective Transformation: Transformative learning involves a fundamental shift in how individuals perceive themselves, others, and the world around them. This shift often results in changed attitudes, values, and behaviors.

2. Critical Reflection: Transformative learning is driven by critical reflection, where individuals critically examine their beliefs, assumptions, and worldviews, often in response to disorienting dilemmas or conflicting experiences.

3. Frames of Reference: Mezirow identified frames of reference as the mental structures that shape individuals’ interpretations of experiences. Transformative learning involves challenging and reconstructing these frames of reference to accommodate new perspectives.

4. Dialogue and Discourse: Transformative learning can be facilitated through dialogue and discourse with others who hold different perspectives. Engaging in meaningful dialogue and exchanging ideas can stimulate critical reflection and perspective transformation.

4 Phases of Transformative Learning:

1. Disorienting Dilemma: Transformative learning often begins with a disorienting dilemma or crisis that challenges individuals’ existing beliefs or assumptions, leading to a sense of confusion or discomfort.

2. Self-Examination: Individuals engage in critical reflection, questioning their assumptions and exploring alternative perspectives in response to the disorienting dilemma.

3. Exploration of Options: Individuals explore new ways of understanding and interpreting their experiences, seeking out new information and perspectives to make sense of the dilemma.

4. Integration and Action: Through reflection and dialogue, individuals integrate new perspectives into their worldview, leading to a more comprehensive understanding and potentially changes in behavior or action.

Transformative Learning Theory has implications for adult education, particularly in fostering critical thinking, self-reflection, and personal growth.

Educators can create learning environments that encourage dialogue, reflection, and the exploration of diverse perspectives, facilitating transformative learning experiences.

Experiential learning, case studies, and reflective writing assignments are examples of instructional strategies that can promote transformative learning in educational settings.

Conclusion

Many of these theories and pedagogical strategies for teaching are still used in the classroom today and inform many teacher’s practice.

Which of the different theories and pedagogical strategies for teaching have influenced your teaching style? Comment below!

pedagogical strategies for teaching

References

ATEŞ, A. (2010). The Conditions of Learning and Theory of Instruction Robert Gagné Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., Florida-ABD, 4th edition, 1985, pp.361 ISBN 10: 0030636884. Ilköğretim online, 9(3), 5–9.

Gardner, H. (2004). Frames of mind : the theory of multiple intelligences (2nd paper ed.). BasicBooks.

Sweller, J. (2020). Cognitive load theory and educational technology. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09701-3

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