How to avoid stress for the teacher-researcher ?

Psychologist have devoted considerable effort to the study of effective teaching in the 1960s and developed evidence based teaching procedures that are easy to use. These methods are also marked by reduced stress among students and teachers.

Basically, one has to understand that teaching is not an “art.” Rather, it involves a host of activities that lead to a final product (i.e., new learning).

One of the foremost teaching methods was developed by Robert Glaser, Ph.D. The model assumes that teachers should reduce the amount of time that it takes to learn. Rather than giving students no information or vague information about what to study, Glaser insisted on giving students clear and concrete Instructional Objectives. That means that advising students to “understand Shakespeare”, “appreciate Latin”, and “learn math” are not acceptable objectives. Rather, students must be told exactly what is expected. Consider the following:

Final Exam Objectives

1. Summarize the literature regarding negative attribution bias and Conduct Disorder as reported by Dodge. Be sure to describe the subjects, measures, procedure, and outcomes.

2. List the DSM 5 criteria and prevalence rates for Conduct Disorder as reported in the DSM 5.

3. List 1 temperamental, 2 environmental, and 3 biological risk/prognostic factors that are associated with Conduct Disorder as reported in the DSM 5 and the Kazdin chapter.

4. Describe Rachman’s concept of fear and the pathways through which fear may be acquired.

5. Describe 5 lines of evidence in support of the conditioning theory of fear acquisition as reported by Rachman.

6. Describe 6 lines of evidence against the conditioning theory of fear acquisition as reported by Rachman.

7. Describe the revised theory of fear acquisition as reported by Rachman.

8. List the criteria for Specific Phobia as stated in the DSM 5.

9. Summarize the findings regarding the effects of traumatization on academic achievement as reported by Saigh. Be sure to describe the subjects, measures, procedure, and outcomes.

10. List the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, describe its prevalence, and describe the life course as indicated in the DSM-5.

11. Describe 2 temperamental, 2 environmental, and 3 biological risk/prognostic factors major for MDD as indicated in the DSM-5, Birmaher, and Nelson and Israel.

12. Describe the participants, measures, procedures, and outcomes of the Kennard (TADS) child depression treatment study.

13. List 5 characteristics of culture bound syndromes as stated in the DSM 5.

14. Explain what delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, abnormal movements, reduced emotional expression, and avolition involve as these symptoms relate to schizophrenia.

The second phase of the Glaser model involves giving Formative Evaluations (tests) from time to time that reflect the objectives but do not count toward the course grade. The tests serve to let the teacher know how well students are learning and provide students with information about the quality of their work. The key here involves 100% correspondence between the course objective and the Formative Evaluation test items.

The third part of the model involves teacher behaviors to facilitate learning. Given that different lessons may require different teaching procedures, Glaser maintained that teaching activities could involve a variety of behaviors just as long as those behaviors correspond to the stated Objectives. That means lecturing, discussion, showing films, or a museum trip would be fine as long as these activities reflect the Objectives.

Finally, Glaser recognized that a final exam should occur. Here again, the exam should be directly based on the objectives. Preparing exams is relatively easy as all one has to do is generate test items based on the objectives.

Given this approach, teaching is markedly easier and students learn faster. It also leads to less test anxiety as students know exactly what is expected of them.

Philip Saigh, Ph.D.