Teaching is a process than utilizes teacher's subject knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, methods, communicative skills and other resources. Effective teaching is defined as one that has better learning outcomes (definition 1).
This is subjective since even if research shows some forms like student-centered yield better, the parameters are so many that some believe it is overrated.
Some agreement in defining effective teaching as one that is conceptually effective and demanding in execution/preparation (definition 2) in the sense that few can achieve it or maintain its standards are better definitions but this has not gained academic status and validity
Some forms of effective teaching definition 2 include
- congruency in communicative schemes and visuals i.e. showing a diagram that focuses on the process or schematic summary of goal AND strongly effective communicative schemes using antithesis, metaphor etc
- story-based teaching. Being able to substract details to a great degree while keeping the big picture of lesson to be learned and avoid distractions. This is very demanding
Modern forms of effective teaching like active student learning focused are weaker in conceptual clarity but more proven experimentally
My personal experience tells me that the outcomes of effective teaching are fruitful and positive for both facilitator and the student. Undeniably, this learner-centered approach really consumes time and effort in its instructional lifecycle: from preparation to implementation, from implementation to improvement via reflection.
In contrast, mediocre teaching is rather teacher-centered and applies one size fits all instructional approach. It is not a fully bad technique as I found it useful for the technical laboratory which requires extra precautions and safety measures, or when dealing with new learners on new courses.
In short, instructors need to be flexible, creative, and adaptive. There is no one "optimal" teaching strategy that is effective with all students and academic subjects. Depending on their learning preferences, backgrounds, and interests, as well as other factors, different students may respond better to different teaching approaches.
Over the 30 years that I have been teaching, I have heard some teachers gloat because students drop their courses because the learning concepts are "too hard" for them to understand. In those cases, as a teacher you have limited your own audience to hear your wisdom. And you think that's great! To teach, meet the student(s) where they are, challenge them enough to get them interested, and then add to that initial interest at a pace that allows the students to feed their curiosity. If you are only intrested in showing the students how smart you are, then you are not teaching anything. You are just gloating about your own superiority. Knowing how smart you are, but not knowing why, can't be helpful to students if you are not willing to share your knowledge in a language students can understand. However, if you do share, (1) students will get that you are smart, (2) they will respect your knowledge, and (3) they will learn enough to use the knowledge and/or share it with others.
The dicifil is a very particular perception for each student, maybe there are students who possess previous knowledge or conceptual prerequisites assimilated in a very strong way in their cognitive structure and therefore it is easier for them to learn from a more rigorous teaching.
You are absolutely correct, Wilmer. That's why it is so important to get evaluations of you and the course when they finish. Questions should include the pace of learning, the ease of learning, the degree of challenge, the abundance of homework (learning on your own), the quality of the personal feedback they get from the instructor, and probably more. The only way you can know is if they tell you, and usually the only way they will tell you is if you ask!
Effective teaching can be more challenging than mediocre teaching, as it requires a higher level of skill and effort on the part of the teacher. Effective teaching involves not only presenting information in a clear and organized manner, but also engaging students in the learning process, encouraging critical thinking, providing feedback, and adapting instruction to meet the needs of individual students.
Effective teaching requires a deep understanding of the subject matter, as well as a range of pedagogical strategies to help students learn. It also requires the ability to build strong relationships with students, create a positive learning environment, and manage classroom dynamics effectively.
In contrast, mediocre teaching may involve simply presenting information without much interaction or engagement with students. While this type of teaching may be conceptually effective and demanding to execute in terms of covering material, it may not lead to deep learning or retention of information.
Overall, effective teaching requires a higher level of skill and effort than mediocre teaching, but it can also lead to more meaningful and long-lasting learning outcomes for students.
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