Teachers’ corner TC05
Communicating chemistry
Arriving at a shared understanding ....
There is surely nothing more universally important to the teaching/learning process, whether in chemistry or political history, than an awareness of the challenges involved in communication between two or more people.
Even in everyday conversations between friends about mundane things, we so often hear (amongst those other people, of course) the exclamation "But I thought you meant ......!" And if one more person who is giving me instructions tells me "You can't miss it" I swear that I will .... [I'm trying to think what I will do] ....
And why didn't those who designed the directional signs on our freeways do a course in communication?
"Ah" they say "I know what I meant. It was obvious to me."
So much more probable is a communication mismatch between teacher and student, having such different levels of knowledge and exposure in the subject. As well as being so much more important!
'But you said ....'. 'Well I knew what I meant!'
Even professional chemists can interpret the same language differently, depending upon their understandings of a concept.
And so ....
The issue of achieving meaningful communication is so universal that in teaching/learning situations, awareness is just as important to the student as to the teacher.
So, I am hoping that my modules drawing attention to communication issues are as useful to students as to teachers.
The issue of achieving meaningful communication is so universal that in teaching/learning situations, awareness is just as important to the student as to the teacher.
So, I am hoping that my modules drawing attention to communication issues are as useful to students as to teachers.
I will acknowledge the source of the cartoon header above as soon as I track it down.
Finding your way around .....
You can browse or search the Aha! Learning chemistry website in the following ways:
You can browse or search the Aha! Learning chemistry website in the following ways:
- Use the drop-down menus from the buttons at the top of each page to browse the modules chapter-by-chapter.
- Click to go to the TABLE OF CONTENTS (also from the NAVIGATION button) to see all available chapters and modules in numbered sequence.
- Click to go to the ALPHABETICAL INDEX. (also from the NAVIGATION button).
- Enter a word or phrase in the Search box at the top of each page.
