Learning Study: An approach to designing Transformational Lessons

Different people see things in different ways

How many ways of seeing are there?

What do you understand the above to mean? (Be ambitious!)

Phenomenography says - there are a limited number of clearly defined and qualitatively different and empirically observable ways of understanding something ……

The Theory – A Hierarchy of Understanding

More sophisticated ways of understanding

Lesson objectives - made easy!

2. Way of joining two metals together

1. A way of joining some metals together

4. A way of joining metals where a careful sequence should be followed

3. A way of joining some metals that works better with a flux present

Some Qualitatively Different Ways of Seeing

Phenomenon: Soldering

4. Type of memory affects size of storage (and size of device)

1. Somewhere I keep my music

2. A way of storing data

Some Qualitatively Different Ways of Seeing

3. A way of moving my work from one computer to another

Phenomenon: Data Storage

2. If costs rise then profit will fall

4. If sales rise profits will rise

1. If the total money from sales revenue rises and total costs rise, profit might rise or fall

Some Qualitatively Different Ways of Seeing

Profit

3. If price rises profits could rise or fall

E.g. How to cook a potato

How to cook a potato

Way of understanding Way of

understanding

Way of understanding

Way of understanding

Way of understanding

Can be boiled , fried, mashed, chipped or roasted and each has a different cooking process

Peel, chop and boil and then cook in the oven

Peel, chop boil until soft

Peel, chop and boil

Put them in hot water

difference

Margaret has some potatoes she would like to cook for dinner.

Q. Describe the equipment Margaret will need and the steps she should take.

She realises that the potatoes are too big and are taking a long time to cook in cold water.

Q. Make some recommendations that might help Margaret to cook the potatoes more quickly

Margaret is cooking the potatoes but doesn’t know when she should stop heating them in the pan.

Q. Suggest how Margaret will know when the potatoes are cooked

Margaret's potatoes are finally cooked but they don’t look very nice, they are very pale and soft. She wants to make them crispy on the outside.

Q. Suggest ways that Margaret could make the potatoes soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.

Margaret realises that there are several ways she could make the potatoes taste better by adding butter, oil and using the oven in different ways.

Q. How many different ways can you think of to cook a potato?

A Subject Specific ExampleWhere supply and demand meet

Based on the cost plus a profit margin

Based on what it costs to make (supply factors)

Based on what consumers are prepared to pay (demand factors)

Based on competitors prices

Marvin is 23 and has just graduated from university with a business management degree. He is very enterprising and wishes to set up a burger van business in Reading. He is attempting to write a business plan and is collating information to help him make some key decisions about the type of products to sell, where to locate and how to price his burgers. He would like some help trying to set a price for a plain hamburger in a bun. Q1. What price would you recommend to Marvin?

Marvin finds out that there is another burger van operating in the local area called Munchies. Munchies charge £5.50 for a plain burger in a bun. Q2. How might this information now change Marvin’s decision about the price of his burgers?Marvin decides to conduct some market research and surveys 2000 people in the local area, he discovers that the consumers in reading are concerned about their jobs, their incomes and are trying to save money but they do enjoy eating take away burgers and are not very impressed with Munchies. On average the respondents said they were willing to pay up to £5 if the burgers were of good quality. Q3. How does this affect the price Marvin should charge?Marvin contacts some local producers of bread buns and hamburgers, he approaches some van companies and speaks to the bank about a business loan. He calculates that setting up his business will cost around £20,000 per year. He thinks he can make and sell 5,000 burgers in his first year. Q4. How does this affect the price Marvin will charge for hamburgers? Marvin considers his costs and his hopes for his business and would like to set himself a target of a 20% profit margin in the first year. Q5. How will this affect his pricing decision?After much deliberation and analysis of his market research Marvin calculates that at a price of £5 he needs to sell 5,000 burgers to break even, based on his market research results the people of Reading will buy 5,000 burgers each year if they are £5. Q6. Why should Marvin charge £5? What would happen if he charged more? What would happen if he charged less? What factors has he taken into consideration in this decision?

The Basics• Students identify their current understanding from

the options.• Students alter their decision after new pieces of

information are revealed.• Students must have been taught the ‘difference’ to

be able to make progress to the next level.• After teaching, students identify their new level of

understanding.• This process can help to identify/assess gaps in

learning for teachers.