Instructional Explanations in the Disciplines

In today’s climate of accountability and standards, increasing attention is focused on teacher "quality," with less emphasis on what teachers actually do to interest and engage students in learning. This path-breaking volume addresses this research problem with a clear definition and a content-specific analysis of the most essential teaching moment—the instructional explanation—for vital new perspectives on educational method and process.

Rich in examples from science, mathematics, and the humanities (and touching on areas of course development and pre-service training), Instructional Explanations in the Disciplines explores a variety of interactive contexts for teaching and learning, which may be collaborative between teachers, students, and others, performed in non-classroom settings, or assisted by technology. The book’s subject-matter-specific framework reveals key elements in the process, such as carefully examining the question to be answered, making connections with what is already known, and developing examples conducive to further understanding.

Among the topics covered:

The model as a method of explanation in science

How—and why—teachers explain things as they do

"Let us explain with you": introducing instructional explanations

How families talk about art in museum settings, and what we can learn from it

Developing writing skills through students’ giving instructional explanations

Instructional explanation in the context of learning and identity

Instructional Explanations in the Disciplines is a valuable addition to the education library, giving researchers new methods of unpacking educational process as few books before it.