How to Use Decision-based Learning

Abstract

“When will we ever use this?” This statement is verbalized by students in middle school, high school, and even at the university level. The operative word in this statement is “When.” Most instruction focuses on the “Why” in the form of concepts, theories, and frameworks and/or the “How” in the form of formulas and step-by-step procedures, but little if no attention is given to systematically explain and practice the “When.” The “When” helps students understand those things in the environment that trigger the relevance of certain concepts and procedures as they engage in a specific task. It is one thing to know the reason behind actions in general or how to execute those very actions, but it is another thing entirely to know “the when” and “under what conditions” those “whys” and “how’s” are relevant to a specific course of action. This chapter introduces decision-based learning as an innovative teaching approach designed to help students develop what we describe as conditional knowledge, which is simply knowing the “When.”

Citation

Plummer, K.J. (2021), "How to Use Decision-based Learning", Wentworth, N., Plummer, K.J. and Swan, R.H. (Ed.) Decision-Based Learning: An Innovative Pedagogy that Unpacks Expert Knowledge for the Novice Learner, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 11-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-202-420211002