teachinghow

Teachinghow is a neologism that refers to the systematic study and practice of the methods by which teaching is delivered. It centers on how to teach, rather than solely on what is taught, and is used to discuss pedagogy as an explicit craft rather than an implicit art.

Origin and scope: The term arises in discussions of teacher education and instructional design to foreground the processes of instruction, including planning, delivery, assessment, and reflection. It is used to describe a framework for evaluating and improving teaching methods across disciplines.

Core components: Instructional design, pedagogical approaches, assessment literacy, feedback mechanisms, classroom management, differentiation, inclusivity, and cognitive considerations such as cognitive load and metacognition. These elements together form the basis for designing and evaluating instruction.

Practices and strategies: Methods commonly associated with teachinghow include explicit instruction and modeling, think-aloud demonstrations, active and collaborative learning, formative assessment, scaffolding, adaptive technology, and reflective practice. The emphasis is on clear goals, structured sequencing, and ongoing adjustment based on learner responses.

Contexts and impact: Teachinghow is applied in K-12 and higher education, professional development, and online learning to improve teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes. It supports educators in aligning objectives, activities, and assessments.

Relation to other fields: It overlaps with pedagogy, didactics, instructional design, and learning sciences, serving as a framework rather than a standalone discipline. Critics note that the term can be vague without clear definitions and evidence-based practices.

See also: pedagogy, instructional design, didactics, education technology, teacher education.