Whether you teach children or adults, whether you're an experienced teacher or brand new to the field, and whether you teach quantum physics or creative writing, every teacher can benefit from taking different approaches to teaching.

Three different pedagogical (teaching) theories have stood the test of time:

• Cognitivism

• Constructivism

• Connectivism

These approaches can help take your teaching to the next level.

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Cognitivism focuses on how learners think and how they make connections.

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Cognitivists believe that, as we learn, our brains create certain categories. It's easier for learners to remember complex information if they're encouraged to organize it into categories.

A cognitivist teacher is likely to:

• Give frequent examples to connect students' knowledge to new material

• Divide big topics into manageable chunks

• Review content frequently

Constructivism is the belief that learners construct their own knowledge.

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Constructivism is a pedagogy for teaching that focuses on the social aspect of learning. They believe that the teacher's role is to identify what learners can do and what they can't do, and help them bridge that gap.

Constructivist teachers are likely to:

• Assign practical tasks

• Keep the classroom hands-on

• Tailor the classroom to student needs

Connectivism emphasizes the importance of a diversity of learning sources, especially by using the internet.

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Connectivism is a pedagogy for teaching that encourages students to combine information from a variety of sources to learn something new. These sources can be books, websites, other people, etc.

Connectivist teachers are likely to:

• Research frequently

• Share their ideas with each other

• Follow experts in the subject matter on social media

Use these approaches to branch out and try something different with your teaching.

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Ask yourself these questions to choose the right pedagogy for your teaching:

• Do my students have experience with similar subject matter?

• Is there a practical use for this material that my students can employ?

• To what extent can my students teach themselves through research and discussions?