Does the "If you want to understand something yourself, explain it to someone else" technique really work?

Contents:

• Why teaching someone else can be harmful for the "teacher"
• Why even practices that seem useful at first glance don't always work

The "teach another" technique is widely used in educational institutions, including schools and universities, and is considered an effective teaching method. It helps students gain a deeper understanding of the material when they explain it to their peers. This approach is used in both amateur test preparation strategies and startups where more experienced students tutor younger ones. Adults also use this method to deepen their understanding of complex topics. However, this approach is not always successful, as noted by British expert and educator Andrew Watson, author of the blog "Learning and the Brain."

"Students teaching students" is a concept that deserves attention. That's why I think it's important to ask some tough questions and make some challenging statements.

The articles "Should Students Teach Others" and "Teaching Helps Learners: New Research" examine the importance of peer learning. By teaching others, students not only impart knowledge but also strengthen their own skills and understanding of the material. Research shows that teaching promotes deeper learning because it requires the teacher to analyze and structure knowledge. Thus, involving students in the role of teachers can significantly improve their academic achievement and self-confidence.

The British educator and author of educational books for teachers has worked in schools as a teacher since 1988. In 2008, he began researching the application of psychology and neuroscience to education. In 2011, he received his Master's degree in Educational Neuroscience from Harvard University. He currently leads Translate the Brain, an organization that actively engages in educational outreach for teachers aimed at simplifying learning and increasing the effectiveness of teaching. He also runs the blog Learning and the Brain, where he shares his knowledge and experience in the field of neuroscience and its impact on educational practices.

Why Teaching Others Can Be Harmful to the "Teacher"

Andrew Watson identifies two main reasons why he doubts the effectiveness of the "teach-other" method. First, he believes that this approach may not ensure the adequate level of understanding and assimilation of the material. Second, there is a concern that not all learners are able to transmit knowledge as effectively as the teachers themselves. These factors can negatively impact the overall quality of education and make the learning process more difficult.

• Characteristics of Working Memory.

Working memory plays a key role in processing new information, but its capacity is limited in both children and adults. When learning new material, working memory is focused on understanding and memorizing it. But what happens when a person is asked not only to master a new topic but also to teach it to others? In this case, according to experts, working memory resources must be distributed, and some of them will be spent on developing a method of conveying information so that listeners can understand it. This can lead to a lack of resources for personal memorization. As a result, a person may not fully master the material and ineffectively explain it to others. Consequently, this can lead to the information not being absorbed by either the person or their students. Effective teaching requires optimal allocation of working memory resources, which is important to consider in both educational and professional contexts.

• Lack of real-world experience.

To explain material well, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of the topic. Only with this level of understanding can information be presented in an accessible and clear manner. If the person explaining is a novice in the subject, they cannot objectively assess their own level of knowledge. This creates the risk of ineffective information transfer. It should be noted that if the student-to-student method of explaining things effectively worked, mainstream educational institutions would continue to use the Bell-Lancaster system, popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, with the advent of sufficiently qualified teachers, this method has lost its relevance. It was criticized precisely because students acting as assistants often misinterpreted the topic, which negatively impacted the quality of education. It is important for teachers to regularly evaluate students who are sharing knowledge with others. However, focusing on such a student can distract them from carefully observing the rest of the students. It's important to find a balance between supporting active participants and addressing the needs of the entire group. Andrew Watson emphasizes that his ideas don't always find support among colleagues, who cite their own alternative methods. For example, a student might explain a new topic not only to their peers but also to their parents, who can ask clarifying questions to check understanding. Similar approaches are used in the classroom, where students work in groups to study the material and then explain it to each other. This method promotes deeper acquisition of knowledge and development of communication skills among schoolchildren.

The author of the article confirms that the method It's truly effective. However, its effectiveness stems from the fact that the teacher first explains the material and then asks students to retell it in their own words. This isn't a "teach-to-one" approach, but rather a process of extracting information, reviewing what was covered, and checking for understanding. It doesn't require the same amount of effort as direct teaching.

Asking students to explain ideas to others is an effective teaching method that promotes deep understanding. However, it's important that students have access to the necessary knowledge to convey the information. Discussing ideas among students is also a useful practice, especially after the teacher has thoroughly explained key concepts. This approach develops not only critical thinking but also communication skills, which makes learning more productive and engaging.

Reading is an important activity that enriches our inner world and expands our horizons. Books, articles, and other sources of information help develop critical thinking and deepen knowledge in various fields. Modern technology offers convenient reading formats, including e-books and online resources, making accessing information even easier and faster. Reading not only provides entertainment but also promotes personal growth by improving communication and comprehension skills. It's important to make time for this beneficial habit to maximize your reading and apply the acquired knowledge to your life. Understanding is key to learning and interaction. Often, a lack of understanding stems not from a lack of explanation, but from an inability to absorb information. To overcome this barrier, it's essential to develop critical thinking and an openness to new ideas. Rather than relying on traditional learning methods, it's worth exploring alternative approaches that may better suit individual needs. Thus, improving comprehension becomes not just a task, but an important step towards effective learning and communication.

Why even seemingly useful practices don't always work

Andrew Watson points to one of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of the teaching method. Adults spend months and years developing the skills to effectively explain and convey information. Even they experience nervousness at the beginning of this process, not to mention children and young people who have not received special training. In support of his words, the author refers to an experiment by Chinese scientists, the results of which were published in 2023. The researchers sought to find out how the audience influences the "explain to someone else" method, which may have significant practical implications for educational practices.

The experiment involved college students who were shown a two-minute video about neurotransmitters. After watching the video, participants were given a few minutes to prepare, after which they were required to conduct a "lesson" on the topic, taking into account that their audience would be taking a test on the material. Participants were divided into three groups: the first group explained the topic to seven peers, the second group explained it one-on-one, and the third group recorded the video explanation in a room without an audience. This experiment allows us to explore different approaches to teaching and understanding the topic of neurotransmitters among students.

Research has shown that having a live audience can increase students' stress levels, which in turn reduces the effectiveness of their explanations. In contrast, students who explained on camera demonstrated a deeper understanding of the topic. They covered the material in more detail, remembered it better an hour after the explanation, experienced less stress, and used fewer cognitive resources. These results highlight the benefits of using video formats for teaching and explaining complex concepts.

Is the "teach-along" method an effective problem-solving technique? It is assumed that when students or schoolchildren explain material to others, they have the opportunity to deeply understand the information and improve memory, while reducing stress. However, Andrew Watson notes that this research does not confirm the effectiveness of this practice. The authors of the study focused exclusively on stress levels, without considering whether the "teach-along" method actually promotes better assimilation of the material.

In practice, this approach is ineffective. It's impossible to provide students or schoolchildren with 25 cameras and then review all the videos to assess how well they explained the material. This makes it difficult to test their understanding of the topic and is time-consuming. Effective teaching methods must take into account the limited resources and time of both teachers and students.

What does this mean? The "teach-to-one" method can be very effective, but it is important to carefully consider the conditions and inputs under which this training is conducted. Only then will it produce real results.

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