Teaching Tip: Translating down to peers creates deep learning
November 17, 2015
Communicating a simplified translation of a concept for a peer is a learning activity
that compounds deep understanding, communication skills and reflection. The activity
involves students explaining course content to their peers in terms that a 5-year-old
would understand. Readers of the subreddit “Explain Like I’m Five” (ELI5) will be familiar with this technique.
An instance of this technique can be seen in the xkcd comic “Up Goer Five” (pictured).
In this single-panel large graphic illustration, Randall Munroe details the main components
of the Saturn V rocket that carried astronauts to the moon. The catch: All the parts
and functions are described using the 1,000 most common words in English. The reader
understands the part functions because the definitions are simple, clear and accurate.
The comic also induces an automatic introspection about what the real names of the
parts are and what they do.
Read the full Teaching Tip for examples and guidance on using the technique in your
class: http://elearning.uaf.edu/go/tt-translate.
Teaching Tip by Dan LaSota, M.Ed., who has dabbled in science education, technology and public policy for 30 years.
He’s been an instructional designer at UAF eLearning for the past five.