What is Teaching: Definition and 369 Discussions

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, morals, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, however learners can also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy.
Formal education is commonly divided formally into such stages as preschool or kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and then college, university, or apprenticeship.
There are movements for education reforms, such as for improving quality and efficiency of education towards applicable relevance in the students' lives and efficient problem solving in modern or future society at large or for evidence-based education methodologies. A right to education has been recognized by some governments and the United Nations. Global initiatives aim at achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes quality education for all. In most regions, education is compulsory up to a certain age.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. rania yassin

    Job Suggestions for Physics Majors: Beyond Teaching

    well,, i still have one and a half year to go,, so you might think that this is a little bit early but this is really a concern for me,, i really don't know what should i do after i graduate,,, I'm majoring in physics and I'm going to be honest I SUCK AT TEACHING ! I'm considering having masters...
  2. SquareRootOfTwo

    Job Prospects Teaching Physics in High School

    So I'm going to be eligible to teach high school students sooner rather than later, and I have a few questions on how to round out my undergrad to go into the job market with the best chances of getting to teach the classes I want. Bear in mind I'm not limited to one city or state so I already...
  3. L

    How Can I Teach Myself Chemistry After 20 Years Away from Textbooks?

    After 20 years of being a locksmith, I have decided that I want to get a college degree and I'll be starting next year! As part of my degree, I will be doing two chemistry courses which will cover: - Intermolecular forces, chemical equilibrium, energy considerations and chemical reactivity...
  4. S

    Suggesions on tablets for use in physics classroom

    The school in which I teach is going to pilot a tablet for each student in a class next year. My physics class is going to be part of this pilot. Currently they are looking at ipad/surface/chromebook. Does anyone have input good or bad on any of these for use in class as well as with labs...
  5. L

    The Space Between Atoms -- Teaching Middle School

    Hi guys, I know that if we consider a basic atomic model ( not considering quantum mechanics here) that an atom is mostly empty space ( 99.99999%) or something like that. But how about the space between the atoms? Would it be appropriate to tell middle school students...8th graders... that...
  6. J

    Teaching finance with Monte Carlo simulation

    Some of the social sciences suffer from "physics envy". This malady causes educators to inject an unnecssary amount of mathematics into the curriculum as a way of gaining scientific letgitimacy. Sadly for most undergrads, the math actually gets in the way. I wrote a paper in which I describe the...
  7. almarpa

    Physics self teaching (curriculum and textbooks)

    Hello everybody at the forum. My name is Alejandro, and I am a spanish telecommunication engineer, currently working as technologies teacher. My passion has always been physics, and I even thought seriously of studying a physics degree instead of my telecommunication degree. But now, at my 35...
  8. robphy

    TabletPCs for Science and Science Teaching [blog entry from 2006]

    This old blog entry is being reposted here for archival purposes because the blog system is being removed. TabletPCs for Science and Science Teaching (Message originally posted by robphy on May20-06 at 06:45 PM.) Although the http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/default.mspx (see...
  9. F

    Schools Adjusting to university teaching and learning

    Hello, Just a bit of background, I'm preparing to go to Durham University in the UK, (I'm a UK student, did GCSEs, Alevel etc. Only mention in the vague chance there may be someone who has studied at Durham / studied in the UK and can give me more detailed advice / information) I am really...
  10. C

    Teaching Error in Measurement Lab

    Hello all, as a recent graduate and a new teacher, I am living in Honduras and teaching the sciences in a high school setting. I did not study to be a teaching by got my bachelors in Spanish and Physics. I am working at a bilingual school and my resources are extremely limited. My question is...
  11. K

    Engineering Switch Career from Engineering to Teaching?

    I have an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Univ. of Minn. and have been a practicing engineer for almost 30 years now. I've about had my fill of engineering and I'm seriously considering switching career to teaching high school physics and math. Assuming for the moment I have...
  12. A

    Teaching calculus to people who only learned algebra 2.

    So, I want to teach calculus to my math club. I know that differentiation and integration is easy. But how do I teach the CONCEPT of DERIVATIVES and INTEGRATION to people who only learned algebra 2? Algebra 2 people because that's the bare minimum of mathematics you need to learn calculus...
  13. M

    Teaching Euclid's Elements

    Good evening all, first post here, and I'm hoping I've come to the right place to find some answers. I'm a math teacher at a small private school, and I've been debating about what to do for my Honors Geometry class next year. I have this strong desire to use Euclid's Elements as our primary...
  14. Z

    Is This the Ultimate Guide for Teaching Yourself Physics?

    I'm pretty bored (in high school) and have been interested in physics for a long time , so i searched the web on teaching my self physics and came across this article ( http://www.squidoo.com/garagephysicist ). I'm wondering if it's a good guide or...
  15. Hercuflea

    Teaching english the summer between grad and undergrad.

    Hey guys was wondering what you thought about teaching english the summer between graduate and undergraduate. I've been accepted to a PhD program in engineering for fall 2014. However I don't know what to do with my summer. I was thinking that spending my time traveling teaching English might...
  16. ZapperZ

    Not The Substitute Physics Teacher You Want Teaching Your Students

    Where do they find these people and why are they being set free on our kids? http://news.yahoo.com/substitute-teacher-taped-spouting-bizarre-conspiracy-theories-high-135248463.html We ban crackpot like this in this forum. Zz.
  17. epenguin

    Is Technology Revolutionizing Traditional Education Methods?

    Has been talked about at this site. I am seeing a lot of articles about it in the oridnary press. Here one today. http://www.economist.com/news/international/21595476-technology-and-fresh-ideas-are-replacing-classroom-drilland-helping-pupils-learn-time?frsc=dg|a
  18. Astronuc

    Teaching Mindfulness - a Benefit

    “Before we can teach a kid how to academically excel in school, we need to teach him how to have stillness, pay attention, stay on task, regulate, make good choices,” said Larochette. “We tell kids be quiet, calm yourself down, be still. We tell them all these things they need in the classroom...
  19. harts

    Teaching Myself Physics the Hard Way

    Hi Physics Forum! I want you guys to help me out. I want to learn physics the hard way. Let me explain. I'm currently finishing my sophomore year at Colorado School of Mines. I am majoring in Engineering Physics. I'm doing great in school. I've signed up for SPS and APS - Physics Today should...
  20. A

    Teaching about light before quantum mechanics

    I've been learning about the properties of light in school without quantum mechanical aspect of it. Now that I'm in college I'm looking to learn quantum mechanics and know about light in a different perspective. Now this troubles me:- I've been taught about light in the following way - Some...
  21. Pythagorean

    How open are postdoc positions - and teaching during postdoc

    Do post-docs typically write their own grants and choose their own reserach direction within their field? Can you offer to teach a new course if you can import a well-known framework from another university? How free are you to engage in this kind of autonomy as a postdoc?
  22. alyafey22

    MHB The relation between well-understanding and teaching

    I believe many users here are teachers now or they were in the past and some might be working as professors at universities. I think if you teach a certain subject you understand it well day after day and you realize that you are learning new things and the concept is becoming fundamental as...
  23. M

    On the teaching of introductory physics

    I am a junior in high school enrolled in an AP Physics B course, and as you are probably aware the curriculum consists exclusively "classical physics". I understand the value of easy calculation in teaching physics without calculus, but I am concerned as to whether or not an education in...
  24. D

    Professor teaching us about convolution

    I'm in class watching my professor teaching us about convolution. However, he keeps doing this by creating graphs and stuff. Is there a method through which I can solve convolution problems without having to draw the graphs?
  25. P

    Bizarre incident today in the class I was teaching

    Hopefully this is the correct stack exchange for this, if not feel free to tell me where to move it where it would be more appropriate. So I am a teaching assistant and masters student in the math dept. at a large state university. I was holding a discussion section this morning for the...
  26. P

    Schools Grad schools emphasizing teaching

    Hello all, I'm looking for advice from people in any physics/astronomy/astrophysics graduate program. If you're short on time, please feel free to skip to the last paragraph; I would really appreciate any help. I did my undergraduate degrees in physics and math, and if you don't mind me...
  27. L

    Teaching Positions in a Fanuc Robot

    Has anyone here worked with Fanuc robots? At my shop, we use RJ 2 or 3 controllers on all of our MIG welders. I sometimes have to make small moves in the robot's point positions. This is generally done by putting the robot's coordinate system in "Tool", finding the axis I need, and then...
  28. O

    Anyone know whats like teaching at a community college?

    particularly in math or physics? what's the pay? full time, part time. do they work year round?
  29. C

    Is Teaching High School with a PhD Overqualified?

    Hello all! I'm a 3rd year grad student getting his PhD in Physics, primarily astro-particle theory. I have a huge passion for physics but as I ever so slowly tip toe my way to this degree my mind looks down different potential paths I could take after I get it. One path, which has always...
  30. shounakbhatta

    Which Calculus Book is Best for Self-Learning?

    Hello, I am a self-learner. I am teaching myself calculus through different sources on the net, but I feel I book is handy. Can you please suggest me a book on differential & integral calculus which: (a) I can self-learn (b) Has a lot of examples (c) Clears out the concepts through...
  31. N

    Studying Physics and Math teaching textbook reccomendations

    Hey, I'm a 16 year old at high school and I feel as if my Physics and Mathematical concepts are lacking in depth. I've tried reading the Feynman Lectures, but I always get lost on the mathematical portions. What would you suggest for me to build up a solid base in both these fields so I can...
  32. lonewolf219

    Physics Professor teaching Math with no book assigned to the course

    Just wondering what anyone else thinks about one of the physics professor's at my university teaching a mathematical methods course strictly from notes. He did not assign a textbook. Most of the material I have not seen before. Is this common? This course was restructured halfway through...
  33. G

    Teaching Different Physics Courses

    Hi all, I have an interview question and trying to figure out how to answer this. What is the difference between calculus based physics, trig based physics, survey physics, conceptual physics, and astronomy courses? How should the teaching methods you follow be different for each...
  34. J

    First interview for a high school physics teaching position tomorrow

    So, after quitting my physics Ph.D grad program last semester, I got my physics teaching license with the aim to be a high school teacher. Teaching and tutoring were my favorite things in undergrad and my one semester in grad school, so I've decided to do it for a living. I have a few months of...
  35. S

    Schools Teaching physics in a community college

    As a new PhD in physics I am exploring all the options I have. It seems like teaching in a community college is rewarding, relaxed, and well paying (given that you are at certain parts of the country). Anybody taught at community college a full time instructor? How was it? How busy were...
  36. M

    What is the effectiveness of a lecture-based teaching format?

    So I watched this video from Sal Khan, basically he was talking a lot about reformation of education and how the standard lecture-type classroom model of education dates back to Prussia in the 1800's and how it follows a sort of assembly line-esque format, push kids to learn a subject by a...
  37. T

    Physics Benefits of Finishing Physics Degree for High School Teaching

    i'm currently 27 and still living at home. i'd like to start a career as soon as possible. it is extremely stressful living at home. after this spring term i will have the 30 credits i need to get state certified for teaching physics. does it pay to complete the physics degree in any way? i...
  38. phosgene

    Teaching myself quantum mechanics in preparation for second year

    So I've just finished my first year in physics and survived :) I have 3 or so months all to myself, so I figure I can spare a little bit of time to study some maths and physics in preparation for second year (the first semester course is purely quantum mechanics). I have Fundamentals of Quantum...
  39. S

    Good movie clips for teaching concepts?

    So I love the Physics of Superheroes, I use it a lot when I teach. Today I did a lesson on work and energy using scenes from Spider-Man (climbing the wall for Work - > Gravitational PE, swinging from the top of the building for Gravitational PE -> KE) and Spider-Man 2 (stopping the train for KE...
  40. Drakkith

    Louisiana Schools Teaching Creationism Vs Evolution

    Apparently a few schools in Louisiana, which are private but have state funding, are teaching Creationism vs Evolution as competing theories. http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/here-is-what-louisiana-schoolchildren-learn-about The article has a link to another one that explains that the...
  41. U

    Teaching yourself, is it really possible?

    Are there any people in recent history who never went to university to learn physics and just taught themselves using the internet and books? Is it really possible to get a solid understanding of physics just from reading and practice? I guess it would be a bit hard to test certain...
  42. A

    Will moving after graduation affect my job prospects in teaching?

    Hey everybody, I would just like to say thank you in advance for the help, and I'm new to PF. I am currently attending a community college with physics as my major. I am two more semesters away from my associate's degree. I am interested in high school teaching, and hoped some people here...
  43. J

    Is Self-Teaching Calculus Possible and Effective?

    So, I am bored with Algebra 2 in high school and I've been teaching myself calculus and I've learned it pretty fast, well of course not all of it, but I am learning it quickly and grasping a lot of the concepts. So, is this an okay way to learn elementary Calculus? It really helps that the book...
  44. B

    MS to teaching position - options?

    I've just started an MS program in physics, and I don't really have a clear career goal. I have realized that many people pursue MS degrees so that they can teach in high schools or at city colleges, and these sound like good options to keep in the cards. What is the job outlook for people...
  45. G

    Can I Teach Myself Calculus for Advanced Physics?

    I really want to learn more advanced physics, but I obviously need to know calculus. Would it suffice to watch all the Khan Academy videos on precalculus and calculus? I'm also going to read Calculus Made Easy by Thompson. Can anyone recommend other resources I could use?
  46. X

    Professor is a nice guy, but he is not teaching well. Thoughts?

    I am currently enrolled in an introductory Systems & Signals Processing course. The problem is, this has thus far turned into a series of lectures on the nuances of the Fourier Transform, i.e. special cases and difficult problems. Why am I complaining? Well, in his syllabus, he lists a...
  47. C

    MHB SE Maths - Teaching with Proofs: Expert Tips for Secondary Education

    In online maths fora we often see posts like the first post in thttp://www.mathhelpboards.com/f15/book-recommendations-proofs-1649/#post7709 from kanderson. When I was in secondary education and then an undergraduate we were never taught about poofs, rather we saw them and produced our own...
  48. P

    How do I get better at teaching myself

    I am an undergraduate physics major who just finished her sophomore year of physics and is currently at a research REU. I found that I had a lot of trouble studying by myself during my past year of school : conversations I had in office hours with my professors and exercises we did during class...
  49. Z

    Teaching a high school graduate physics

    Hello all, I'm a Senior in undergrad physics. I want to teach my sister physics as well as prepare for the GRE this summer. What are solid introductions both mathematically and conceptually concise? I am thinking of Physics: Concepts and Connections (5th Edition) by Art Hobson before I...
  50. K

    Requesting advice about teaching myself maths

    Greetings all, I am posting here for the first time and this is one of my first ever forum posts so if i have posted this in the wrong section i apologize and am open to constructive criticism so that i may direct future questions and such more accurately :) I am a 22 year old Australian...
Back
Top