ABSTRACT

The method people naturally employ to acquire knowledge is largely unsupported by traditional classroom practice. Learning by doing is the way psychologists naturally learn. People are very good at learning on an as-needed basis, integrating knowledge as it pertains to accomplishing their goals. Psychologists use the term "natural" because, given a choice between the two, most people would opt for the first, as they do for learning most of their skills—using computers, driving cars, dating, playing games, and shopping. Natural teaching puts students into situations where they learn by doing, allowing them to use the same techniques they used to acquire the bulk of their skills, such as experimentation, explanation, and story construction. Natural teaching provides instruction reactively, in response to student action. Effective instruction augments natural learning, enabling students to employ strategies with which they have had much practice.