Methods and Media for Efficient Teaching of Complex Types of Learning

Abstract This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of various teaching strategies in promoting student achievement when presented with complex learning tasks. In this context, complex learning is defined as mainly consisting of higher‐order concepts and principles together with problem‐solving strategies, and applies particularly to technological courses at tertiary level. The two main principles of efficient teaching may be stated in terms of student achievement of the learning objectives and the optimisation of teaching resources. That these criteria do not necessarily imply the adoption of the most efficient learning method is shown from the analysis of student questionnaires based on semantic differentials which indicates that much of their assessment of a particular form of learning is based on four second‐order factors. These can be identified with (1) student comfort, (2) presentation of material, (3) stimulation and (4) relevance. Teaching strategies which achieve consistently high rati...