Using Pedagogical Elements
In addition to using a consistent structure, authors can use various pedagogical elements to guide a reader through the content. These are elements designed to provide context, overview, motivation, review, and other functions that are useful for learning. They’re usually found within chapters or sections.
Pedagogical elements can be organized into three categories: 1) openers, 2) closers, and 3) integrated pedagogical devices.
Openers
Openers are pedagogical elements that come before the main content. Their role is to lead the learner into the content and provide motivation or a preview. For example:
[Opener Name]
- learning objectives
- introduction
- focus questions
Closers
Closers are pedagogical elements that come after the main content. Their role is to help learners review or reinforce their learning. The goal of closers is to help students summarize, review, or practice what they’ve learned. Example include:
[Closer Name]
- review questions
- a section/chapter summary
- self assessment
Integrated Pedagogical Devices
Integrated pedagogical devices are elements incorporated into the main content. For example, each chapter in a mathematics textbook might include:
- a “Biography” element that highlights the biography and accomplishments of a famous mathematician
- a “Case Study” element that illustrates the concepts by describing a real-world application
- vocabulary words in bold
- illustration of geometric figures
- graphs
Integrating Pedagogical Elements into Textbook Structure
Organizing elements into these categories may help authors think about which ones will work best for what they’re trying to achieve. They should be used consistently throughout the text, so that there is consistent structure.
Figure 6 demonstrates how each chapter could be structured with openers and closers.
Openers and closers can also be incorporated at the section level, as demonstrated in Figure 7.
Often, these pedagogical elements are highlighted through design. For example, focus questions may always appear inside a text box under the chapter title. This visually distinguishes the pedagogical elements from the other content, and makes the element recognizable through consistent use in each chapter, section, etc.
Key Takeaways
- Pedagogical elements can be involved in the text to guide the reader through the content. They’re generally organized into three categories: openers, closers, and integrated pedagogical devices.
- Openers come before the main content with the intention to lead the learner into the content and provide motivation or a preview such as learning objectives or an introduction.
- Closers come after the main content and aids learners in reviewing or reinforcing their content by providing a means to summarize, review, or practice what they’ve learned. Examples include review questions, a self assessment, or chapter summary.
- Integrated pedagogical devices are elements incorporated into the main content such as a “case study” element that illustrates the concepts by describing a real-world application, graphs, or bolded vocabulary words.
Sources
Schneider, D. K. (2008, September 3). Textbook writing tutorial. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Textbook_writing_tutorial.
For simplicity, Integrated Pedagogical Devices and Interior Feature Strands – as defined by Schneider – have been combined into one broad category we’re calling Integrated Pedagogical Devices.
This chapter was adapted from Creating and Editing Open Educational Resources by Beth South, licensed CC BY 4.0
