I was just watching a great documentary called Objectified (free if you have Netflix streaming). This is a fascinating look at the importance of good design, and if you appreciate design I highly recommend it. At one point they interviewed Dieter Rams, former Design Director for Braun. He made these statements.
Good design should be innovative Good design should make a product useful Good design is aesthetic design Good design will make a product understandable Good design is honest Good design is unobtrusive Good design is long-lived Good design is consistent in every detail Good design is environmentally friendly Last but not least, good design is as little design as possibleHearing those maxims, there was something very familiar ringing true to my mind. Consider: Good teaching should be innovative Good teaching should make a concept useful Good teaching is aesthetic teaching Good teaching will make a concept understandable Good teaching is honest Good teaching is unobtrusive Good teaching is long-lived Good teaching is consistent in every detail Good teaching is environmentally friendly (think resources) Last but not least, good teaching is as little teaching as possible (think PBL)
I know it's pc to use the word learning almost to exclusion of the word teaching these days, but I think we need to remember that deep, meaningful learning is the result of innovative, honest, and consistent teaching....by design.