What? Being explicit in the context of Learning by Design means being able to fully articulate – give names to, describe and explain – the what, how and why behind one’s teaching practice and to make clear one’s pedagogical choices and how these relate to purpose, objectives and intended outcomes. Being explicit means building a capacity to be understood by students, colleagues and parents. Being explicit means having access to a professional language and being able to use that language to engage in dialogue with colleagues. Being explicit means being able to design learning that can be shared with, understood and used by other teachers.
Why? Being explicit is a prerequisite for professional dialogue and discussion and for the communities of practice which these promote. In the context of Learning by Design learning to be explicit is a key to teacher professional development.