Decoding the Disciplines - User contributions [en]

Lehrendenlerngemeinschaften als Ort und Gegenstand von SoTL

2026-10-27T10:26:24Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

==Abstract==
Lehre ist meist eine einsame Tätigkeit. SoTL-Projekte als intellektuelle, wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit der eigenen Lehrtätigkeit laufen deshalb Gefahr, ausschließlich als alleine von einzelnen Personen durchgeführte Untersuchungen verstanden zu werden. Am Beispiel eines Arbeitskreises zu Decoding the Disciplines wird in diesem Beitrag dargestellt, wie SoTL als gemeinschaftliche Unternehmung von Lehrenden praktiziert werden kann und wie zusätzlich solche Gemeinschaften von Lehrenden selbst zum Untersuchungsgegenstand von SoTL werden können.

==Bibliographic data==
Riegler, P. (2022). Lehrendenlerngemeinschaften als Ort und Gegenstand von SoTL. In: Vöing, N., Reisas, S. & Arnold, M.(Hrsg.): Scholarship of Teaching and Learning - Eine forschungsgeleitete Fundierung und Weiterentwicklung hochschul(fach)didaktischen Handelns

==External source==
https://cos.bibl.th-koeln.de/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/986/file/FIHB_Band_16_web.pdf
[[Category:2022]]
[[Category:Riegler, P]]
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[[Category:Faculty learning community]]

Decoding Conference

2026-10-27T09:19:50Z

Riegler: corrected title of 2024 conference

The '''Decoding Conferences''' bring together people interested in [[Decoding the Disciplines]]. The series has been initiated 2023 by Miriam Barnat.

<gallery>
File:Decoding-2023-poster.png|Aachen 2023
File:Decoding-2024-poster-p-800.png|Bloomington 2024
</gallery>

==2023: Connecting and Expanding the Community==
The first conference took place November 6-7, 2023 in Aachen, Germany and was hosted by Fachhochschule Aachen.<ref>https://zhq-blog.fh-aachen.de/decoding-the-disciplines-connecting-and-expanding-the-community/</ref> Presentations have been recorded and made available for participants.<ref>https://zhq-blog.fh-aachen.de/video-documentation/ (Password protected; password has been emailed to participants on Feb 15, 2024)</ref> Proceedings have been published in two volumes.<ref>Barnat, M., Riegler, P., Middendorf, J. & Pace, D. (eds.) (2025). [[Decoding across Disciplines. New Developments from all over the world|Decoding across disciplines: New Developments from all over the world.]] Special issue of die hochschullehre, Jahrgang 11/2025. DOI: 10.3278/HSL2535W</ref><ref>Walter, C., Riegler, P. & Blotevogel, T. (2025): [[Didaktiknachrichten 07-2025|Didaktiknachrichten, Issue July, 2025]]</ref>

==2024: Adopting Decoding for the Next Generation==
The second conference took place November 1-2, 2024 in Bloomington, Indiana and was hosted by Indiana University.<ref>https://decodingthedisciplines.org/the-second-decoding-the-disciplines-conference/</ref>

== 2027: (Re)creating Connection & Community ==
This virtual conference will take place Thursday January 28<sup>th</sup>, 2027, 8am – 11am (US Pacific Standard Time). See [[:File:Virtual Decoding Conference Call for Papers Final.pdf|Call for Papers]].

==References==
<references />

MediaWiki:Sitenotice

2026-10-25T13:46:29Z

Riegler: changed color

<h2 style="background-color: #eb8034;border: 2px solid #2980b9;border-radius: 8px; padding: 10px;
margin: 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
We are doing major maintenance work during the last week of October. Expect the wiki be unavailable for some time. </h2>

MediaWiki:Sitenotice

2026-10-25T13:45:06Z

Riegler: announcement of maintenance

<h2 style="background-color: #3498db;border: 2px solid #2980b9;border-radius: 8px; padding: 10px;
margin: 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
We are doing major maintenance work during the last week of October. Expect the wiki be unavailable for some time. </h2>

Question 2: Uncovering the tacit mental moves

2026-10-11T14:51:12Z

Riegler: updating references

'''Uncovering the tacit mental moves''' is the second step of the [[Decoding the Disciplines]] process. Colloquially the second step is sometimes also referred to as "Decoding" because many perceive it as the central step of Decoding the Disciplines.

There is a variety of techniques to “decode” the [[Mental moves|mental move]] of the specialist, besides the [[Decoding interview|interview]], to “flash” techniques which include analogies and game mechanics, the bottleneck [[Decoding as a writing process|writing tour]], concept/mind mapping or flow charting, 3-d modeling with playdough or other simple materials, and rubric building, to name a few.<ref name=":1">Middendorf, J., & Shopkow, L. (2017). ''[[Overcoming Student Learning Bottlenecks|Overcoming student learning bottlenecks: Decode the critical thinking of your discipline]]''. Stylus Publishing, LLC.</ref> The advantage of these “flash" techniques is that they are efficient and effective while being fun!

All of the various ''Decoding'' techniques involve conversation with an interlocutor, preferably one from a different discipline.
== Decoding interview ==
This exploration of mental moves is often carried out in an interview setting with typically two interviewers helping the instructor to make his or her expertise explicit.

→Main article: [[Decoding interview]]

== Alternative Decoding techniques (aka Flash Decoding) ==
While the second step of the[[Decoding the Disciplines]] model privileges the interview, a memorable and reliable step, it has a few drawbacks. Limitations of Decoding interviews include:

# The interview isn’t always 100’% successful in unpacking the specialist’s thinking into intelligible components and must be revisited several times for success.
# Interviews are arduous, sometimes like mental duels with the specialist making analytical leaps that leave the interviewers adrift in unknown territory without a clear path forward.
# Interviews are time consuming. When only one specialist can be interviewed at a time and some ''Decoding'' groups as large as 100 needing to uncover their mental moves, there’s not enough time or staff to conduct the interviews. Flash ''Decoding'' offers a potent short-cut to uncover the often-invisible mental moves of educators. Alternate forms of ''Decoding'' give us that “flash” of insight that helps us uncover implicit mental processing so they can be brought to the forefront and scaffolded for the students”<ref name=":0">Middendorf, J., & Mondelli, V. (2025). [[Flash Decoding with Analogies, Game Mechanics, and AI Assistance: Alternatives to the Traditional Decoding Interview]]. ''Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal'', ''18''(3), 61-83.</ref>

=== Analogies ===
One of the most powerful alternative techniques for Decoding is through analogies, metaphors, and narrative stories, although for brevity, we refer to all these as “analogies”. Analogies are inferential frameworks that help novices or students learn new ideas because they can transfer something they know in one domain to a different or new domain.<ref>Jones, N. A., H. Ross, T. Lynam, P. Perez, and A. Leitch. 2011. Mental models: an interdisciplinary synthesis of theory and methods. ''Ecology and Society'' '''16'''(1): 46. [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss1/art46/</ref>

To come up with an analogy, it helps to consider the characteristics of a good analogy. It must be from outside the target field because the new context helps see the characteristics of the analogy (and thus the characteristics of the mental move). What is this kind of thinking? What is the DOING? Where does it fit in [[Middendorf’s Revised Bloom’s Typology|Bloom’s typology]]? Is it remembering, paraphrasing, applying, analyzing, evaluating, or creating?<ref name=":1" /> Once we have classified the type of mental move, we’re ready to look for a new context, the analogic context.

The prompts for finding an analogy, are, “What is this kind of thinking '''like'''?” and “Where have I seen this mental move before?” When placing the mental move in a new context, be sure the new context is relatable to students or your audience.

=== Bottleneck writing tour ===
A [[Decoding as a writing process|reflective writing process]] with rounds of reiterative writing about the bottleneck and the mental move.<ref>Lahm, S. (2016).''Writing in teaching: Tools for instructors''. UTB Barbara Budrich.</ref> This process uses a series of prompts focused on [[Step 1 - Identify a Bottleneck to Learning|Step 1 Identify the Bottlenecks]] and Step 2 Uncover the Tacit Reasoning of the Specialist. It works well when Decoding in large groups and self-directed teams. The final question brings in the interlocutor(s).

=== Concept or mindmapping or flow charting ===
Ask the specialist to make a concept/mind map or flow chart of the mental move and explain in words (a think-aloud) as they draw it. Be sure to write down what they say.

=== Three-dimensional modeling ===
Use simple materials such as playdough, Legos, or sticks and grass from the garden, build a physical model of the mental move. Then write down in a few words what the model portrays. Voila—what we write down describes the mental move.

=== Rubric building ===
Start by listing frequent mistakes students make on a specific concept or assignment (the bottlenecks). Then create a corresponding list of the opposite of each mistake—a list of what the specialist does to avoid each mistake—which turns out to be a list of the mental moves.

As an example, Shopkow, in her [[How Many Sources Do I Need?|SoTL award winning article]] shows the rubric she made for writing article reviews and microhistory.<ref>Shopkow, L. (2017). [[How Many Sources Do I Need?|How many sources do I need?]] ''The History Teacher'', ''50''(2), 169–200. Rubric in Appendix A.</ref> The rubric is based on a comparison of student mistakes and desired mental moves, which she calls the GOAL. To create the rubric, she lists the mistakes (bottlenecks) students make in identifying a historical argument for an article review. The reviewer doesn’t

* identify the argument in the article correctly (the argument as the reviewer has presented it doesn’t make sense).
* explain the argument in the article clearly (I can’t figure out what the argument is from what the reviewer has said).
* doesn’t recognize the argument.
* address all the parts of the argument.

Besides listing the mistakes, Shopkow also provides the GOAL for making an argument

* the reviewer “clearly explains the argument in the article, giving the parts of the argument as well as the overall argument.”

The goal in her rubric spells out the desired mental move.

=== Game mechanics ===
“At the heart of designing an ''educational'' game, the instructor considers which mental moves to center the game around. What kind of thinking do we want students to practice in the game? To do so, just as when flash ''Decoding'' with analogies, we start from a bottleneck—where do students struggle to understand? What kind of thinking will this entail? How does flash ''Decoding'' with game mechanics work? Choose a bottleneck in your course where students repeatedly struggle. These days, we can ask Chat GPT to brainstorm the reasoning an expert uses to get through the bottleneck. Then we can ask Chat GPT to build a game.”<ref name=":0" />
== References ==

Quick guide

2026-10-11T14:46:47Z

Riegler: fixing red links

==Adding content==
To add content, click on "New page" (which uses + as an icon) and provide the intended title of the content page. The filename of the created content will be identical to the title (with blanks replaced by underscores).

To add content you need to be a registered user.

==Editing content==
To edit content press the edit bottom (depicted by a pencil) on the page you want to edit. Keep in mind that this is a wiki. Hence, it is absolutely o.k. if you edit pages created by other people. Just stick to the Golden Rule: Edit pages created by other people as you want them to edit pages which you have created.

To edit content you need to be a registered user.

==Templates==
In order to create content you might wish to use one of the following templates:

*[[Template:Bottleneck]] for adding a bottleneck description. See [[Slip|Mechanical slip]] for an example. When contributing a bottleneck please avoid [[vague]] descriptions and follow the [[recommendations for bottleneck descriptions]].
*[[Template:Decoding work]] for adding information on Decoding work which extends the mere description of a bottleneck. See [[Group activities in interactive teaching]] for an example.
*[[Template:PublishedWork]] for adding bibliographical data about published work on Decoding. See [[Decoding group activities in interactive teaching (paper)|Decoding group activities in interactive teaching]] for an example.
*[[Template:People]] for adding information about a person engaged in Decoding work (usually yourself). See [[David Pace]] for an example.
*[[Template:Resource-File]] for sharing research data related to Decoding work. See [[:File:Transcript-groupactivities.pdf]] for an example.

You don't have to adhere to the templates. Feel free to add or remove sections as needed. However, it is helpful if you take care in providing classifying information on Categories.

==Adding categories==
By adding categories you add structural information which feeds into pages like

*[[:Category:Decoding work]] which sorts Decoding work by discipline,
*[[:Category:PublishedWork]] which sorts literature by authors, discipline and type of publication,
*[[:Category:People|Category:Person]] which sorts users by discipline.

Say, you have created a page describing your Decoding work which relates to the academic discipline of ''Blablaology'' and more specifically to the subfield ''Traxoline''. By adding your page to the categories "Blablaology" and "Traxoline" the page will be listed under the respective categories in [[:Category:Decoding work]].

To add your page to a category, click on the tag symbol on the top of your page when you are not in editing mode. As you type the name of the category which you want to add you will see whether this category already exists. In this case simply choose the existing category. Otherwise type return after you have fully entered the name of the category. This will create a new category.

Alternatively, editing the source code you can type <code><nowiki>[[Category:NAME]]</nowiki></code> at any place (preferably at the bottom). In the case of the above example you would type <code><nowiki>[[Category:Blablaology]]</nowiki></code> and <code><nowiki>[[Category:Traxoline]]</nowiki></code>.

Let's assume that the category ''Traxoline'' did not exist before and you have just created it. In order to tell the system that ''Traxoline'' is a subcategory of ''Blablaology'' you edit the Category-page of ''Traxoline'' (named <code>Category:Traxoline</code>) and add "Blablaology" as a category. Likewise you add "Decoding work" as a category on the page <code>Category:Blablaology</code> if you have created ''Blablaoloy'' as a new category. To edit a Category-page first click in the Category-link on the top of your content page (next to the tag icon) which will bring you to the Category-page. Then press Edit.

Technically, you always have to add the parent categories. More specifically, you add all the ancestor categories on which category pages you want your page to be listed. For instance, [[Textual descriptions in mathematics]] is categorized into [[:Category:Set theory]] (technically its parent) and [[:Category:Mathematics]] (technically its grandparent, i.e. parent of [[:Category:Set theory]]).

The current category trees of the above mentioned categories "Decoding work", "PublishedWork", and "Person" are:

<categorytree mode="categories" style="float:none; clear:right; margin-left:1ex; border:1px solid gray; padding:0.7ex; background-color:white;" depth="2">Decoding work</categorytree>
<categorytree mode="categories" hideroot="off" style="float:none; clear:none; margin-left:1ex; border:1px solid gray; padding:0.7ex; background-color:white;">PublishedWork</categorytree>
<categorytree mode="categories" hideroot="off" style="float:none; clear:right; margin-left:1ex; border:1px solid gray; padding:0.7ex; background-color:white;">Person</categorytree>Click on the arrow heads to further descend down the tree. Please try to keep the depth of the category trees small. For instance, for the case of [[:Category:Mathematics|Mathematics]] it is considered to be sufficient not to have further content related subcategories to [[:Category:Calculus|Calculus]] such as Differential Calculus or Integral Calculus.

Also note that in the categorization scheme used here a category can have more than one parent. For instance,[[:Category:History|Category:History]] is a child of (among others) [[:Category:Decoding work]] and [[:Category:People|Category:Person]]. [[:Category:Group theory|Group theory]] might be a child of both [[:Category:Mathematics|Mathematics]] and [[:Category:Physics|Physics]], [[:Category:Thermodynamics|Thermodynamics]] might be a child of both [[:Category:Mechanical Engineering|Mechanical Engineering]] and [[:Category:Physics|Physics]].

<br />

Blinde Flecken der Lehrenden entdecken und beheben mit „Decoding the Disciplines“

2026-10-11T14:34:10Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

==Abstract==

Lehrende sind Expertinnen und Experten mit selbstverständlich gewordenen, fachspezifi-schen Arbeits- und Denkweisen. Oft stellt das Erlernen dieser Fähigkeiten eine besondereHürde für Studierende dar. Decoding the Disciplines ist eine Methode, die Expertenwissenwieder sichtbar und unterrichtbar macht.
==Bibliographic data==

Niebler, Christine; Foltz, Britta: Blinde Flecken der Lehrenden entdecken und beheben mit „Decoding the Disciplines“. Die NeueHochschule 2/2021, 24–25.
==External source==
[https://www.hlb.de/fileadmin/hlb-global/downloads/dnh/full/2021/DNH_2021-2.pdf#page=24 https://www.hlb.de/fileadmin/hlb-global/downloads/dnh/full/2021/DNH_2021-2.pdf]
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Blinde Flecken der Lehrenden entdecken und beheben mit „Decoding the Disciplines“

2026-10-11T14:33:43Z

Riegler: initialize page

Bottleneck Lesson - Art History - Visual Analysis

2026-10-11T11:19:57Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

[[File:Screenshot 2025-03-05 at 12.46.05 PM.png|alt=Screenshot of Art History - Visual Analysis bottleneck lesson results by Wolfskill|thumb|Motley painting used in art history class to practice visual analysis mental moves by Prof. Wolfskill. ]]
View this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72ZWs7i5Wng&t=7s video] (7 mins.) report by Prof. Phoebe Wolfskill (Art History IUB) on the results of her bottleneck lesson on visual analysis. She used the One Word Cat for a pre-assessment (78-82%) and then compared that to exam results that followed the lesson (88-96%), about a 10% learning gain.

==Decoding work done==

== Identification of bottleneck - ==
'''formal analysis''' (learning to ''look)''

== '''Description of mental moves needed to overcome the bottleneck -''' ==
Identification of bottleneck - I would like students to leave my courses with an ability to examine images critically--the big bottleneck. An analysis of an image involves an understanding that it doesn’t just have obvious or inherent meaning, but rather we read an image in a particular way based on our experiences and assumptions. We must research the artist and his/her spheres of influence as well as the context in which the work was created to better understand the work. Once we have this information, we can make an informed argument about how an image communicates meaning. We narrowed down a bottleneck for this assignment to focus on:

- Formal analysis (attention to ''style''), but not Content or Context. Though these three components (or sub-bottlenecks) are not mutually exclusive, for this exercise, I focused on my prevailing bottleneck, which is '''formal analysis''' (learning to ''look)''.

== Modelling the tasks - '''Formal Analysis''' ==
'''Step 1: Organization.''' How is the composition organized? What is placed in the center, what in the periphery? To what effect?

'''Step 2''': '''Medium.''' What does the process of painting involve? How does Motley apply his paints and blend his colors in this work?

'''Step 3''': '''Detail.''' What colors and textures? Light and shading? What appears “real” and what is distorted or abstract?

'''Step 4''': '''Analysis.''' How do you interpret this work based on the above? What do you think is Motley’s point in constructing this painting in this manner?

===Practice and Feedback===
'''Write/discuss on this assignment (Painting by Archibald Motley Jr., ''The Liar'', oil on canvas, Howard University, Washington, DC''' in teams using the questions above

===Anticipate and lessen resistance===
'''Wolfskill in video: A''' student pointed out she’d rather start with the whole painting – what’s the narrative, what’s going on, etc.? and THEN dig into its details. I think she’s right.

-Several students mentioned they need more practice. That I can also offer!

===Assessment of student mastery===
Wolfskill used the One Word Cat for a pre-assessment (78-82%) on visual analysis and then compared that to exam results that included an improvement in learning following the lesson (88-96%).

===Sharing===
What Wolfskill learned in this FLC: -Students loved this assignment and

-Learned to look more carefully; many moved closer to the image;

-Animated conversation and even anger expressed at Motley’s aesthetic;

-This activity took much longer than I anticipated! 45 minutes

Researchers involved- This video was created as the final results of Wolfskill's participation in the 2019 Transformative Learning Collegium (Decoding the Disciplines FLC) led by Joan Middendorf (IUB) and Caty Pilachowski (Astronomy) at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Phoebe Wolfskill, Associate Professor, African American and African Diaspora Studies

& American Studies, Indiana University

==Available resources==

==See also==

==Notes==

==References==

[[Category:Decoding work]]
[[Category:Art history]]
[[Category:Visual literacy]]

Flash Decoding with Analogies, Game Mechanics, and AI Assistance: Alternatives to the Traditional Decoding Interview

2026-10-11T11:15:43Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

==Abstract==

For over 30 years, the Decoding theory has helped educators break through student learning bottlenecks. Now, new methods and tools for Decoding and Disrupting have arrived. This article shares theory and practice on “Flash Decoding” with analogies and game mechanics as two of the most efficient and engaging ways to uncover the mental move as alternatives to the Decoding interview. With access to generative artificial intelligence, Flash Decoding using game mechanics can be achieved by even the busiest of professors. The first half of the article explains analogy-based Decoding, and the second half explains game mechanics-based Decoding.
==Bibliographic data==

Middendorf, J., & Mondelli, V. (2025). Flash Decoding with Analogies, Game Mechanics, and AI Assistance: Alternatives to the Traditional Decoding Interview. ''Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal'', ''18''(3), 61-83.
==External source==
https://doi.org/10.59236/td2025vol18iss31923
[[Category:PublishedWork]]
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Category:Game based learning

2026-10-11T11:15:17Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

[[Category:Decoding work]]
[[Category:Discipline]]

Category:Game based learning

2026-10-11T11:14:57Z

Riegler: init

Category:Reading

2026-10-11T11:13:34Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

[[Category:Decoding work]]
[[Category:Discipline]]

Category:Reading

2026-10-11T11:13:17Z

Riegler: init

File:Virtual Decoding Conference Call for Papers Final.pdf

2026-10-11T11:07:49Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

Decoding the Disciplines
Virtual (Zoom) Conference: Call for Papers
Theme: (Re)creating Connection & Community

Peter Riegler

2026-10-11T11:06:04Z

Riegler: debugging

#REDIRECT [[User:Riegler]]

User:Benutzerangaben

2026-10-11T11:04:33Z

Riegler: debugging

==Über mich==

Vorstellung der Person

==Kontaktdaten==

User:Benutzerangaben

2026-10-11T11:04:03Z

Riegler: debugging

==Über mich==

Vorstellung der Person [[File:pebble.png|left|frame]]

==Kontaktdaten==

User:Benutzerangaben

2026-10-11T11:03:43Z

Riegler:

==Über mich==

Vorstellung der Person [[File:pebble.png|left|frame]]

==Kontaktdaten==

User:Benutzerangaben

2026-10-11T11:03:19Z

Riegler:

[[File:pebble.png|left|frame]]

==Über mich==

Vorstellung des Users

==Kontaktdaten==

User:Riegler

2026-10-11T11:02:18Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

==Full Name==

Peter Riegler
==Field of Interest (Discipline or Area of Teaching):==

*[[:Category:Physics|Physics]]
*[[:Category:Mathematics|Mathematics]]
*[[:Category:Computer Science|Computer Science]]
*Decoding Decoding the Disciplines
*Decoding as a means for building faculty action groups

==Publications==
For publications on [[Decoding the Disciplines]] see [[:Category:Riegler, P]].

==Contact==
In the interest of data protection the email address is not provided here. If you are a human being we trust that you would be able to find out the email address by doing an internet research using e.g. <code>Peter Riegler Ostfalia university</code> as a search string.

[[Category:Mathematics]]
[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Computer Science]]
[[Category:Cross-disciplinary]]

Formula

2026-10-11T11:00:15Z

Riegler: fixing math representation

Difficulties often emerge while students have to recognize a structure of a complex formula. In particular, it is difficult for students to

* use the brackets to parse the formula from handwritten form to one line form, e.g. for programming ;
* see the steps that should be done first while rearranging a formula;
* use substitutions in chain rule or while solving equations.

==Decoding work done==

===Step 1: Identification of [[bottleneck]]===
Students have difficulties while recognizing a structure of a formula, not being able to collapse and expand expressions, e.g. not seeing the difference between <math>e^(x^2)</math> which can be collapsed to e^t and <math>(e^x)^2</math> which can be collapsed to <math>t^2</math>. Some students believe, that to square a+b means to square the elements a and b because they do not think that the sign + is important.

Desired outcome: Students should be able to decide on the essential structure of the formula and read it using operator names, e.g. <math>(a+b)/(2x)</math> is a quotient between the sum and a product. They should be able to blend out the complexity and propose a similar formula/equation with numbers, e.g. <math>{C=4 \pi K R_1 R / (R_1 - R) }</math> with respect to <math>R</math> is like <math>1=2x/(3-x)</math> with respect to <math>x</math>.

===Step 2: Description of [[Mental moves|mental tasks]] needed to overcome the [[bottleneck]]===
The experts is able to see the structure by zooming in and out into the formula to blend out the details.

He encapsulates the result of one operation as an element which will be an input to the next operation. Thus he sees the operation sign as important ones e.g. while reading "a+b*s" he doesnt compare the letters a,b,s but the operation signs + and * because he has to make a decision that the * goes first. This results in reading the formula as a sum of two elements.

===[[Step 3 - Modeling Mental Operations|Step 3: Modelling the tasks]]===

===[[Step 4: Give Students Practice and Feedback|Step 4: Practice and Feedback]]===
An important outcome of decoding is the recognition that students must first master reading and writing mathematical formulas before they can successfully engage with tasks that depend on these skills, such as applying the chain rule or rearranging formulas. Consequently, explicit practice in reading and interpreting mathematical expressions is essential.

A good starting point is "confrontation" exercise: " Paul says to his teacher, "I calculated <math>a</math> plus <math>b</math> ' divided by two times <math>c</math> ." Write a mathematical expression that matches his statement."

Students quickly realise that the Paul's statement is ambiguous because it does not specify how the operations are grouped. That allows to stress the role and importance of structuring and brackets.

One possible exercise for practicing the use of brackets is a "telephone game" (known as ''Chinese whispers'' or in Germany as ''Stille Post'' ). The activity can be carried out in small groups of, for example, three students. The first student sends a neighbour a handwritten mathematical expression, such as <math>{\sqrt{a+b} - {{2c}\over{d+e}}}</math>. The second student is only allowed to pass the expression on in typed form using standard mathematical input syntax, for example: <code>(a+b)^(1/2) - (2*c)/(d+e)</code>

The third student must reconstruct the handwritten mathematical notation from the typed expression and compare it with the original formula. Differences between the original and reconstructed expressions can then be discussed to reinforce the importance of correct notation which mathes the structure of the formula.

=== Step 5: Anticipate and lessen resistance===
Because typing mathematical formulas is an integral part of programming and prompting, the ''telephone game'' provides authentic practice and is therefore typically well received by students.

===Step 6: Assessment of student mastery===

===Sharing===

==Researchers involved==

==Available resources==
[https://youtu.be/p50Q3mx-VNg Interview Video]

==See also==
[https://decodingthedisciplines.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/OF_V_Poster-Stank_170525_Endfassung-1.pdf Understanding Mathematics by Visualizing Structures], by Sabine Stank

===People interested in this Bottleneck===
Inna Mikhailova
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Decoding the Disciplines – A Roundtrip from Novice to Expert back to Novice

2026-10-11T10:49:39Z

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== [https://www.didaktikzentrum.de/images/cwattachments/493_46f6251eae8bd4aa1f94aeefb28ceea7.pdf Bibliographic] data ==
Riegler, P. (2020). Decoding the Disciplines – A Roundtrip from Novice to Expert back to Novice. [[Didaktiknachrichten 07-2020|Didaktik-Nachrichten (Jul. 2020)]], pp. 4-8.

== External source ==
https://d-nb.info/1342433254/34

== See also ==
German translation: [https://www.didaktikzentrum.de/images/cwattachments/493_46f6251eae8bd4aa1f94aeefb28ceea7.pdf Decoding the Disciplines – vom Laien zum Experten und noch einmal zu den Anfängen zurück]
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Dekodieren impliziten Wissens – Disziplinäres Wissen und praktische Expertise für Kompetenzentwicklung zugänglich machen

2026-10-11T10:49:20Z

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==Abstract==
Decoding the Disciplines ist ein integrativer Ansatz, um Lehrentwicklung zu fördern. Er würdigt die Schwierigkeiten der Studierenden beim Erlernen fachspezifischer Denk- und Handlungsmuster als systeminhärent und bietet Lösungen für diverse Probleme in der Hochschullehre. Dabei spricht Decoding the Disciplines Lehrende in ihrer Rolle als Wissenschaftler*innen an und verbindet die Herausforderungen der Lehre mit den täglichen Forschungsaktivitäten oder praktischer Expertise, um Diskrepanzen zwischen den kognitiven Prozessen von Studierenden und Fachwissenschaftler*innen zu überwinden.

==Bibliographic data==
Barnat, M. (2024): Dekodieren impliziten Wissens – Disziplinäres Wissen und praktische Expertise für Kompetenzentwicklung zugänglich machen. In: Berendt, B.; Fleischmann, A.; Schaper, N.; Szczyrba, B.; Wiemer, M. & Wildt, J. (ed.): Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre. pp. 98-112.

==External source==
https://www.nhhl-bibliothek.de/de/handbuch/gliederung/#/Beitragsdetailansicht/297/3881/Dekodieren-impliziten-Wissens-%25E2%2580%2593-Disziplinaeres-Wissen-und-praktische-Expertise-fuer-Kompetenzentwicklung-zugaenglich-machen
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Decoding the Disciplines: Entwicklung effektiver Lernaktivitäten durch fachbezogene Lerngespräche

2026-10-11T10:49:05Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

==Abstract==
[[File:RieglerPalfreyman_Manuskript_decoding-mitAbb.pdf|thumb|Preprint version]]
Decoding the Disciplines ist ein prozesshaftes Vorgehen mitdem Ziel studentisches Lernen zu fördern, indem die Kluftzwischen Expertendenken und den Bemühungen Studieren-der beim Erlernen dieses Denkens verringert wird. Es basiertauf den Grundannahmen, dass der Lernprozess Studierendereinerseits durch fachspezifische Hürden, sogenannte Bottle-necks, behindert werden kann und andererseits das Vorgehen,wie Expertinnen und Experten solche Hürden meistern, häufigimplizites Wissen darstellt. Im Kern geht es darum, Expertisezu entschlüsseln und so der Lehre zugänglicher zu machen.Dieser Beitrag stellt Decoding the Disciplines vor und geht aufden vielfältigen Nutzen des Prozesses für die Entwicklung vonLehre, Hochschuldidaktik und kollegiale Zusammenarbeit ein.

==Bibliographic data==
Peter Riegler, Niall Palfreyman: Decoding the Disciplines: Entwicklung effektiverLernaktivitäten durch fachbezogene Lerngespräche. In B. Meissner, C. Walter, B. Zinger,J. Haubner, F. Waldherr (eds.): Tagungsband zum 4. Symposium zur Hochschullehre in den MINT-Fächern, 2019

==External source==
https://d-nb.info/1342460243/34#page=16

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Decoding the Disciplines – vom Laien zum Experten und nocheinmal zu den Anfängen zurück

2026-10-11T10:48:46Z

Riegler: Changed categories.

== Bibliographic data ==
Riegler, P. (2019). Bottlenecks: Decoding the Disciplines – vom Laien zum Experten und nocheinmal zu den Anfängen zurück. [[Didaktiknachrichten 11-2019|Didaktik-Nachrichten (Nov. 2019)]], pp. 3-7.

== External source ==
https://d-nb.info/1342435052/34

== See also ==
English translation: [[Decoding the Disciplines – A Roundtrip from Novice to Expert back to Novice]]
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Decoding the Disciplines from an Instructor’s Perspective

2026-10-11T10:48:31Z

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== Bibliographic data ==
Schäfle, C & Riegler, P (2020). Decoding the Disciplines from an Instructor’s Perspective. [[Didaktiknachrichten 07-2020|Didaktik-Nachrichten (Jul. 2020)]], pp. 46-47.

== External source ==
https://d-nb.info/1342433254/34

== See also ==
German translation: [[Decoding the Disciplines aus Lehrendenperspektive]]
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Decoding the Disciplines aus Lehrendenperspektive

2026-10-11T10:48:22Z

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== Bibliographic data ==
Schäfle, C. & Riegler, P. (2019). Decoding the Disciplines aus Lehrendenperspektive [[Didaktiknachrichten 11-2019|Didaktik-Nachrichten (Nov. 2019)]], pp. 42-43.

== External source ==
https://d-nb.info/1342435052/34

== See also ==
English translation: [[Decoding the Disciplines from an Instructor’s Perspective]]
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Das Decoding Interview – ein exemplarischer Einblick

2026-10-11T10:48:12Z

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==Bibliographic data==
Riegler, P. (2019). Das Decoding Interview – ein exemplarischer Einblick. [[Didaktiknachrichten 11-2019|Didaktik-Nachrichten (Nov. 2019)]], pp. 10-17.

== External source ==
https://d-nb.info/1342435052/34

== See also ==
English translation: [[The Decoding Interview - An Exemplary Insight]]
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The Decoding Alphabet

2026-10-11T10:47:56Z

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'''The Decoding Alphabet''' is a piece associating each letter of the Latin alphabet with a concept of [[Decoding the Disciplines]]. It first appeared in 2019 in [[Didaktiknachrichten 11-2019]].

==The Alphabet==
=====A=====
'''[[Step 6 - Assess Student Mastery|Assessment]]''' An integral part of the Decoding the Disciplines process serving to find out whether interventions triggered by Decoding have been effective.

=====B=====
'''[[Bottleneck]]''' A concept, task or line of thought where students frequently get stuck in their learning. Decoding the Disciplines investigates how experts are able to pass disciplinary bottlenecks.

=====C=====
'''Curse of Expertise''' While disciplinary expertise is a prerequisite for teaching it is also a major obstacle. Over time concepts become so clear to teachers and processes become so automatic that it gets increasingly harder for them to make them explicit.

=====D=====
'''Decoding the Disciplines''' The double D of Decoding the Disciplines emphasizes that expertise is disciplinary in nature to a considerable extent and that important parts of it might be implicit and, hence, need to be decoded.

=====E=====
'''[[Emotional Bottleneck]]''' The Decoding the Disciplines process can lead to considerable changes in teaching. Students might act resistant to such changes. Metaphorically speaking they might get stuck in emotional bottlenecks. An integral part of the Decoding the Disciplines process is to anticipate such resistance / emotional bottlenecks in order to better cope with them.

=====F=====
'''Formative Feedback''' A core element in the Decoding the Disciplines process emphasizing that students need to [[Step 4: Give Students Practice and Feedback|practice and receive feedback]].

=====G=====
'''General''' Although the focus is on decoding disciplinary knowledge Decoding the Disciplines is general in that it is applicable to any discipline.

=====H=====
'''How exactly do you do that?''' A question often asked in the course of a [[Step 2 - Decoding Interview|Decoding interview]].

=====I=====
'''Interview''' The interview is a core element in the Decoding process and is the very place where expertise gets decoded.

=====J=====
'''JiTT''' [[Just in Time Teaching]]. A teaching philosophy often practiced by those engaged in Decoding the Disciplines as the identification of Bottlenecks is an intrinsic part of JiTT.

=====K=====
'''Knowledge''' Decoding acknowledges that knowledge and ways of thinking are mostly disciplinary. Decoding also acknowledges that knowledge, in particular that of experts, can be [[Implicit knowledge|implicit]].

=====L=====
'''Learning''' Improving student learning is the ultimate goal of Decoding the Disciplines. However, it is also a learning experience for the people involved.

=====M=====
'''[[Step 3 - Modeling Mental Operations|Modeling]]''' A core step in the Decoding the Discipline process where instructors model their expertise to students after having decoding their expertise.

=====N=====
'''Novice''' The converse of expert. Facilitating the transition from novice to expert is what is Decoding the Disciplines is all about.

=====O=====
'''Others''' Although Decoding the Disciplines tends to focus on aspects of disciplinary expertise it brings in others from outside the discipline under investigation. These others often serve as interviewers in Decoding interviews as they are not affected by the curse of expertise in the discipline under investigation.

=====P=====
'''[[David Pace|Pace]] & [[Joan Middendorf|Middendorf]]''' Effectively the parents of Decoding the Disciplines.

=====Q=====
'''Questioning''' Decoding the Disciplines questions folk explanations why students do not succeed in their learning process. And it uses questioning as a strategy for decoding expertise.

=====R=====
'''Resolve''' Decoding the Desciplines resolves bottlenecks, the curse of expertise, and important aspects of disciplinary expertise.

=====S=====
'''[[Step 7 - Share What Has Been Learned Through the Decoding Process|Sharing]]''' Another integral part of the Decoding the Disciplines process. Students’ bottlenecks and ways to overcome them more often than not are rather universal. Hence, sharing one’s results with other teachers helps making teaching more effective on a larger scale. Decoding the Disciplines is a way of doing [[Scholarship of Teaching and Learning]].

=====T=====
'''Teaching''' This is what Decoding the Disciplines is all about: Making teaching a more meaningful and effective endeavor.

=====U=====
'''Unifying''' Decoding unifies a multiple of approaches and intellectual practices, including but not limited to coaching, collegial collaboration, research in expertise, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

=====V=====
'''Vetting''' Decoding the Disciplines endorses both meanings of vetting: The careful examination of learning obstacles and teaching interventions to make sure that they are suitable as well as providing care to students.

=====W=====
'''Writing as a means of Decoding''' [[:Category:Lahm, S|Lahm]] developed a self-guided [[Decoding as a writing process|writing process]] that allows conducting the Decoding the Disciplines process without the need of an interview.

=====X=====
'''eXpertise''' The object of Decoding.

=====Y=====
'''Yes, we can!''' Mindset of people engaged in Decoding. As in “Yes, we can help students overcome bottlenecks!”

=====Z=====
'''Zest''' Decoding brings zest to those practicing it, be it a zest for teaching, a zest for learning, a zest for understanding, a zest for cooperating, a zest for research.
==Bibliographic data==
Peter Riegler (2019): The Decoding Alphabet, [[Didaktiknachrichten 11-2019]]
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Hartnäckige Lernhürden decodieren und Verständnis-Brücken für Studierende bauen

2026-10-11T10:47:16Z

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==Bibliographic data==
Foltz, B., Niebler, C. (2024). Hartnäckige Lernhürden decodieren und Verständnis-Brücken für Studierende bauen. In: Cai, J., Lackner, H., Wang, Q. (eds) Jahrbuch Angewandte Hochschulbildung 2022. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. <br />
==External reference==
<nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-43417-5_14</nowiki><br />
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2026-10-11T10:46:00Z

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2026-10-11T10:45:51Z

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Understanding and Overcoming “Bottlenecks” in Student Learning

2026-10-11T10:38:25Z

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==Abstract==

Pedagogically, the term “bottleneck” refers to a moment when students mayface barriers to understanding content in the process of learning. As instructorsidentify “bottlenecks” within their courses, they are faced with the challenge of howto best assist students in overcoming them. Further, most instructors want to knowwhat selected teaching strategies to implement in the classroom to increase studentlearning. The seven-step process of Decoding the Disciplines (Middendorf & Pace,2004) provides a platform for helping students learn how to think instead of what tothink to successfully progress through identified bottlenecks. The model also allowsfor instructors to collect evidence-based results of student learning that contribute tothe scholarship of teaching and learning, while infusing deeper meaning and learninginto the classroom. The model is particularly useful for instructors who face challengesin incorporating alternative pedagogical strategies.
==Bibliographic data==

Sturts, J. R., & Mowatt, R. A. (2012). Understanding and Overcoming "Bottlenecks" in Student Learning. ''SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education'', ''27''(1), 39-45.
==External source==
https://www.nrpa.org/globalassets/journals/schole/2012/schole-volume-27-number-1-pp-39-45.pdf
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