Dennis Matthies

Who is Dennis Matthies?

Dennis Matthies received a B.S. in physics from MIT in 1968 and an M.A. in Philosophy and Humanities in 1981 from Stanford University, where he taught until 1997.

From 1992 to 1997, at Stanford University’s Center for Teaching and Learning, Dennis Matthies developed several experimental courses that have subsequently become known to a wider public. These include: Precision Questioning, Self Coaching, Mental Ecology, Think on Your Feet, and Concept Busting. In each subject the approach is practical and meta-cognitive.

These CTL subjects became part of a curriculum of short courses designed to prepare university students for both university learning and work in the 21st Century. Through broadcasts on the Stanford Instructional Television Network, Precision Questioning and Self Coaching acquired a following in Silicon Valley. Different versions of Precision Questioning have been taught in universities inside and outside the United States.