What do you believe is critical and non-negotiable in teaching and learning?
Key terms: education, technology, collaboration, learning, association
I believe that it is critical that the learner should have an active role in choosing both the content and the method of their learning and that the teaching and learning should be holistic, not compartmentalized into artificial subjects. Because each learner is an individual human being with his or her own feelings, emotions, strengths, weaknesses, passions, and dreams to explore, learning should be “real world” right now, not just preparation for later careers. It is imperative that learners should be connected to the world through on-line tools to share and expand their learning in order to learn and live in the world of collaboration, networking and maintaining a balance with technology and all that can offer when used properly. It is my opinion that lectures don’t necessarily motivate one to learn, active learning such as hands-on training and sustainable projects better facilitate this process. Doing is more conducive to learning than listening and taking tests to meet performance objectives.
Thorne and Henley (2005) noted that, among the first in psychology to address the process of learning was Hermann Ebbinghaus. Ebbinghaus based his learning theories on the theory that ideas become connected or associated through experience. The more a person encounters an association, the stronger the associative bond is assumed to be.
Ebbinghaus presumed, that if ideas are connected by the frequency of their associations, learning should be predictable based on the number of times a given association is experienced. Because learning can be social and promotes community through investigations, experiments, questions, and conversations, students can learn strive to exploit new fields of interest and boundaries to learning should become limitless.
References
Thorne, B., Henley, T. (2005). Hermann Ebbinghaus
in Connections in the History and Systems of Psychology (3rd Edition ed.,
pp. 211-216). Belmont , CA Wadsworth
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Carol Deuling-Ravell http://raycoxphd.blogspot.com
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Hi David!
ReplyDeleteYou have hit on a good point about education needing to meet the current needs of students, not just their future needs. In our educational climate of trying to prepare students who are career and college ready, we overlook their current needs as students. We have not taught them how to deal with emotions, handle the daily stressors of schools, or develop strong relationships or networks with their peers. In secondary schools, we are keenly focused on graduation rates, college acceptance, and standardized test scores…all of the “future” elements you mentioned.
I have worked with kids who come to my high school who are in desperate need of a shower and clean clothes. Getting these kids ready for college or a career should come second to making sure their needs are addressed. It is like schools have forgotten Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how it relates to our population. We cannot get kids to learn about their future if they are hungry or do not have the skills to deal with the unsafe world in which they live.
On a pedagogical note, I agree that students learn better when they are completing real world tasks. By completing these relevant tasks, students learn how they can make a difference, all while improving their learning styles of auditory, visual, and tactile.
You’re right, lecture is ineffective, especially with students who can easily acquire the same content in a fraction of the time via the internet. The times are changing for educators, and we have to adapt to these times and needs of the students…as you said, right now, not in the future.
Ray,
DeleteValid points as you stress education that serves the basic needs so purported by Maslow. Coming from the Career Tech objectives, finding the best fit for an earlier transition to post-secondary or trade is the primary objective. I concur that all senses need to be included as percursors to true learning; aerospace curriculum and real world discussions helps immensely.
David
I am also a firm believer that action and experience are the best teachers. With that said, do you think that direct instruction will still fulfill a need in future education or will internet content and interaction completely eliminate this requirement? Also as students receive more autonomy in the classroom, what minimal structuring of the learning will the teacher still need to control if any? What crucial tasks for the learning process must live teachers take care of that computers or technology will not have the capacity to do? Do you envision a time where a live teacher is no longer required for students to complete their education?
ReplyDeleteSteven, My thoughts on the trend towards web-based e-learning, distance learning etc. it that there are too many well-established universities of historical and proven value (pre-med, law, dental) that will stay the course to the end of time. Other disciplines (ed tech, business, marketing, etc) are better candidates to succomb to a total e-learning format.
ReplyDeleteTeachers (myself included) are becoming more similar to facilitators versus instructor. There are pros and oons to both facets.
David
Hi, David. I agree with you that teaching and learning needs to be holistic. In fact, I think connectivism also strives to implement a holistic approach. Good post!
ReplyDelete