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My reflections on learning/teaching approaches: Collaborative or teacher-centered? Web-exploration or instruction?
In this
inspiring video,
Mr. J.S.Brown is interested in types of learning environments: learning from each other, learning in teaching others. Out, the obsolete skills. Mr. Brown joins others leading experts in the field of E-learning, such as
Marc Prensky,
Mario Asselin,
François Guité and others. They are proponents of socio-constructivism and technology for educational purposes. "The class outside the walls" is Mario tout de Go's leitmotiv. These prominent icons all have the merit of confronting the shortcomings of the traditional education and proposing ICT education, embracing changes for the 3rd Millennium. A quick research on the word tinkering led me to many alternative schools in the US where engineering and technology is taught to kids from 7 to 16 years old! I was surprised ! Children are curious and want to discover by experimenting. That’s true – but not for all of them.
I have been reflecting on educational approaches for a few years now and I admit, I am still perplexed. Learning from each other? That's In ! The teacher? He's out! He's now a collaborator. Learning by teaching others. Yes, sounds good, but what do we teach each other?
Over the last 12 years, I have followed my three boys in the Quebec school system, and I study presently in a program which promotes cooperative learning, "swim or sink" in its Pedagogy classes. (Beals)
- Here are my main observations and questions :
-When allowed their portables in classrooms, 50% of students with portables aren't listening, they are following their FB or doing other work. They do not take advantage of the teacher's presence and knowledge he/she could share. They think the notes accessible on-line are sufficient. Are classes obsolete or should uninterested students stay home?
- In classes where team work is promoted, some work is truly creative. I have observed great work in
Protic classes, students writing editorial texts, news texts, etc. for a web radio-show. Still, I observed that some teams had spent quite a few periods surfing for topics and music, leaving little time for the actual writing and producing quality material.
- In teamwork, human nature prevails: some participate, others, dead logs , benefit from the collective work. I have experienced this year some valuable teamwork in one class and some some far less convincing work with non-motivated partners. Too bad, because the idea of workshops is precisely to experiment and applicate the theory.
- In second language learning, I find it difficult to learn from partners that are beginners. I can't imagine how I could learn German or Italian by exchanging with other new learners? On the other hand, as I remember my painful experiences of grammar translation in Latin, I am aware that Latin is now taught differently with good use of digital tools, with creative and dynamic teaching.
-In geography, my son (sec 3) was so tired of team projects, finding the information on the web and looking here and there for creating texts about countries and sharing with others, he was glad when finally came a teacher who wrote on the board and taught them something (as he said).
-They don't memorize geographical data like we used to. One might argue that they will be in competition with Asian students and they have to acquire new tools, perhaps new information, to be competent...but I'm not sure the Asians are not building up on cultural background knowledge. None of my boys could say in which country Brussels is located, when I was serving them Brussel sprouts. I was flabbergasted. Times have changed, we used to memorize the world’s Capitals and review them in high school. Perhaps it is no longer considered important. I am confused.
- My other son (sec5) is excellent in communicating about sciences; he has researched and written about nanotechnologies and hybrid cars (Competency 3). Yet, at the same time, he fails in math in competency 2 "use mathematical reasoning" and in chemistry in the competency2 "
Make the most of his knowledge of chemistry" . Shouldn’t he be required to do more exercises to master the basics? Socio-constructivism has yet to prove itself in science acquisition: the regular practice (of exercises?) is important. ICT are good to stimulate and emulate, present pertinent videos, but still the resolution of problems and mental processes can not be neglected.
- It is true however, that one retains more when one is actively involved. Have a look at the
pyramid of learning, provided by the
NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, «An important learning principle, supported by extensive research is that people learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process.»
«Learners retain approximately:90% of what they learn when they teach someone else/use immediately.5% of what they learn when they've learned from lecture.»
- It is true the web is a fantastic tool, and an vector of knowledge, but I still believe the students, young and old, need to be inspired by an excellent teacher, an educator and communicator. Perhaps I am wrong. There are now many school programs across U.S and Canada which offer learning through the use of digital content. For graduate students , for example, there are the Master of education in leadership and digital learning or Master in education, technology integration. Maybe I should have registered in such a program?
- An interesting point brought up by J. S. Brown is the criticism from the master, such as in an architectural studio. It is a good idea. One can accept and learn from criticism. However, J.S.Brown omits telling us that before producing their model, there are prior steps, the students are taught the basics about materials, structural forces and principles of design.
-In the current Québec Mels educational program (renouveau pédagogique), the ESL students are supposed to extract or induce the rules from experiencing communication, written and oral forms. Acquire rather than learn through explicit teaching. In my advanced English Grammar classes at university, I have observed some Anglophone students who do not master or understand the rules, while I have had a solid grammatical basis in French and English through traditional instruction.(Thank God, I had those years of rigorous French and English syntax and grammar classes).
- In my first practicum, I observed dynamic teachers of ELA who believe in cooperative learning and socio-constructivist approach, and their students are said to achieve very well. Interaction can be great, mind-mapping and awareness of meta-cognitive strategies are necessary. However, at the same time, I observed teachers who are more comfortable with teacher-centered instruction either because they have heterogous groups of regular and lower students or higher levels (EESL).
Which is the best? I am still not sure, and I have to find an answer. Is it perhaps a combination of both?
