Learning in the wild. I have a love/hate relationship with my brain. I’m rarely ever clear on an issue as context always messes up what exists. Something can be useful in one context, and completely useless in another. An idea can make sense in one discussion and yet be confusing in another. For example, I work in a formal higher education environment. This process of ‘informal science education’ is patchy, ad hoc and at the mercy of individual whim, all of which makes it much more difficult to measure than formal instruction.
…and I am struck with the inefficiencies of direct instruction and formal education (and training). Unlearning Teaching. Rather than teachers delivering an information product to be ‘consumed’ and fed back by the student, co-creating value would see the teacher and student mutually involved in assembling and dissembling cultural products. As co-creators, both would add value to the capacity building work being done through the invitation to ‘meddle’ and to make errors. The teacher is in there experimenting and learning from the instructive complications of her errors alongside her students, rather than moving from desk to desk or chat room to chat room, watching over her flock. I love this vision of teaching from Erica McWilliam, articulated in her 2007 piece “Unlearning How to Teach” (via my Diigo network).
I know the idea isn’t new in these parts, but the way she frames it really resonates. And it speaks to some important aspects of network literacy and the teacher’s role in the formation of and the participation in those student networks. So how are you unlearning teaching? ShareThis. Effective teaching and learning. Quick start guides amplify the 10 pedagogic approaches introduced in Talking teaching, training and learning. They provide: quick, practical ideas that you can 'use today'underpinning rationale and the research background to increase your understanding about how and why the 10 approaches workreferences and links to examples of each pedagogy approach in action in the Teaching and Learning Programme resources. Use Quick start guides as a starting point for further research and experiment in initial teacher training or as part of your CPD. Consider how you will use the ideas to experiment with new approaches in your teaching.
Try these ideas with colleagues. Which work best for 'hard to learn' or 'hard to teach' topics? How can each pedagogy approach improve learning in themes such as revision or preparation for work experience? Launch Quick start guides activity Quick start guide: Co-operative learning (RTF, 1.33MB) Quick start guide: Co-operative learning (PDF, 46.7KB) Christopher D. Sessums :: Blog :: Building a Better Teacher by Design. Nisar Keshvani » Good teaching may overcome a poor choice of technology, but technology will never save bad teaching. Prepare for e-learning resource.