I’m thinking that I need to step back and apply some different reading strategies in order to have a more critical stance toward the material. On a number of the articles, I have followed Lisa’s suggestion to find background material on the author, as an understanding of the philosophical and methodological foundation of the writer will help to unpack the purpose or slant of the piece. I have seen this to be particularly true of the historical pieces, on the Tompkins and Hodgins pieces early on. I have found this to be a useful way to start an article, one I should have been applying before Lisa’s recommendation.
While this approach has been useful, I need to begin adopting some other critical ways to unpack the material in our readings. So, over the next few posts I want to attempt a synthesis of some of the readings we had covered, and try to pull out some of common themes or strands that have emerged throughout the course so far.
The first theme that emerges for me is the cyclical nature of teaching practices in education. In my short time in profession, it has been often pointed out that education suffers from pendulum swings in guiding principles and theories, and the articles we have read in class have confirmed this notion. As teacher at an inquiry-based school, I find it interesting to go back to the ideas of Dewey, over a 100 years old, and see that his philosophies of inquiry and democracy are sound as fresh and alive today as when they were first penned. I also found it fascinating in the von Heyking article that Alberta was once a hotbed and leader in radical and progressive ideas about teaching and the child. The idea of “enterprise” learning sounds so contemporary to my ears, and it’s description as “a series of purposeful activities arising out of the pupil’s needs and interests and revolving about one central theme,” reminds me of cross-discplinary inquiry projects called “Quest,” that became the foundation of our school’s charter in its early years. Many of the same debates and ‘new’ ideas still surface, such as the first category of the ‘integrated’ Programme of Studies which stated that “students should develop thinking and reasoning as opposed to unrelated memorization of facts.”
I see an interesting connection with one of the current ideas in education, “21st Century Learning.” As someone who in embedded in the world of technology and education, I see and hear the notion of 21st Century learning being batted around (and like many trendy theories, used to sell all sorts of educational tools and materials). While I’m not personally comfortable or sold on the idea of a new 21st century student or learning model, I find a connection between some of the language that is being used today and some of the progressive approaches of the first have of the 20th century.
In her article, Von Heykins writes about Dr. Donalda Dickie’s address at the Alberta School Trustee’s Association Convention. In her address, Dickie argues that the political and economic deadlocks of the day required students to be able to think for themselves in order to survive the unknown world ahead, and that “modern politics was characterized by conflict and debate.” Von Heykins then quotes from Dickie’s address, writing:
“ What does the individual need for successful living?” Well he needs courage and humour and to be able to get along with other people; he needs initiative, imagination, self-reliance, judgment, the power to co-operate. Where is he to get these things? Not sitting in his seat learning facts by heart. If educations is really to count, it must affect the nature and character of the child and it can do that only if he does something, if he is provided with opportunities for experience.”
And where do we see the parallels today? The “Partnership for 21st Century Skills” is a well-funded organization in the United States that promotes itself as, “the leading advocacy organization infusing 21st century skills into education.” They believe that significant change must come to education in order to prepare students for an unknown and rapidly changing world. What I find interesting is some of the statements that are part of their framework for 21st Century Learning:
o Learning and innovation skills are what separate students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in the 21st century and those who are not, including: Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Communication and Collaboration
While some of the language is different, I see parellels between the ideas. Are the foundations ideas behind Progressivism in Alberta 70 years ago that different from the ‘emerging’ trends today? What is also interesting is that among documents that are available for download on the Partnership for 21st Century Skills' website is a white paper entitled, "21st Century Learning Environments." Skimming through the document, I found it so interesting that Dewey's name came up numerous times. In my opinion, it seems the cycle has just come round once again.
The first theme that emerges for me is the cyclical nature of teaching practices in education. In my short time in profession, it has been often pointed out that education suffers from pendulum swings in guiding principles and theories, and the articles we have read in class have confirmed this notion. As teacher at an inquiry-based school, I find it interesting to go back to the ideas of Dewey, over a 100 years old, and see that his philosophies of inquiry and democracy are sound as fresh and alive today as when they were first penned. I also found it fascinating in the von Heyking article that Alberta was once a hotbed and leader in radical and progressive ideas about teaching and the child. The idea of “enterprise” learning sounds so contemporary to my ears, and it’s description as “a series of purposeful activities arising out of the pupil’s needs and interests and revolving about one central theme,” reminds me of cross-discplinary inquiry projects called “Quest,” that became the foundation of our school’s charter in its early years. Many of the same debates and ‘new’ ideas still surface, such as the first category of the ‘integrated’ Programme of Studies which stated that “students should develop thinking and reasoning as opposed to unrelated memorization of facts.”
I see an interesting connection with one of the current ideas in education, “21st Century Learning.” As someone who in embedded in the world of technology and education, I see and hear the notion of 21st Century learning being batted around (and like many trendy theories, used to sell all sorts of educational tools and materials). While I’m not personally comfortable or sold on the idea of a new 21st century student or learning model, I find a connection between some of the language that is being used today and some of the progressive approaches of the first have of the 20th century.
In her article, Von Heykins writes about Dr. Donalda Dickie’s address at the Alberta School Trustee’s Association Convention. In her address, Dickie argues that the political and economic deadlocks of the day required students to be able to think for themselves in order to survive the unknown world ahead, and that “modern politics was characterized by conflict and debate.” Von Heykins then quotes from Dickie’s address, writing:
“ What does the individual need for successful living?” Well he needs courage and humour and to be able to get along with other people; he needs initiative, imagination, self-reliance, judgment, the power to co-operate. Where is he to get these things? Not sitting in his seat learning facts by heart. If educations is really to count, it must affect the nature and character of the child and it can do that only if he does something, if he is provided with opportunities for experience.”
And where do we see the parallels today? The “Partnership for 21st Century Skills” is a well-funded organization in the United States that promotes itself as, “the leading advocacy organization infusing 21st century skills into education.” They believe that significant change must come to education in order to prepare students for an unknown and rapidly changing world. What I find interesting is some of the statements that are part of their framework for 21st Century Learning:
o Learning and innovation skills are what separate students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in the 21st century and those who are not, including: Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Communication and Collaboration
While some of the language is different, I see parellels between the ideas. Are the foundations ideas behind Progressivism in Alberta 70 years ago that different from the ‘emerging’ trends today? What is also interesting is that among documents that are available for download on the Partnership for 21st Century Skills' website is a white paper entitled, "21st Century Learning Environments." Skimming through the document, I found it so interesting that Dewey's name came up numerous times. In my opinion, it seems the cycle has just come round once again.
No comments:
Post a Comment