Educational Instruction (My first blog!!!!!!!)

Hello fellow bloggers and blog readers!(Blogees?) And with that, I have officially

entered the world of blogging! Not as hard as I thought it would be…

As a prospective teacher and a “newbie” in the world of blogging, I felt it appropriate to name my blog “Learning to Ramble”.  The purpose of this blog (at least for now) is to document my educational journey, hopefully offering a unique perspective concerning all things education, as both a student and a soon-to-be teacher.

In this first blog, I want to discuss the current state of the educational system in Canada, particularly as it relates to the transformation from the “old story” to the “new story” (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2012). While curriculum and assessment are closely related, I have chosen to narrow my focus specifically to teaching instruction, as to limit the amount of rambling.

In this transformation model, the “old story” is representative of a traditional approach to teaching, where knowledge transmission is facilitated through pedagogical strategies such as direct instruction, rote memorization and standardization. This cookie-cutter approach assumes that all students learn the same and can therefore be taught using similar pedagogical methods. Students are “blank slates”, waiting for their brains to be filled with knowledge from the almighty teacher (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2012). John Locke anyone?

However, progressive teaching practices being implemented by innovative teachers across the country are contributing to a “new story” in education, based on a constructivist viewpoint that values student discovery, differentiation and inquiry-learning teaching methods. In this case, teachers guide their students as they study topics and subject matters based on their own interests and abilities (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2012).

My own educational experience as a student in both elementary and high school was certainly that of a traditional classroom and “old story” style teachers. And for me, it worked. My teachers stood up at the front of the class and threw out bits of information and I soaked it all up like a sponge. I was one of the lucky ones. But research tells us that not all students succeed as passive learners. Only recently in my university studies, particularly those in the Physical Education program, have I been able to appreciate the benefits of a hands-on approach to my own learning. For example, through my first three years of university, I have been provided countless opportunities to teach Physical Education to my peers and in local elementary and high schools. How is that for real-life experience? Learning to teach by teaching!

While traditionalist and constructivist battle for global supremacy, in Canada at least, the back and forth has been rather cyclical in nature.  Now more than ever, it appears that technology is the driving force of the current educational transformation (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2012).

            The effects of technology as a catalyst for educational change are evident. As I sit in lecture each day, I am generally able to count on one hand the number of individuals learning (hopefully) without the aid of a lap- top computer, tablet, or some form of electronic device. Technology is a powerful learning tool for students and presents opportunities for self-directed learning, such as developing their own media or communicating with students from different cultures across the globe (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2012). This is also painful reminder of how long it has been since I attended high school, when there were no iPads, Skype or educational “apps”.  

            And yet here I am. I successfully made it through elementary and high school. I know my multiplication tables! For this reason, I don’t entirely dismiss the traditional approach to education. Nor do I believe that technological advancements eliminate the need for effective teaching instruction and some form of guided-learning. For example, in my own experience, I have found direct instruction methods to be appropriate and effective when teaching game rules or coaching senior students in various physical education activities. As such, I agree with the advocates of a “both/and” approach to education, wherein teachers integrate instructional practices from traditional and progressive education models based on the individual needs and interests of their students and the context-specific teaching situation (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2012).

            Well enough rambling for now. Hope you enjoyed my first entry and stay tuned. I leave you with this final comment. As we transition into a new stage of education in Canada, don’t forget the old story….learn from it!

References:

Drake, S.M. & Reid, J.L. & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21 Century Learner. Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.