Teaching and learning

After posting several articles about “Active learning”, I received several emails from teachers expressed their concerns: “Why should we change the way we teach?” or “We have been teaching this way for a long time and it worked so why change?” Some were more critical: “Why should teacher NOT teach but only facilitate students to learn themselves, it does not make sense.”

I do not like to argue about which method is better or why should we change the way we teach because it is a personal choice as each teacher has to make decision. However I believe that if teachers focus their attention on the “Learning experiences of students” instead of the “delivery of their lecture” than we can make significant improvement on students' learning.

When students read materials before class and use class time to discuss, to interact, to talk about it and work with it, they make learning their own as it becomes meaningful to them. They see why it is important, why they must know these materials and how it fits with what they already know and what they still need to learn. When students are involved with the materials, they are really learning and will remember it longer than just listen to the teacher's lecture. As students share their views with each others, they are developing their own knowledge.

By having class discussions, students are learning to ask questions, to find answers, to challenge reasons, to consider alternatives, to evaluate evidence, and develop their skills in solving problems. Their skills can be improved with additional advices and feedbacks from teachers. This type of learning is an “experience” in contrast with the “memorization” by listening and absorb as much as they can.

When students learn by themselves, they develop a deep understanding that go beyond the conceptual level. They know it well based on how they think and what they see the application of these knowledge in the world around them. A good learning experience is based on how they master challenging content, finds out something fascinating, and discover new ways to solve problems, this will create an ongoing hunger for learning more.

I think these are compelling reasons to change the way we teach. It is not easy to change an old habit of lecturing as we are taught about it most of our lives. To change our way of “teacher-directed teaching” toward “student-active learning” requires significant efforts from both teachers and students but it is a very effective method in this fast changing world.

I believe that there is time for telling students what they need to know but there is time that students have to be more active in their own learning process. And as teachers, we have to make decision when to tell them and when to let them learn by themselves. We have to make decision on what is best for them.

The process of lecturing and showing slides where students sit quietly to listen and absorb the knowledge transfer by teachers may not be suitable for the 21st century college classroom. It may be better to move into a dynamic environment where classroom is the place for debate, for discuss and solving problem together. If you are not sure, ask your students on what they prefer. I think it is time that we need to encourage this new type of teaching and learning.

Sources

  • Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University

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