Where is the Learning?
“Tedxx Philadelphi talk should be required viewing in every teaching 101 course. All our classrooms would be such better places.”
I saw this go by my twitter feed and others like. At face value* it assumes that if you watch, view or are aware of something it causes a change in behavior. If that were true our students would know so much more. We know from experience that is not true, a learner must interact with the information: think, talk, do something with the content for them to develop understanding and meaning. Yet we constantly expose students, sort of drive by teaching, to information and are surprised when they do not remember or use the information later on.
A few days ago I had a conversation with a teacher friend of mine from another district and she asked if I could help her set up a wiki for links to videos. Her expectation was that students would watch videos for the topics she could not fit into her instruction. The students could watch and she would have covered the material. Where is the learning???
I often think we need to take a deep breath and rethink the fundamentals. It is easy to concentrate on covering the syllabus/ standards and loose sight of teaching our students.
*I do not believe the author of the tweet assumes this.
8 thoughts on “Where is the Learning?”
I could not agree with you more. I believe that the students learn by one on one and the interaction of the teacher and the students. There is not really any interaction with a video unless you have a discussion afterwards which will probably consist of “What are your thoughts?” and nturally the students will not have a response because they lost focus and can’t tell you what they just watched. I am all for watching video’s if there is something worth watching but not because it is how it fits into your schedule.
I totally agree with the fact that video does not teach a student anything. I strongly believe that interaction with the students helps them rather than watching something that they may not be interesting in. I could understand if the teacher use a video as a topic of discuss to get a point across. However, teachers should think about what can help benefit the students as well as making sure they meet the standards.
Hey I am a student at the University of South Alabama and I am currently taking edm310. I agree that just because you watch something doesn’t mean the material of that video is now engrained in your brain. Learning is not just watching, it is interactive, creative and thought provoking. It does seem like teachers just are just trying to cover what is on the syllabus and so they forget about teaching. They just expose the material to us and think that we can soak it up like a sponge. I definitely agree that we need to just take a deep breath and rethink the fundamentals sometimes.
Stephanie,
Learning is a participatory activity – all a teacher can really do is provide learners an opportunity to interactive with what we learn. Video does have its place if it is part of an active learning environment. But a teacher can not make us learn, interact or engage, that is ultimately up to the learn.
I wish you success in your course.
Although incorporating technology into the curriculum and/or classroom might be considered interactive, interactive doesn’t always equate to learning. Take for instance the integration of math labs designed to assist students in completing the requirements of college algebra. Students are required to complete a MYMATHLAB self- guided study plan based on their college entrance exam’s math score. The lab is not instructor facilitated, requiring students to review the materials for understanding and take tests (as many times as needed to receive a passing grade). But there’s a caveat – the same test problems are recycled and used on all tests, which is nothing more than rote learning. Many students still perform poorly in completing the requirements to pass college algebra after completing the electronic math lab. Technology, if introduced and utilized correctly in the classroom can support educational efforts to improve the below average attainment rates in college algebra as long as instructors incorporate it in the classroom/curriculum and use it as a teaching tool that supports the learning environment.
New types of technologies are changing the world and how people find their reading materials. I still use the old system for the most part with tons of books in my personal home library. Part of my thinking belongs to my sentimental sentiments. I love having those books to show off or just to gaze at knowing I have some of the greatest moments in history at my command. However, my focus is changing as technology changes. My change occurs much slower than most with technology vision. However, as an educator, I can see the many benefits of this technology to use in college, school systems, and academic institutions. The school of the present is turning more and more to these types of technology, and I want to be a part of the process. Technology is the new frontier.
A video absolutely does not teach students anything on its own. It is time to get back to the three R’s. If video has any positive educational effects, it is only in conjunction with instruction from a good teacher or in a useful video production course at the high school level.
P.S., it is lose sight, not loose site.
Hey I am a student at Walden University and I am currently taking the following course that requires me to engage in this blogging activity (EDUC-8105-2 Adult Learning: Trends, Issues, Global Perspectives). I agree that just because you watch something doesn’t mean the material of that video is now engrained in your brain. Learning is not just watching it is interactive, creative and thought provoking I definitely agree that we need to take a deep breath and rethink the fundamentals sometimes.