tom abeles (tabeles@tmn.com)
Sat, 24 Jul 1999 17:12:54 -0500
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 17:12:54 -0500 From: tom abeles <tabeles@tmn.com> Subject: Re: Is teaching learnable only through experience?
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Bob Leamnson raises a number of very critical issues which need
addressment. The first issue is whether "teaching" is learnable. here he
seriously questions the path of learning by experience.
In our education system, K-12 faculty are required to have methods
courses for certification, yet their post secondary faculty who provide
this training rarely have any formal requirement themselves- just the
PhD in some discipline. It is interesting that in the corporate world,
if you look at their training budgets, you might see as high as 40%
allocated for training of trainers.
Larry Cuban has written an interesting book called "Scholars Trump
Teachers" where he demonstrates why the "Pub/perish emphasis mitigates
against faculty expending signifcant time in the teaching arena, much
leas trying to improve skills in teaching with the same commitment that
they follow their disciplinary literature. The book is worth a serious
read.
There seems to be little doubt that "learning" from a master in any
arena provides significant opportunities for improvement in the
"classroom". The argument seems to be a way of defeasing the question of
how, when and where
Bob's second concern is that of the "learner centered" approach. In
fact, a learner centered approach does not preclude any skill sets which
might be addressed in the arena of teaching skills. a lot depends on
what the learner wants, chooses or is convinced that s/he needs to
learn. When, where and how that learner is allowed to practice the
skills mastered is another question which does not necessarily dictate
the path that the learner follows.
An interesting point is that measurement of level of understand in a
variety of courses, when evaluated on competency, does not depend,
necesssarily on "seat time". courses based on the "semester" and faculty
designing for this matrix have not engaged seriously with either of the
issues raised by Bob. Rather we have an accession to bureaucratic
proceedures and not the learning experience and engagement of students
with faculty. Packaged learning modules today often reflect this same
mentality. Stephenson, in his prescient sf novel A Diamond Age develops
a very creative alternative with "learner centered" "'ractives"
thoughts?
tom abeles
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