It is with some chagrin that I must admit is only in the last couple of years that I have come to understand that most of what we do as teachers is about learning. I think I am in good company and certainly not alone. It is only recently with the relatively easier and more affordable access to MRI scanning that scientists have been able to more fully understand how we learn. While this has been happening more than one myth has been busted. (Learning styles stands out for me.) I thought it would be useful to post a list of some articles I have come across that address the issue of learning and how it impacts what we do as teachers. (This will be an ongoing series of posts as I come across them.)
This first series of posts is from David Didau whose blog is a must read for anyone interested in education. He’s a prolific blogger who is one of the most influential educational bloggers in the UK and in my opinion always makes more sense than not. One of the things I really appreciate about his writing is that when he believes he is wrong he will say so which, in this age of polarization and demagoguery is a refreshing change.
A definition of learning – reading the comments not everyone would agree with David but it is a good starting point. Personally I think if he’s not spot on he’s close.
What’s the Starting Point for all Learning – Fascinating post about where learning begins. The discussion afterwards is as, if not more, interesting than the post.
What are they learning? – Thoughts on where our focus should be as teachers. David posits that it is rare for anyone to learn nothing from a given situation. Which means teachers should be more concerned about ‘what’ students are learning rather than ‘if’ they are learning.
Learning Styles – There are three posts that relate to this topic. Again the discussions following the posts, especially The Learning Styles myth debunked on the back of an envelope makes for a lot of heated debate as well as clarifying what is meant by learning styles. David then followed up that post with another One more nail in the Learning Styles coffin… where he explained further what he meant by;
…the myth is that our preferences for experiencing information presented in a particular mode, or style, leads to improved outcomes. It doesn’t.
Then Learning is liminal – (the first time I have come across this word) which compliments the posts on learning styles nicely. He also ends this post with the idea that learning is a journey. I use this same analogy all be it in a different way, with my students when they ask why their classmates are not all at the same level. I tell them something along the lines of;
We’re all on a journey of learning but most of us are travelling at different speeds. The important thing is not how fast we travel but that we never stop travelling.
I am sure there will be more posts from David concerning this subject in the future. It is after all central to our efforts as teachers. In the meantime if you would like to check out his website, you can find it here.
