Video: My philosophy on teaching and learning in the 21st century

What was then

Teaching and learning have progressed fast since my early days in the 60s and 70s. I grew up in an environment where the teacher was the embodiment of knowledge, the know it all persona. Students sat silently in rows of desks and chairs rote memorizing everything that was thrown our way. Knowledge was power; the more you memorized, the smarter you were. The brain was like a black box. Educators did not care what was in the black box and how we processed the information, because what was important was how we behaved. The “behaviorism” learning theory focuses on the observable behavior that results from the learning and does not pay much attention to the process. Learning happened when the expected and desired behavior was observed. Teaching then is about controlling the environment to reinforce the proper behaviors.

What is now

Fast forward to the early 2000. Two decades of advances in neuroscience research have had an impact on education. Research has highlighted the brain’s functionality and there is a better understanding of how the brain learns. That mysterious black box is being cracked open. The early years of 2000 were marked by the birth of new learning theories, such as inquiry, user design, and constructivism. These active learning theories believe that learning is internally created within the student’s minds, and learning/teaching is negotiated as meaning is constructed.

The environment

There has been a pronounced shift from the more traditional direct-teaching-based philosophy of a “sage on the stage” to the student-centered philosophy of learning which engages students in active learning and problem solving. Learning environment has been characterized more and more by students seamlessly switching between formal and informal learning environments, in- and outside the classrooms, between different contexts, and between individual and social learning. The internet and the availability, versatility, social interactivity of Web 2.0 tools have, without a doubt, been a main factor contributing to and promoting this type of learning environment.

Characteristics of the learning environment:

• Formal and informal continuous learning, in- and outside the classrooms
• Interactive process of information/knowledge flow where information/knowledge and network of systems/communities connect and grow
• Reinforcement of learning of 21^st Century skills
• Technology as a nexus between formal and informal learning environments

The student

The learning environment of the 21^st Century creates opportunities for students to take advantage of the evolving emerging media literacy and take charge of their own learning as they make connections that are peer supported, and focus on engagement with communities.

Mancabelli & Richardson (2011, pp. 55) offered a spectrum of the levels of participation of students in the online network, from those who participate as consumers to those who make connections and actively engage as creators and producers. This participatory culture adds value which allows students to move up the spectrum, described by the authors as the “Social Technographics Ladder” shown here.

Characteristics of the students of the 21^st Century:

• Building bridges among different learning media/infrastructures
• Taking charge of their own learning in authentic, personally relevant context
• Collaborating with others to solve real-world problems

• Using technology for active engagement and collaboration with physical and virtual communities (making internal and external connections that are “friendship-driven and “interest-driven”)

The teacher

In the 21^st Century learning environment, as the students are shifting their role from just being consumers of information/knowledge, so do the teachers as their roles change in teaching and learning in the digital, network age. Unlike traditional methods of teaching where the focus was on didactic instruction, the teachers of the 21^st Century are mentors who facilitate the process of knowledge discovery and reinforce the attainment of 21^st Century skills and knowledge by using one of the active learning principles (i.e., inquiry, user-design, constructivism).

The 21^st Century learning environment also reflects the need for the teacher to be more active in linking together the formal and the informal environments.

Characteristics of the teachers of the 21^st Century:

• Using inquiry, user design, and constructivism theories (active learning principles)
• Facilitating learning
• Effectively and appropriately integrating technology to support learning

Learning in the 21^st Century

How has this shift in learning environments been impacting student learning? Looi et al (2010, pp. 163) succinctly moved away from the traditional concept of learning of “what you know” to the 21^st Century learning of “what you do with what you know” (from consumers of information to producers of knowledge). The authors defined learning as:

• Acquiring relatively permanent change in understanding, attitude, knowledge, information, ability and skill through experience.
• Change in student value and character which can gauge students as lifelong learners and persons-to-be.

Learning happens when students internalize their knowledge and externalize their experiences. Technology and Web 2.0 tools make learning visible by providing artifacts of learning as students reflect, create, communicate and collaborate. In the 21^st Century learning environment, technology becomes an essential feature of learning. It allows teachers to access the best teaching materials available. The fast array of delivery methods allows students to choose the best way for how and when they learn. Effective and appropriate integration of technology in learning is a powerful tool that can be used to motivate students as they self-direct their learning, explore, participate actively in the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, engage in social interactions to develop connections not just with the topic at hand but also with other students, critically evaluate the experiences, and develop higher-level thinking. These are 21^st Century skills that are key factors to be successful in work and life.

References:

Looi, C.-K., Seow, P., Zhang, B., So, H.-J., Chen, W., & Wong, L.-H. (2010). Leveraging mobile technology for sustainable seamless learning: A research agenda, British journal of educational technology, 41(2), pp. 154-169.

Mancabelli, R., Richardson, W. (2011). Becoming a networked learner, personal learning networks: Using the power of connections to transform education, pp. 33-57.