‘Classroom without Walls’ by Jacqueline S. McLaughlin
This paper reviews the significance of learning outside a classroom setting, with better facets of learning and understanding achieved by students with reference to Jacqueline S. McLaughlin’s article titled ‘Classroom without Walls’. It also elucidates the essentials needed for better understanding of the environment as a way of enabling the students acquire the perfect knowledge needed for conservation of environment, and it is to be achieved through engaging the students on activities outside the classroom and the applicability of McLaughlin’s assertions. .
Article Summary
Through research, it is betoken that the existing ecosystems are at a threat ascribed to the human impacts on biodiversity, and thence, there is an imperative need for the call of vital measures to protect the quality of biodiversity. McLaughlin (2005) avows that the protection of the biodiversity largely depends on the education system and the outcomes built upon the environmental ethics. He further attests that, biology teachers who are to foster environmental ethics are to embark students on activities natural environment, outside the classroom setting, and give them the opportunity contextualize their learning through demonstrations and experiments.
Discussion
McLaughlin’s article describes the requisites of experimental education as a pedagogical approach that advocates for better apprehension of biological concepts that could otherwise aid in inculcating the aspects of environmental ethics in students. Furthermore, she affirms that the experimental activities and procedure are effective in that they help correct and analyze misconceptions that could have arouse from memorizing of colored, coded diagrams and other ideologies that are not presented experimentally. Sharma (2005) attest that field experiences are more meaningful and allow easier transfer of learning to solutions in real-life problems. Also, direct experience can be given to students for effective comprehension and explanation of key issues learnt in the classroom.
McLaughlin acknowledges the development of parameters for the field courses in biodiversity and conservation of biology that employ components such as experimental, teaching and learning, and interdisciplinary elements, in creating vital opportunities for students to probe into detailed conservation issues and biodiversity. This enables students obtain first-hand information and develop their cognitive ability. Similarly, students build large potentials of applying the factual knowledge learnt in class, in experiments and field observations. This is in concurrence with Sharma (2005) assertation that fieldwork permits first-hand study of many things and aspects of issues that cannot be brought into the classroom because of the size and other inconveniences. For instance, the environmental aspect; flora and fauna.
The author champions for quality protection of the environment basing her arguments, on better understanding of biological concepts that can bestow the environmental ethics. However, she has not taken into consideration the nuclear activities and other technological issues that affect the environment and how they can be learnt. In line with this, Mclaughlin upholds the importance of the model of education outside the classroom setting, ascribing to the fact that most students only understand what they can see directly. However, the model is not applicable in some field of studies, for instance mathematics. The teaching process of this subject requires a better part of note-memorize paradigm, in essence that most of facts and concepts had been proven, and there is no need of going outside of the classroom to emphasize on the ideologies learnt in the classroom.
Conclusion
Concisely the strength of the article overwhelms the weaknesses in the article, reckoning the ideologies highlighted in the article; there is the preposition of outside learning in improving the understanding of concepts taught in biology and conservation of the environment. Similarly, the development of the parameters for the field course purposefully for creation of opportunities to student in the learning environment, is precisely the fundamental idea in building and improving the students’ cognitive ability. However, the mishaps in the failure to discuss other aspects like nuclear activities that can affect the environment and the application of the model into other subjects tend to be a setback in the article.
References
McLaughlin, J. S. (2005). Classrooms without walls. The Journal of College Science
Teaching, 34 (4): 5-6. (editorial). Retrieved from
http://www.chance.psu.edu/publications/Classrooms without walls2005.pdf
Sharma, S. (2005). Advanced Educational Technology. New Delhi: Anmol Publications
PVT. Ltd.
