Where is the boundary between actual declarative knowledge (factual content) and educative experiential learning (reflection and critical thinking skills)? How do you fit those two together in one teaching/learning experience?
The boundary between factual content and educative experiential learning is at the point where the instructor creates questions to the students, rather than dictate answers. While factual content informs learners to pick the lesson in its absolute form, an experiential teaching method elicits the need for more research and a thirst for removing the layers that raise more information about the subject. PowerPoint presentations and notes from the integral methods used in declarative knowledge while conversations, classroom debates, and brainstorming are the main qualities of experiential learning. A teacher can create a balance between the two methodologies but inviting the students to poke holes to the ideas postulated in the books and notes. Asking questions on the factual content can raise the curiosity for new research and discoveries.
What do you do with students who, for one reason or another, believe that the teacher should only be transmitting concrete knowledge directly to them?
I know most of us want discussion and want to be included in the learning experience in a collaborative manner. However, I have known quite some students over time who do wish to simply sit down, listen to me talk, and take notes. To delve any deeper than that seems to confuse them and make them uncomfortable. Personally, I believe it is my job as an educator to make people uncomfortable sometimes (not the same as creating an unsafe environment - safe and comfortable are not the same thing), but these students are still a challenge.
The best way to change the mindsets of the students who just expect the instructor to lecture as they take notes is to start every course by explaining the need to collaborative learning. This can be done by showing the students the advantages of engaging with the instructor and other students, with a focus to constructing new opinions and questioning the class content. Setting out rules of interaction during class sessions can help in protecting the students who do not feel confident in their opinions. The main angle of discussions should be to make class sessions livelier and ensure that the ideas of fellow students are appreciated, on top of passing the content in the coursework.
How do you/would you deal with these types of students?
As noted above, the students need to be taught that learning is not about taking notes and watching the lecturer doing presentations. In extreme situations, especially when the behaviors of these students persist, it would help if the instructor engages the students in one-on-one conversations. Having a chat with a student can boost their morale and confidence to share ideas in a public setting. Sometimes, even endorsing or appreciating someone’s ideas on completely different topics can boost their general confidence on other subjects. While the method can be tiring and time-consuming, the efforts are worth it because turning around the mindsets of these students can liven the classroom experiences for them. Better interactions and collaborative learning would result to less plagiarism and more chances of passing exams.
How do you view the roles of the student and teacher, as well as what role does education play in a person's development?
Response to the discussion post asks a question according to that post
The discussion post makes very bold and thoughtful concepts in the process of learning and interactions between a student and a teacher. It makes noteworthy assertions on learning, relearning and unlearning; that paints the whole process as a journey to the better conceptualization of knowledge. However, it leaves much to be desired on the ways that educators can use to transfer the knowledge about learning to students and other professions. That begs the question; what are the methods that can be used to encourage collaborative learning among teachers?
