Thoughts on educational technique

[Mims44 1,867]

I'd like to get peoples opinions on teaching techniques currently used in the US and what people think we should be doing.

Some of the most prevalent ones:

1. Traditional: Involves lectures and reading assignments mostly, moves along at a steady pace, relies on bell curve results where most students will be average a few will master the lesson and a few will not learn it, is the most popular form of teaching currently in America.

Cons for this are, our country is constantly falling behind in education standards from other 1st world countries. teachers and education boards love it though.

2. Problem based learning: Is much less structured than traditional learning and places emphasis on the childs desire to become educated. The teacher becomes more a facilitator and less of a traditional teacher. Students often work in small groups to problem solve using available materials (IE: books, internet, library). Actual lectures and assigned readings are very rare, the teacher will often get the class going on a subject and then bring forth a series of problems and the children will learn about the subject based on solving the problems. In testing these students tend to do better at problem solving, critical thinking than traditional students but are also a bit slower on "gimmie" questions on standardized tests.

Cons for this are teacher/school based mostly as PBLs tend to cost a bit more since you are offering such a wide spread curriculum.

3. Mastery learning: This involves very in-depth work for the teacher as it focuses on getting away from the bell curve results all together. Instead of following a set path of instruction on a set time the teacher will begin a lesson and administer a test, from the results of this first test the teacher will analyze the strongest and weakest students of the class on that particular subject. The students that are the strongest will be given a higher level of learning instruction to do on their own while the teacher works with the mediocre and weak students to get them to the mastery level of the best students. Lessons do not move forward until the class has demonstrated a mastery of the subject. The few schools that have instituted mastery learning do very well in standardized tests, though it should be noted mastery learning is rarely implemented and usually only in higher class socioeconomic areas.

Cons for this is also teacher/school based as it increases the workload of the teacher to a huge degree, since they are charged with making sure everyone learns and must take part in small group or even one on one teaching. It is also believed that this method is unfair as the weaker students will get more face time with the teacher than the best students (not joking here, this is a constant complaint)

There are more out there and feel free to bring them up if you want, I picked these three as traditional is the most used and PBL/Mastery learning interest me the most, and are the two I think would have the best chance of increasing our scores vs other nations.

[cooltigger21 0]

I don't know all of the techniques. I do think we need to move away from the traditional lecture type situation and allow a greater freedom for different methods.

[Mims44 1,867]

I don't know all of the techniques. I do think we need to move away from the traditional lecture type situation and allow a greater freedom for different methods.

A lot of our traditional teaching is based around the time of WWII, and stresses conformity over learning.

Which is the base root of a lot of our educational problems in America.

[channonc 466]

I'm a big fan of problem based learning. I was exposed to a high poverty school that was converting to that method and the kids loved it. On top of that, the school recruited businesses and professionals in the community to become resources for the student in problem solving. For example, if the problem required some time of engineering component, the teacher would have a list and would be able to connect students with an engineer in the community who would be willing to help walk the group through some of their proposed solutions.

I will say though, that with some more traditional subjects, basic math, reading and even literature-- which I think it is important-- may require some more traditionally based methods.

[Mims44 1,867]

I'm a big fan of problem based learning. I was exposed to a high poverty school that was converting to that method and the kids loved it. On top of that, the school recruited businesses and professionals in the community to become resources for the student in problem solving. For example, if the problem required some time of engineering component, the teacher would have a list and would be able to connect students with an engineer in the community who would be willing to help walk the group through some of their proposed solutions.

I will say though, that with some more traditional subjects, basic math, reading and even literature-- which I think it is important-- may require some more traditionally based methods.

Yeah, PBL requires more resources. But when it's pulled off correctly it has done insanely well.

Reading is a bit easy to do PBLs with, though you don't think of it as such because traditional learning actually used a PBL line of thinking for this one subject.

Giving questions before reading that requires free thinking on the part of the student goes along both methods.

[autigeremt 6,599]

Problem based learning up to grade 10. From 11 on you should start to transition into Mastery learning as you prepare for college.

[Mims44 1,867]

Problem based learning up to grade 10. From 11 on you should start to transition into Mastery learning as you prepare for college.

Based on what reasoning?