360 Unit 11

Brief Lecture Notes for Unit 11

In class, we will be completing a "jigsaw classroom" exercise. Click here for more information about the jigsaw classroom technique. (The information you'll be teaching each other -- about the influence of five brain regions on child personality and behavior -- will be fair game for the unit exam and for the final, by the way!)

Here are some other controversies and issues related to the school as a social institution. Especially if you are a future educator, deciding where you stand on each of these issues below is a good head start toward preparing yourself for your career. Review these briefly before class in preparation for the in-class discussion.

1. Pedagogy vs. andragogy

The "pedagogical" classroom is one that emphasizes the role disparity between teacher and learners. The teacher (a defined content expert) does most of the talking; the learners are mostly passive recipients. It is obvious to even the most casual observer who is the teacher, who controls the process. In an "andragogical" classroom, the role similarity between teacher and learners is proportionately emphasized. The teacher's role is that of catalyst; while s/he brings some degree of content expertise to the role, that is secondary to her/his ability to encourage productive interactions. Learners do most of the talking and control most of the process. It may not always be obvious at first (apart from such cues as age differences) who is the teacher. Of course, most classrooms strike a balance between "pure" pedagogy and "pure" andragogy; the question is, where is the optimal balance for students of a given type (age) and for subject matter of a given sort?

2. Multiple intelligences

Proponents of multiple intelligence models emphasize that there is more than one way to be smart; individuals differ from one another, not so much in terms of "how much" intelligence they have, but in terms of "what kind" (what unique combination of mental strengths and weaknesses) they have. All of us are smart in some ways, not so smart in others. Various such models exist; Sternberg, for instance, posits three basic kinds of intelligence (formal-verbal-abstract, concrete-practical-pragmatic, and social-emotional-relational). To what extent is the role of the school (and the teacher) one of helping learners to identify and utilize their best kind of intelligence... to individualize instructional approaches so as not to unduly favor one kind over others? What does this imply for the traditional process of grading (hierarchical evaluation or ranking of students by ability or performance)? Come to think of it, to what extent do grades matter... or not? Why? What role do grades play in society? Are there alternative "solutions" to the "problem" grades address? What might they be?

3. Learning styles and the Big Five

Earlier in class we reviewed the Big Five, but without a clear exposition of how these personality differences might impact the classroom experience. Here is a "starter kit" of thoughts along those lines... can you add more? (As a start: which personality traits get "preferential treatment" in the traditional classroom? Does your answer depend on the age of the learners -- kindergarten to grad school?)

E+ types like more interactivity in the classroom, probably more group work, like to study with others. E- types like more solitary work and studying alone. E+ learners tend to respond out loud and immediately, E- learners respond to themselves and/or after some "soak time" or "think time".
O+ types like more abstract, theoretical, and probably nonlinear approaches with an emphasis on mental quickness (top-down approach) and on learning as an end in itself (ens entium), and prefer unique, original, creative approaches and styles. O- types like more concrete, pragmatic, and probably linear approaches with an emphasis on soundness of understanding (bottom-up approach) and on the real-world applications and uses of learning.
A+ types need a harmonious, collegial, cooperative environment where they are liked, valued, and appreciated and their contributions respected (as extensions of themselves and their worth/value). They need to like, and relate to, the teacher as a person. A- types need a challenging, independent, competitive environment where they can hone their ideas through a process of intellectual critique. They need to perceive that the teacher is competent and expert.
C+ types need high levels of structure, certainty, predictability, and order in their learning environment, will take deadlines and guidelines and instructions seriously (even nitpickily so), may react negatively to humor, may be too (obsessively) focused. C- types need high levels of freedom, autonomy, spontaneity, and fun in their learning environment, will treat deadlines and guidelines and instructions with flexibility (or neglect whether benign or not), may need lots of humor to stay motivated, may lack focus.
N+ types do not learn well under stress, while N- types may (?) actually focus more or do better under "make or break" high-stress conditions.

If we think of conceptualizing, observing, discussing, and experiencing as four general ways of gathering information, how do you predict these learning styles would relate to the Big Five? Which is your own best way to learn? Least favorite?

4. The mission of the school

Are schools about learning in a narrow sense (Readin', 'Ritin', 'Rithmetic), or about the formation of well-rounded whole persons and good citizens? Should our focus be more on content (what kids know) or process (how they think)? What is, or is not, within the school's mission? How about extracurricular activities, for instance? To what extent should the school be a surrogate parent or, as they used to say in my day, in loco parentis?

5. Value neutrality, multiculturalism, and cultural literacy

In an increasingly diverse, pluralistic, multicultural society such as ours, how (if at all) should schools teach, or approach questions relating to, values, ethics, and morals? Is this part of the school's job? Why or why not? How can this be done (if it can) without running afoul of the First Amendment or other assorted lesser amendments? How can schools be culture fair -- or should this even be a concern? Is there a base of knowledge that "all Americans" should know? If so, what and why? Can (and should) education be a value-free or value-neutral enterprise? Why or why not?

6. Age graded classrooms

We take age segregation in public education for granted, but why? Is it a good or a bad idea, and why? What alternatives might exist? What consequences or implications of age segregation might result from this practice? (100 years ago, the typical child -- in the rural Midwest at least -- was educated in a "one room schoolhouse" of mixed ages from 5 to 15. Better or worse than the system we have now? Why?)

7. Aptitude vs. achievement

Is the ability to learn something built in (genetically determined or genetically pre-programmed) or something that can be acquired through experience and socialization? What difference does it make? How could we go about answering questions of this sort? What implications does this have for educational practices like standardized testing?

8. Mainstreaming

How should "special needs children" best be handled -- by integrating them into the regular classroom, or by segregating them in special classes? What are some arguments that can be made for each approach? How might schools go about deciding about such matters?

9. The Pygmalion effect

How do teachers' expectations of, or perceptions of, students influence the students' academic experience and performance? Why? What can be done about this? What implications does this have for the question of how well effective teachers should (or should not) get to know their students as unique individuals (since part of "getting to know" someone means assigning a mental label to them)?

10. Alternatives to public education

Why is there an apparently increasing desire on the part of many parents to find alternatives to traditional public education? Is this a good or a bad idea in your view? What arguments might be advanced on both sides of the coin? What kinds of alternatives might make the most sense? What challenges to "traditional" education do they pose?

11. To infinity and beyond

What other pertinent issues related to educational practice can you identify and discuss?