Review article
https://doi.org/10.32728/mo.06.3.2011.10
CURRENT TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES
Claudio Desinan
; University of Trieste (Italy)
Abstract
Methods, planning, and strategies have represented three distinct phases of didactic and pedagogic research. Current trends tend to focus once again on the importance of the teacher, and give preference to procedures that help pupils grasp the significant elements of the teaching contents. Current didactic strategies include Rogers' “non-directive learning”, “research-action” “teaching to think”; “problem solving” Ausubel's “bifactorial teaching-learning” model; and more recent strategies such as the Bruner-inspired “meaningful teaching” and “peer education” (a sort of mutual teaching between peers, or between older and younger children). Each of these strategies has aspects that are different from the others. More generally, each one of them stands in opposition to transmissive teaching, which forces pupils into a passive condition and imposes mnemonic learning. The most extensive research on this issue was conducted in the field of mathematics teaching and dates back to the 1980s. This research has highlighted the fact that the key condition for a successful outcome is the direct classroom work carried out by the Teacher, and not the procedure in and of it self. There are a wealth of experiences and suggestions in this regard. The teacher must take on the role of mediator, guide, or learning facilitator; this role should include suggestions, reports, reprimands, and demonstrations along with overall and initial teaching units, and should constantly provide tools for re-structuring the knowledge that has gradually been acquired. It must also avail itself of the art of “problem solving” and the ability to frame a problem, formulate new conjectures, and add variables. However, it would be mistaken to contrast heuristic and transmissive teaching strategies. Another thesis which needs to be revised is that which maintains that a good strategy, in order to be successful, must establish links with a pupil's life experience; on the contrary, pupils need to be able to think through problems that are not related to their experiences.
Keywords
Teaching; didactic methodology; transmissive strategies and heuristic and interactive strategies; the role of the teacher
Hrčak ID:
71615
URI
Publication date:
5.9.2011.
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