Goodreads Bookshelf
Types of learning, types of teaching
Erik called my attention to an article called "Is it Cheating or Is It Collaboration." The article starts with a suggestion that "many students might not view using modern technology to share answers as 'cheating' so much as they would view it as wikipedia-like collaboration" and also that students are more and more cheating and have a relaxed attitude toward cheating. The post then focuses on a comment from another discussion that the real problem is schooling that focuses on memorization. Several of the commenters piled on against memorization and in favor of collaboration, though a few dissenting voices pointed out that "collaboration" in high school (and, based on the experiences there, extending into college) often means some students working hard while other students take credit for the work without doing much of it. Another commenter pointed out the culpability of standardized tests in fostering this kind of teaching.
For my part, I think I would argue for balance in education. Memorization has its place, as does "thinking," as does collaboration. Each one of these things, however, has to be implemented thoughtfully. I'm not saying I always succeed, but I try.For instance, in my English classes, I do find a place for memorization, specifically learning vocabulary words. Can students look up words when they're reading? Sure they can, but they don't. Often, when kids memorize words they still can't use them correctly, but to me the memorization is a first step. First, they'll start using those words and when they do so incorrectly they can be corrected. Second, when they encounter the words in books they're reading--whether in English or history or some other class or on the internet--they can combine the meaning they've memorized with the context to better understand what they're reading and to better understand how the word is properly used. Third, say what you will about the validity of the SAT or ACT, they're still relevent in the college admissions process, and even though analogies--the most direct test of vocabulary--are no longer used, having a good vocabulary at one's command (or at least enough knowledge to make good guesses) helps one on these tests. In an ideal world, students would develop their vocabularies more organically, through reading broadly, but absent that, memorization plays an important role.At the same time, working together has a place, and it isn't texting the answers to your friend by cellphone or using a camera phone to share the test with a friend taking it later. One place it can enter the classroom is through projects, though they have to be carefully designed and managed to ensure--as much as possible--equality of contribution. When studying Shakespeare or other plays, acting projects can be one form of collaboration, where at least a certain amount of equality can be ensured through the number of lines performed. Another important form of work emphasizing the dynamics of group work is the Harkness discussion, in which students manage a class discussion with little or no input from the teacher. Points of emphasis are the overall quality of the discussion, group dynamics, and full participation, among other things. Equally, though, have to learn critical thinking skills, and this is one of the hardest things we teachers try to do. We test it through essays, but in the internet age it's very easy to plagiarize or otherwise pass off the responsibility and often difficult to detect (unless fairly obscure texts are chosen). In-class work of various kinds helps with this, such as hand-writing an essay or a first draft in class. We can help develop and assess thinking skills through discussion to some extent, though oral arguments in that context often are not as developed as written ones can be, and the ability to systemetize and develop an argument or an idea is an important skill to develop--it pretty well is the essence of critical thinking.In any case, my point was that none of these forms of learning should be privileged to the exclusion of the others, though critical thinking skills are (IMHO) the most important and true collaboration and interpersonal exchange of ideas is right up there. I know that my wife works on these same skills in her science classes too, so even though I've talked about this in the context of the English classroom, I don't by any means think this balance is exclusive to my discipline. I know that in her science classrooms Lauren works at developing all of these types of learning too: some things just have to be remembered, but there's also a focus on problem-solving and working together in the lab. To some extent, it's just good teaching and it happens in every discipline where good teaching is taking place.