Learning Perspectives

Current educational faculties infuse different learning perspectives in a bid to ensure maximum learning takes place. In this discussion, we shall review four main perspectives namely traditionalist approach, constructivism approach, technical approach and the deliberative approach in terms of theory, assessment and practical ways in which the approaches may be used in core learning curriculums. The traditionalist approach focuses on content delivery as the main objective in learning. Students are required to achieve a form of discipline within a given subject and accord the necessary individual effort required to acquire the necessary knowledge. The Saxon curriculum in mathematics is based on such a curriculum, as the student is required to undergo structured learning stages before the relevant content can be achieved. The stratification occurs in a progressive manner from kindergarten to high school level (Greer, 2002). In each of the successive mathematical sections, a placement exam and guidelines is to be applied by a qualified instructor. The teacher is supposed to ensure that a student scores 80% in each exam before moving on to the next section, failure to which the given section and topics must be repeated. This approach is based on the incremental approach that builds on basic mathematical foundations such that as the learner advances in the various learning stages the composite nature of the problems increases.

The constructivism perspective on the other hand focuses on the student thereby regarded as an inverse of the traditionalist view. Teachers are accorded a secondary position in leaning for curriculum facilitation. The simulation, Voyage of the Mimi, is a good example. The program’s objective is to aid scholars in whale studying. The student is expected to infuse map reading knowledge, proper navigation and identification of the whales. The initial consists of a team of two scientists and young research aides that assists the scientists in their whale research expedition. Each of the sessions contains a documentary that assists the learner in developing scientific facts and knowledge. The other part of the voyage details a marine journey that leads Mimi into Yucatan, Mexico accompanied by a team of archaeologists bent on the discovery and advancement of the stages that the Mayan civilization underwent (National Research Council US, 1996). To aid students with their study, the simulation offers a referencing section that contains thematic guides, databases containing the identity and additional information of the whales, research books, graphs and other useful resources.

It is based on the constructivism based on the stages of cognitive development as discussed by Piaget. Below the age of two years, a child is able to develop cognitive capability using motor and sensory receptions. Between two and seven years, the child develops cognitive skills through symbols. Between seven and eleven years, thinking skills in term of logic are developed while beyond this, they build on their own thinking patterns in a formal manner. The technical approach applies behavioral objective within the learning field reducing the learner to the level of the subject and accords an active verb to describe the action that the student must demonstrate. We will develop a social study curriculum to demonstrate this perspective (Oakley, 2004). Qualitative conditions are afforded in the given action or duty and all requirements must be met before the instructor can quantify whether the student has realized the given goal. These objectives are given in form of questions. For instance, the question, name five types of fruits and identify which food group they are classified in would be an objective method of teaching. The basic requirement in this case is defined by fruit naming and classification.

The conditions attached are that five fruits must be clearly identified and correctly placed in their relevant food groups. The assessment criterion will require the given conditions to be fully met or else the student may be ranked as having acquired minimal information in the given study field. The Practice is based on the Structured Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) framework, introduced by Biggs. Responses are categorized as pre-structural where the student is unable to offer the required material, uni-structural where the student offers just what is required by the teacher or multi-structural where the student offers the required and some additional information. Relational responses are a higher form of reaction that the student exhibits by relating the given question to daily situations. Lastly, the deliberative approach aims at piquing a critical thinking perspective in students as opposed to a linear format in which the students are programmed to work in given manner. The creation of different perspectives is what is termed as deliberation (Chapman, 2007). For instance, a student may be required to complete the simile as white as a…. In such a case, the student should deliberate on what responses may be used to fill the gap. It is based on a relativist approach as discussed by Schwab. We will use this in the creation of an English curriculum.

References

Chapman, S. A. (2007). Transformative-Deliberative Curriculum Theory. Retrieved from etd.ohiolink.edu/send-pdf.cgi/Chapman%20Shelley%20Ann.pdf?

Greer, R. D. (2002). Designing teaching strategies: an applied behavior analysis systems approach. London, UK: Academic Press.

National Research Council US. (1996). National Science Education Standards: observe, interact, change, learn. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Oakley, L. (2004). Cognitive development. New York, NY: Routledge.