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Aspects of pedagogy
Pedagogy = teaching + learning
- Teaching = scaffolding learning activities + mediation of learning experiences
- Learning = (activities ->) experiences + programmed knowledge + questioning insight
These come together in the pedagogy as process model according to the various contributions of the teacher and the learner to each 'step' in the process. It is too simplistic to treat the model as if the teacher did some steps and the learner did others. Indeed to a greater or lesser extent both teacher and learner contribute to each task. These contributions may or may not be conscious, agreed and/or intended
Some of the outcomes of mediating the learning experience are that
- the learner can make a greater contribution to each step in the process
- the learner has greater awareness of each step...
Pedagogy as process
Processes are made up of various related tasks and activities. A basic set of 'generic pedagogical tasks' has been assumed at this stage of the project. Not all the following steps are necessarily explicit in all teaching and learning.
1. Establish rapport as the basis of working relationships
- establish trust, shared overall purposes and distribution of responsibilities
2. Choose a learning focus
- achieve an agreed specific purpose for the efforts to follow
- address several dimensions of learning: hopes, needs, interests, benefits
3. Check on prior learning:
- check on hopes, needs, knowledge and experience
- establish a sound basis and starting point for new learning
- establish the zone of proximal development (ZPD) ...more
- make existing
knowledge and skills more readily available
- experience provides a basis for future learning and for independent checking thinking against reality
- saves on rework
4. Design learning task and make provision
- make purposes (hopes and expectations) and policies explicit
- specify activities and schedules ...
- include means of knowing about progress and achievement
- organise and assign requirements (resources, permissions & responsibilities...)
5. Undertake Learning Task (Do it !!)
- teacher and/or student provide scaffolding for the learning activity
- learners act and acquire, process and (re)present information
- (#) monitor progress with the task and activities
- teachers mediate students' undertaking the learning task
6. Check on learning: (*) Assessment and evaluation
- reflect on activities, processes, products, experience and learning:
- knowledge &
skills acquired
- effectiveness of
learning processes used
- self as learner
(insights)
7. Explore transference of learning
The above leads attention to teacher and student actions and thus to action learning, teacher skills and scaffolding and mediation.
Interpretation and application
The balance and emphasis given to the contributions of teacher and learner at each step in the above may vary significantly.
- The process model can be understood as consistent with other contemporary frameworks such as Powerful Pedagogies.
- Similarly the model can also be understood as consistent with very traditional and/or allegedly authoritarian styles of teaching.
An alternative view
The model below is the beginnings of a systems model of pedagogy. It is derived from the works of Feuerstein, Skuy (a student of Feuerstein) and Deming
