Let me add this to the "pot" and see if the picture doesn't become
richer...
I believe that the difference in Androgogy and Pedagogy might illustrate
the beginnings of the problems...and that WE (the experts in examining
teaching and learning, etc) are the cause of the "problem."
In Pedagogy, we say that children are "empty cups" and that we as teachers
should "pour" into them information to help them form models/structures to
hold their experience--we're the experts--as adults, as teachers, as
parents--so of course, the children hear, "shut up, listen and learn."
In Androgogy, we believe adults have models/structures that are built up
from experience...our goal in teaching is always learning, but
accomplished many different ways. But, in general, the method is to help
adults learn through self-discovery...each puts the information in the
structure best suited to him or her. Sometimes the structures stretch to
hold this new info., sometimes it doesn't. Frankly, it doesn't seem to me
that adults learn all that well after school...present company excluded!
I wonder if we've got these beliefs about learning right. Maybe we should
reverse the applications to children and adults and see what happens?
So, thanks Conrad for your contribution...and thanks At for finding a
great new term for lurkers!
Douglas M. Max
Managing Director
LR Communication Systems, Inc. http://www.LRcom.com
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--Douglas Max <dmax@bellatlantic.net>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>