Session 7: Teaching Models

Task 1- IN CLASS

Traditional Education

Traditional education or back-to-basics refers to long-established customs found in schools that society has traditionally deemed appropriate. Traditional teacher-centered methods focused on rote learning and memorization. Historically, the primary educational technique of traditional education was simple oral recitation.

Behaviorism

Behaviourism is a method applied through repetition of desired actions, rewarding good habits and the discouraging bad habits. In the classroom this view of learning led to a great deal of repetitive actions, praise for correct outcomes and immediate correction of mistakes.

Constructivism

Constructivism is a discipline based on the construction of reality. It is said that we cannot know what is real or can’t ever find the truth because when we have knowledge of something we base it upon basic perceptions of reality and there will always be an approximant to what we construct in our minds.

Precursors:

William Spady, Benjamin Bloom & Maria Montessori (Traditional Education)

Wilhelm Wundt, Ivan Pavlov & B.F. Skinner (Behaviorism)

Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky & John Dewey (Constructivism)

What do they have in common?

These methods have in common the actions related to memorizing and have strong influence in learning. Traditional Education focuses on memorizing as so does Behaviorism. Constructivism is based on knowledge already acquired also relating it to the other two.

What are their differences?

Traditional education focuses on concepts, memory as an absolute method where everything “is as it is” and isn’t “could be”, centering in the teacher as an unquestionable being. Behaviorism focuses on mind constructed action, either good or bad, making repetition of good habits rewarded and bad habits punished. In other words, positive elements are reinforced and negative elements are studied to transform into positive. Constructivism, however, has a principle focus on constructing knowledge and modifying old ideas to new concepts.

Task 2- IN CLASS

Personally what model do you prefer?

I personally prefer Constructivism because it permits students to think and analyze more ideas to modify their own perception of their surroundings. It’s a method to help students question their own ideas and construct new concepts, with the aid of the teacher.