Pedagogy of the Oppressed

How significant is Paulo Freire? He was the author of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. That has to at least count for something. Coming from a somewhat middle class background Freire, born in Recife, Brazil on 19 September 1921. Freire had, especially since he lived through it, a first-hand experience of what the Great Depression was like. Poverty and hunger were part of everyday life for Freire.

In 1943, Freire enrolled in law school at the University of Recife. In addition to reading law, Freire had a keen interest in phenomenology. According to the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, phenomenology “is commonly understood in either of two ways: as a disciplinary field in philosophy, or as a movement in the history of philosophy.”

Pedagogy of the Oppressed, published in 1970, became the basis for a theory pertaining to democratic schooling. In this theory, the primary purpose of education is defined as liberatory. Whilst Freire graduated from law school and passed the all-important bar exam, he did not actually go onto practice law. He went into academia at a secondary school level. He taught Portuguese. Education was important to Freire.
For Freire, there was a fundamental emancipatory purpose to education. There is historical context to why it is Freire viewed education the way he did. This view stems from literacy being a prerequisite for voting in presidential elections. Anyone that did not meet the minimum literacy requirements was automatically disenfranchised. Education was therefore essential to expressing a political voice. Freire argues the following six points:

1.      There is a dialectical dynamic to Knowledge

a.       Knowledge is contextual as well as historical in nature

2.      Human beings and nature have an inseparable connection

a.       The former cannot exist without the latter

3.      Neutrality does not exist in either the theoretical or the practical application of education

a.       There is a connection, via an ideological foundation, to both cultural politics and socio-economic-status

4.      Not only is critical discourse essential, ongoing critique is vital

5.      A theory of resistance must be present

a.       Associated with this theory, there must also be a counter-hegemony associated with any liberatory educational process

6.      Educational practices, democratic in nature, must reflect a dialogical praxis

a.       Students, as historical subjects, have an innate power to transform their environment and subsequently the world

There is a clear line of thought to what it is Freire wrote. Do you know what that might be? Do you know what it was that influenced Freire? It does not exactly take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Think it through. We are talking about an individual born and raised in South American country during the early to mid-twentieth century. Freire was influenced by Frantz Fanon and Karl Marx. This in itself, at least for conservatively minded Americans, is justification for not reading anything penned by this particular Brazilian. But then… Who really cares about what conservatives think? Marxist ideologies are not exactly the flavour of the month with those people. Marxism, to conservatives, is merely Communism by another name. These people have a tendency to take narrowmindedness to incredibly high levels.

Reference

Freire, P.  (1970/2000).  Pedagogy of the oppressed:  30th Anniversary Edition.  New York:  Continuum.

Smith, & Woodruff, D. (2003, November 16). Phenomenology. Retrieved 30 September 2015, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/

Experience & Education

There is a solid argument that can be made that Experience & Education, written by John Dewey, is an attempt at a resolution in what some people have viewed a progressive-conservative-controversy. This so-called controversy, largely pertaining to teaching methodology, speaks to both the way we receive an education and the way students connect with that education. Interestingly both conservatives and progressives educational reformer Dewey as a leading figure in the study of educational methodology and implementation.

There is indication some academics have considered certain radical tenets practiced by progressive educators had not found just cause within Dewey’s writing; therefore, were probably not subject to his approval. For some people, Dewey has apparently not drawn a definitive line in the sand. There is no clearly defined statement indicating where Dewey would draw a line between progressives and conservatives.

Dewey attempts to find a middle ground, a Goldilocks zone if you will, were moderation is a key principle in both theory and application. Many academics have sought to resolve the educational issues Dewey addresses in his work. Few have accomplished anywhere near the level of success Dewey has.

Based on the reading, Dewey is somewhat suspicious of what he refers to as the “either-or” approach to stating and discussing issues. The professor tries to look to the deeper innate problems than merely focus superficial surface issues. In doing so, Dewey attempts the creation of a doctrine, comprehensive in scope, which addresses the truths and errors of both theories: progressive and conservative. In an effort to find a middle ground, Dewey expressly illustrates the extremes of both approaches.

From a reactionary perspective, Dewey indicates major portions relate to an imposition from above. There is an externalised form of discipline at work. Much of, if not all, the learning done by students is either from textbooks or the teachers themselves. Dewey argues that the acquiring isolated skills is insufficient. This approach can only lead the individual student to not only an isolationist future, but also what could possibly be stagnant aims. Progressives look to cultivate a freer approach.

Learning through experience, as Dewey is advocating in his work, lends itself to a more personable approach to education. What is the point of having skills if the person that possess them has no clear way of putting those skills into practice? In this model, students are presented with problems and the resolution to those problems is sought by practical means. This is essentially the appeal of the progressive approach to learning. As a fellow graduate student often states, the best way of learning is doing. As it is with the conservative approach, progressives have somehow been unable to account for certain fundamental educational features. Dewey draws attention to this oversight.

Dewey highlights a need for “continuity of experience,” a concept the professor repeatedly addresses throughout his work. This is coupled with a need to present material in an organised fashion. He is not enthusiastic about the notion, with the abundance of experience the teacher has, plays no direct part in guiding what it is pupils learn. The usage of the word pupils, not exactly American in origin, indicates a more Euro-centric mid-nineteenth century approach to academia where children are taught by the teacher rather than study for themselves. The distinction is that, when referenced as pupils, the children have no direct input into what it is they are required to learn. Dewey does not agree with the idea what we know of the past, being acquainted with prior times, plays little or no part in the educational experience. Regardless of this, Dewey shows the presence of academic freedoms for the children does not automatically mean the absence of either control or direction by the teacher.

The aim Dewey is trying to arrive at with his work is not necessarily the formation of an acceptable working educational doctrine. The professor is attempting to address the fundamental basis, in both theoretical and philosophical terms, an “organic connection between education and personal experience” (p. 12). The establishment of an “education in order to accomplish its ends both for the individual learner and for society must be based upon experience-which is always the actual life-experience of some individual” (p. II3) is highly coveted.

Does this form the basis for discriminating between what is good and what is bad about the educational system? Is there such a thing as good and bad education? Recent evidence, based on a recent survey published by the National Science Foundation, there is such a thing as bad education. According to the survey, 26 percent of Americans surveyed believe the sun orbits the Earth. Whilst it is true Americans fared better than Europeans did with the same basic astronomy question, the survey Europeans took was in 2005. The survey Americans took was significantly more recent. I digress…

Is there a clearly defined distinction between good and bad education? Dewey writes, “It is a great mistake to suppose, even tacitly, that the traditional school- room was not a place where pupils had experiences” (p. 14). The professor also writes, “Experiences which were had, by pupils and teachers alike, were largely of a wrong kind” (p. 15). This is highly plausible. The fact a child is experiencing is not exactly a good measure of either the pupil’s experiences or the educational establishment.

Does Dewey fully articulate what he means by good and bad education? Good education to one person may not be that good to someone else. It is the difference between what is desirable and what is undesirable. Conceptually speaking, it is the same. Nevertheless, Dewey relies upon the quality of the education for much of his response. Does Dewey expand upon where he obtained the criteria for either good and or bad education? Not really. At least, not clearly. Dewey references experience, the nature thereof, but this in itself does not directly pertain to a concrete basis for making a vivid distinction between marking one as good and the other as bad. Experience is such an ambiguous term. It could pertain to anything and it typically does. We are more than the sum of our individual experiences.

It would be unwise to not examine the merits of what Dewey has proposed. One needs to examine the specifics, the details in precise exactitude, before one can smoother every aspect of education in the enormity of a single term: experience. If everything we do can be considered a contribution to our experience, it must follow that all education is experience. We are unable to distinguish between one kind of education and another simply because one is more desirable than another. Desire, in itself, is subjective. We must apply criteria which will aid us in distinguishing between a good experience and a bad experience.

Is there practicality in the judgments Dewey makes? Is there one true definitive shibboleth we can apply to experience and education? There is no doubt, what Dewey has contributed to academia, has pathed the way for generations. Dewey, scientifically accurate in his approach, is merely the one leading us to the water. Unfortunately, not everyone will drink.

Reference

Dewey, J.  (1938). Experience and education.  New York: Collier.

Grappling with Reading

We have finally completed the first section. The readings we have been required to do for the course, whilst they have addressed many of the concerns I have with applying modern pedagogical techniques to teaching, is not enough for me to learn what it is the course purports to discuss. I need more.

Blended Learning in Higher Education, written by D. Randy Garrison and Norman D. Vaughan, is the only text thus far I have managed personally relate to. I have experience in taking blended learning courses. Both of the blended learning courses I have taken, a biology and psychology course, contributed credit hours towards an associate in arts degree. This was at least five years ago. I have since not had the opportunity to take the kind of blended course I would have liked.

Whilst we talk about the integration of modern teaching techniques, I have yet to see any of those techniques applied to this course. With reading after reading after reading, there has been nothing applied to the course which directly addresses the style of learning I require. Reading about blended learning is not enough for me to learn about what it is the text covers. Reading works for many students. Unfortunately for me, reading is not a medium that lends itself to my successfully learning the material. I actually need material I can hear. I need material I can watch. All we have done thus far is read. When are we going to incorporate learning techniques for visual learners? 

We discussed how learning works after we read the aptly titled How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. How Learning Works, written by Susan A. Ambrose, Michael W. Bridges, Marsha C. Lovett, Michele DiPietro, and Marie K. Norman, outlines the seven key principles to teaching in a modern pedagogical setting. If only I could get learning to work for me.

Pedagogy Crash Course: Fundamentals of #ImmediacyAndLearning

 Have you, as a student, ever found yourself daydreaming during class because the instructor digressed so far from the content that it felt as if you were a member of an audience for a "vent session"? Or, better yet, have you ever survived the excruciating pain of hearing “crickets chirp” because an instructor’s joke fell flat?

photobucket.com

On the other hand, while teaching, have you observed the awkward nonverbal divergence of a classroom resulting from a question you posed (i.e. students’ avoidance of eye contact or participation in discussion)?

As undesirable as such instances are, they do (unfortunately) occur and it is our responsibility as educators to understand what actions we can take to prevent future occurrences. One specific aspect of the teacher-student relationship that can attribute to successful affective and cognitive learning is

Immediacy- (verbal and nonverbal) behaviors that reduce the                            psychological distance between teacher and students (Mehrabian, 1971).

In order to fully comprehend how an educator may work to create and improve the relationship of “psychological closeness” with students it is important to be able to identify immediate behaviors and understand how these behaviors effect student perception and engagement.

According to Cooper and Simonds (2007), immediate teachers are perceived as “warm and relaxed, approachable, friendly, open, and responsive to student needs” (p. 33). An immediate teacher engages in certain behaviors which may include things like: smiling, making eye contact, use of inclusive pronouns such as “we” and “our”, memorizing and addressing students’ by their names, use of appropriate self-disclosure and humor, and praising students’ hard work/accomplishments/efforts. (These all endorse the belief that teaching is “heart work”). An immediate teacher finds a way to balance affect and content-learning in order to create a supportive classroom climate. Once established, this supportive climate allows students to focus less on whether or not they are going to appease a teacher’s emotional/social acceptance and more on the actual content and learning objectives for the course.

In contrast, a “nonimmediate teacher is perceived by students as being cold, distant, and unfriendly” (Cooper & Simonds, 2007, p.33).

Click here to view an example of a nonimmediate teacher.




The practice of immediacy behaviors impact student engagement by promoting both student motivation and active learning.

Barkley defines motivation as, “a theoretical construct to explain the reason or reasons we engage in a particular behavior.” (2010, p. 9). In order to promote students to be learning-oriented, or “motivated by the attainment of knowledge”, teachers can practice immediate behaviors that instill enthusiasm about course content and allow students to believe that they are capable of succeeding in the classroom. Students need to feel that what they are learning is applicable to their self-improvement and that the effort they put forth is worthwhile. When a teacher uses examples that connect the course content to real-world situations that students can relate to, students are better able to appreciate the content’s value. Therefore, they are more likely to be engaged in learning. In addition, the use of inclusive pronouns when addressing the classroom (such as “our” and “we”), aid in the establishment of a “learning community”, in which students feel a sense of belonging and feel comfortable contributing to classroom discussion. (Barkley, 2010, p. 27).

                                       imgbud.com

The second fundamental factor of student engagement, active learning, refers to an active mind that makes information or a concept one’s own by examining, questioning, and relating new ideas to old. (Barkley, 2010, p.17). In order for a student to function as an active learner it is of utmost importance that the teacher promotes students’ affective feelings toward the course content and information. Because “emotions usually have a higher priority than cognitive processing for commanding our attention” (Barkley, 2010), teachers must remain cognizant of student behavior and maintain an emotionally supportive classroom climate. Examples of immediate behaviors that help students establish and maintain positive feelings about their learning include praise for effort and accomplishments, expressed appreciation for discussion participation and verbal reminders that you support their learning and success
.

In sum, the teacher who displays a positive, warm, and friendly attitude (immediacy) toward students not only increases his or her students’ cognitive learning, but also their positive feelings about learning (affective learning).

I look forward to hearing my fellow educators’ stories and responses regarding to the practice of immediacy!
If you would like further information about how immediacy impacts your students’ learning or more specific examples, please feel free to include those inquires in your response!

-Lauren Carle

#ImmediacyAndLearning

References

Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cooper, P.J., & Simonds, C.J. (2007). Communication for the classroom teacher (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Mehrabian, A. (1971). Silent Messages. Belmont, CA:  Wadsworth.

Encouraging Growth: Students Adapt to Real-World Situations if They Learn Critical Thinking Skills

As future teachers, we should find ways to promote creative thinking and problem solving skills because they are rarely taught, but these skills will have a big impact on students.  Svinicki and McKeachie explain that it’s not enough for students to gain knowledge without relating that 

Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

knowledge to the real world—otherwise students won’t know how to use “it” when they leave the academic environment. They have difficulty remembering what they “know” because the situation differs (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2011).

Young children will take chances because “they are not frightened of being wrong” (Robinson, 2006). As they get older, they take fewer chances, and that’s where we can make a difference. We can encourage them to think for themselves and to creatively work through situations. Robinson puts it like this: “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come 

up with anything original.” (Click here to watch Ken Robinson’s Ted Talks video.)

Source: Ted.com

To encourage students to think for themselves (and to promote their critical thinking/problem solving skills), we can create an environment that demonstrates those kinds of discussions. Dannels (2015) suggests we do the following to get students to participate in discussions:

• use warm-calling techniques to encourage reluctant students to talk
•  present a problem and have students find multiple ways to solve it
• use brainstorming techniques to generate ideas 
• welcome students to express their opinions

Even though the academic environment seems to educate students to become good workers instead of critical thinkers (Ken Robinson, Ted Talks), as teachers, we have multiple opportunities to improve their thought processes and creativity. In fact, we can make a big difference in our students by helping them gain critical thinking/problem solving skills and by giving them the platform to use these skills.

Discussion Question: What are some additional ways teachers can get their students to participate in discussions that promote critical thinking/problem solving?

TS

#disclosureanddialogue

References:

Dannels, D.P. (2015). 8 Essential Questions Teachers Ask. New York: Oxford University Press.

Robinson, K. (2006). Do schools kill creativity? Ted Talks. Retrieved from  https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity#t-722279

Sixninepixels (2011). Image ID 10047318. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Retrieved from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Learning_g376-Computer_Classroom_p47318.html

Svinicki, M.D., & McKeachie, W.J. (2011). McKeiachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (14^th Edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Ted Talks. (2006). Image of Ken Robinson and Ted Talks video. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity#t-722279