Thursday 12 April 2012

Teaching or telling?

When I was at school the teacher gave me the information I needed to know and then an exam checked for my knowledge and more importantly the understanding. It was like this because the teacher had the information and I had limited access to find it for myself.
With the massive development in technology this is not the case anymore, students can find the information for themselves, so what is the role of the teacher?
It seems to be linked too much to league tables and getting above C grades in exams.
If we can equip students with the technology to find the information for themselves and develop their own knowledge then teachers can help with the understanding and application of that knowledge, how it can be used to change things, to develop existing ways or to create new ideas.
The world has changed so much in such a short time and education has to some extent stood still.
Let children have access to handheld devices in every lesson, not rely on booking computer rooms that are at a premium, this way they can explore and create and develop their understanding for a world that changes quicker than text books can be printed