RE: the calculus wars

Eugene Matusov (ematusov who-is-at udel.edu)
Tue, 22 Jun 1999 16:29:12 -0700

Hello everybody--

Tim wrote,
> I would also consider these to be a different type of theorization than
> Social Practice Theory. Changing relationships/identities in a community
> of practice is one way of theorizing learning. Acquisition of a correct
> "mental model" or representation is another. You could use
> teacher-directed or learner-centered or collaborative methods to achieve
> either kind of learning, though as you point out theories of learning and
> theories of pedagogy are not completely independent.

I think that each educational philosophy guides both theory and practice of
teaching and learning in different ways. Because I operate within the
"collaborative" or "community of learners" ed philosophy, for me
"acquisition of knowledge" or "transmission of knowledge" or "discovery
learning" are ethnographic but not conceptual terms/metaphors (like "voodoo"
for anthropologist who does not believe in it). It is probably seemed
similarly from the adult- and children-run philosophies regarding
collaboration and community of learners. I also think that relational and
communal approaches to defining teaching and learning should push us to
consider dark sides of collaboration and community of learners.

What do you think?

Eugene

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Timothy Koschmann [mailto:tkoschmann@acm.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 1:44 PM
> To: ematusov who-is-at UDel.Edu
> Subject: RE: the calculus wars
>
>
> >Together with Barbara Rogoff, we distinguish between teaching
> method (i.e.,
> >how guidance is organized) and educational philosophy (i.e.,
> what involves
> >in learning and guidance). We defined three main types of educational
> >philosophies (there are more than three ed. philosophies and their
> >combinations but these three are prevail in US schooling):
> >
> >Adult-run -- or transmission of knowledge;
> >Children-run -- or discovery learning where adults follows kids'
> interests
> >and provides enriched learning environment;
> >Collaborative -- based on sharing inquires, interests, and ownership for
> >learning and guidance where kids learn how to learn and adults guide them
> >how to do that.
> >
> >We argue for relative independence of teaching method and educational
> >philosophy. For example, lecturing as a teaching method can be
> done within
> >the three ed. philosophies. For the adult-run approach, lecturing is
> >transmission of knowledge. For the children-run approach, lecturing is
> >verbal "hand-on" environment. For the collaborative approach, a long
> >dialogic turn. Teaching methods by themselves do not reveal ed.
> >philosophies that are behind them.
>
> Eugene,
> I would also consider these to be a different type of theorization than
> Social Practice Theory. Changing relationships/identities in a community
> of practice is one way of theorizing learning. Acquisition of a correct
> "mental model" or representation is another. You could use
> teacher-directed or learner-centered or collaborative methods to achieve
> either kind of learning, though as you point out theories of learning and
> theories of pedagogy are not completely independent.
> ---Tim
>