Re: Bewilderment, ambiguity, and understanding

Dewey Dykstra, Jr. (dykstrad who-is-at varney.idbsu.edu)
Tue, 9 Apr 1996 17:38:55 -0700

>Dewey, I certainly never meant to suggest that we should focus only
>on observable behavior. I was simply wondering, How can I feel
>certain that my students are actually learning anything? Jay, I agree
>that part of the culprit here is the "test"--and you'll notice that
>I never implied that "testing" could tell us whether or not real
>learning was occurring! My question is far more fundamental: what IS
>"real learning", and how do we recognize it?
>
>In terms of this fundamental aspect of my question, I have gleaned the
>following: (a) learning is to some extent generated by the learner;
>(b) learning occurs within human interactions; (c) teachers MAY be able to
>arrange things so that students are more likely to learn.
>
>I'd appreciate hearing other thoughts on this matter.
>
> Robin

Robin:

Thanks for replying to my comments. As we know often (always?) our
reponses to each other do not occur in isolation. I am certain that I was
not responding merely to your query of Gordon and Jay, but to a broader
pattern that I see in educational practice being advocated which could be
characterized as emphasis on the observable (hands-on, speaking in class,
etc.) instead of something 'deeper' (minds-on, mental engagement, etc.).
This is so well entrenched in students that the performance, even with the
explicit absence of meaning, is all students think should be necessary. I
can vouch for the fact that a majority of students I have encountered over
the last 18 years have this belief.

As for me, I would put it that my way of understanding it now is that "real
learning" is the making of new meaning (or modifying previously existing
meaning) for experiences one has. As for someone _else_ recognizing that
one has 'really learned', to borrow a term from Pierce, it is a matter of
abduction by that _other_ person.

My version of the gleanings I have made (both from this discussion and
beyond this particular discussion) are that (a) learning is generated by
the learner (not just to some extent); (b) it is hard to imagine learning
as _not_ being mediated by other human beings; (c) teachers MAY be able to
arrange things so that students are more likely to learn.

Dewey

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/SN318 Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University dykstrad who-is-at varney.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++