Topic 2 Weekly Reflection

By Kaleb Tapp https://unsplash.com/photos/building-near-trees-during-day-1deQbU6DhBg

Do we need to reimagine education?

Education has seemed to change very little in the near past and I think it is time for a change. We are not trying to mold students into a certain box so that they will be a good factory worker anymore. The world of education has been pushing for a change of focus from content knowledge to competency in soft skills. These skills are things that will be important for students as they move into the workplace because this is what will set them apart from not only other employees, but also from technology. Educators and the systems in which they function are starting to lean towards inquiry based learning models such as that in the Most Likely to Succeed film. This model strays from traditional tests and regurgitation of knowledge that has been practiced for so long. Inquiry based learning offers students the opportunity to dive deeper into their interests which often leads to them being more invested in their own learning. This could be very beneficial for many students but still has its downsides.

What obstacles do educators face when they try to change pedagogy?

When trying to change pedagogy, educators can face a variety of obstacles. Some challenges have to do with what they were originally taught. Most teachers currently in the field were not taught to allow for the student agency that comes with an inquiry based model. It is not easy for most teachers to change the way they have been taught to teach overnight. Other obstacles can come from lack of support from parents or the school. If an entire school is pushing to change pedagogy, that is much different than one teacher going against the grain of an entire school. In this case, parent backlash could be even more of an obstacle. Parents likely grew up with a traditional education and may have a hard time understanding and supporting this new approach. Often parents have concerns around “what” their student is learning. They tend to have difficulties understanding the importance of soft skills in comparison to content knowledge. 

What concerns you and/or excites you about this approach?

Something that excites me about this approach is that there is a lot of room for students to focus on things that interest them. Everyone has been in a class and thought that what they were learning wasn’t going to apply to them in the future. When inquiry is at the centre of a student’s learning, they are able to cater their assignments towards their interests which in theory, will cater to their future career goals. If a student cares about what they are learning, the hope is that they will put in more effort and yield greater benefits from the whole experience. Although, I do have concerns for students who lack direction or drive. Some students may thrive with this freedom but some may feel lost or overwhelmed without explicit instruction. Another concern is just the initial transition into this type of education model. With possible push back from multiple parties, it may be easy for educators to become discouraged.