Why Do Education, Learning, and Teaching Matter?
May we do work that matters. Vale la pena, it’s worth the pain.
- Gloria E. Anzaldua (2005, p. 102)
Robert B. Barr and John Tagg argued twenty five years ago that a paradigm shift was taking place in higher education. This shift was from a teaching paradigm to a learning paradigm. Institutions of higher education would no longer be understood as existing “to provide instruction,” but rather as existing “to produce learning” (italics in original). This mattered to Barr and Tagg because they believed that the dominant paradigm of education confused a means for an end. In this current moment of crisis, it seems that we are reverting back to that dominant paradigm.Teaching is a radical act of hope. It is an assertion of faith in a better future in and increasingly uncertain and fraught present. It is a commitment to that future even if we can’t clearly discern its shape. It is a continuing pedagogical practice rather than a set of static characteristics. Simply put, we teach because we believe it matters. -Kevin M. Gannon (2020, p. 5)
- “What technologies do we need to teach our courses?”
- “Should my course be in-person, online, or hybrid?”
If we are to teach courses that contribute to positive social change, we must focus on what we want students to learn, how we facilitate that learning, and what that means for us as teachers. This will then allow us to make better (both in terms of quality and efficiency) decisions about the specifics of our teaching modalities and tools.
This section includes some simple reflection questions that you can use to gain clarity about what it would mean for you to design a course where students’ learning could have a positive social impact. Identifying this learning will provide you with a compass to guide your course when you get lost in the details, the worry, and the speculation of your upcoming courses.
To get you started in your reflection, here are some examples of people sharing their views on education, learning, and teaching. We suggest reading/listening/watching a few (or all if you are interested) and then using this worksheet [hyperlink worksheet] to reflect on your views. As you read/listen/watch, consider how the speaker’s beliefs and values could serve as a compass for designing a course. Then through your own reflections think how your beliefs and values can serves as a compass for you as you design your course(s).