EDP 610 Theories of Learning H. P. Cole
Gowin's Conception of Educating[1]
Teaching The deliberate intervention into the lives of students to reshape their ways of thinking, feeling, and acting toward increasing their power and autonomy.
Learning Restructuring what one knows, giving up present ways of thinking and feeling, and acting in the interest of becoming self-directing.
Curriculum That which is studied in the process of educating. A body of organized content (text) whose value and knowledge claims can be examined and tested by teachers and students in a mutualistic effort.
Governance The exercise of power in the social setting in which educating occurs. Governance is required to bring together curricula, teaching, and learning. Good governance is based upon expertise and the power of knowledge and produces a mutualistic environment. Bad governance is based upon ascribed authority and the power to command obedience. This leads to a harsh climate. Educating requires the power of knowledge and is hindered by ascribed power.
Broudy's Three Modes of Teaching[2]
Didactics Organized information of a discipline that can be clearly delineated and its mastery objectively evaluated.
Heuristics The body of methods and skills basic to inquiry and development of knowledge in a discipline.
Philetics The affective and aesthetics of a discipline from which spring passion, joy, and a sense of beauty for the discipline and its mastery.
Basis for Authority in Teaching[3]
In didactics authority to teach is derived from being thoroughly competent in the content (declarative knowledge) of one's discipline.
In heuristics authority to teach is derived from being facile in the methods of inquiry in one's discipline (procedural knowledge), in ways of testing and evaluating its knowledge and value claims, and in generating new knowledge (problem finding and solving).
In philetics authority to teach is derived from being passionately enthusiastic about one's discipline, its history, methods, applications, and beauty. With these types of authority teachers become skilled "authors" able to assemble accurate, dramatic, compelling, and beautiful experiences for their students. These educative experiences profoundly change lives of students. Educating is always empowering and liberating.
Questions
1. In what ways are these constructs relevant to matters of course objectives?
2. As usually conceptualized, to what degree do course objectives span this range of constructs?
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[1]Gowin, D. B. (1981). Educating, Ithaca, Cornell University Press.
[2]Broudy, H. S. (1972). The real world of the public schools. New York: Harcourt.
[3]Cole, H. P. (1978). Teaching as communicating. Lexington, KY: UK Extension.