August 28th, 2010
“Education leads to development and progress,” I heard this sentence is repeated numerous times from my parents’ teachers and elders. However the term progressive education or educational progressivism recently confronted me. Man is a social animal and learning is his nature, however he learns the best practically with the apt surrounding and apt people. Many have made attempts to rely on the best learning theories. A model suggested by John Dewey is regarded as one of the best model for learning. The model suggests five steps,
- Become aware of the problem.
- Define the problem.
- Propose hypothesis to solve it.
- Evaluate the consequences of the hypothesis from one’s past experience.
- Test the likeliest solution.
Step 1 – Become Aware of the problem
Since progressive education revolves around the practical and social mode of education, the student should always understand the concept on the whole. Before learning anything it is highly important to recognize the topic, understand its importance, its benefits, drawbacks and much more. Thus becoming aware of the problem or recognizing the topic is highly important in order to have a detailed study of the concept.
Step 2 – Define the problem
Defining the problem is the next step. After understanding the nature of the problem, one should draw an accurate definition to the problem or the topic. Drawing the definitions enables the students to comprehend the topic more briefly. This process makes the readers understand the concept and opens up the facility to have an in depth study of the topic.
Step 3 – Propose hypothesis to solve it
The third step involves proposing a hypothetical solution to solve the problem. While you are already done with becoming aware of the problem with an overview of study and defining the problem with a detailed study, it is required to propose a possible hypothetical solution to it. You can only propose the solution when you have already had in detailed analysis of the problem. Proposing a hypothetical solution facilitates the possibility eradicating the problem. However it is just a hypothetical solution based on certain consequences.
Step 4 – Evaluate the consequences of the hypothesis from one’s past experience
The step four involves evaluating the consequences of the hypothesis from one’s past experiences. The hypothetical solution should always be based on the previous experiences of the person. The solution drawn should always be based on the same format as this format always allows to draw he most effective solutions.
Step 5 – Test the likeliest solution.
The fifth and the final step is test the likeliest solution. This step evolves in searching for the possible solutions and putting forth the most likeliest and positive solution to the problem. This step enables to get rid of the problem on the whole.
A progressivist teacher not only allows the students to learn but also utilizes the practical experiences to the learning process which affects the life of the student. Thus most progressivist teacher says Learn by doing or learns by discovery. This format of learning is more or less utilized for learning in the sociological or human behavior study. Progressive Education plays a very important role and has rising scope in modern times.
Tags: education, problem, progressive, progressivism
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August 18th, 2010
Learning is one of the most important aspects of every individual’s life. Learning is an unconscious process through which every person upgrades himself in terms of knowledge. A child learns to speak, walk and behave observing his parents and surrounding. A girl learns cooking observing her mother. In short learning is a human tendency.
But Learning is a human tendency to associate learning with reading books, attending school, college universities, etc. Learning basically deals with acquiring information, engaging it and incorporating it in order to have an assertive effect on your thinking and behavior. However different people have different learning styles. People have to adjust to each learning style according to his/her learning pattern.
Research has provided a learning cycle in order to have effective learning for each style. It is most often used in science. It not only enhances your learning, it also grants you a process through which you can have a perfect step by step education structure. Learning cycle consists of five E’s that help you in the systematic learning patterns. Let’s have a look at the five E’s
Engage: The first step towards learning is engaging oneself in the learning process. Choosing the subject or selecting your genre is the first step towards involving yourself in education. In simpler words, in this step student get acquainted towards the topic of his/her choice, the subject in which she/she wishes to acquire knowledge or education. In this process the students interest is captured in order to establish a topic.
Explore: The second step towards learning is exploring. Exploring basically means having an in depth information about the aspiring topic. This process facilitates the students in constructing the knowledge in a particular topic which generates questioning and observation.
Explain: This is the third step explain. Explanation forms a core of learning. Appropriate explanation gives the students proper route towards education. According to this process students are asked to explain those concepts which they have understood through the process of engaging and exploration. The instructor enables the discussions for the research in order to comprehend students understanding process.
Extend: This is the fourth step is extend. You can call this a practical, in this process students have to apply whatever they have learned in different yet similar situations. The instructor then guides the students towards next discussion topic.
Evaluate: The fifth and final step is evaluate. According to this step its instructor’s turn to observe each students knowledge and understanding which enables the student to access whatever they have learnt and it is true to what extent. This evaluation takes place through cycle.
Learning cycles are more less constraint to science; however learning cycles plays a very important role in building your intellect. The first step engages is more or less implemented while the use of anecdotes in order to relate the subject. The second step explore is more implemented in classes where students themselves discuss and discovers the answers instead of just listening it. The third step explains ask the students to explain whatever they have understood from the discussions. The fourth step extend helps student to practically implement their knowledge while the evaluation the last step, here the instructor comes into the picture to explain the students where are they right and where do they go wrong. Thus learning cycle is a process to enhance the learning process and intellect of the students
Tags: engage, evaluate, explain, explore, extend, instructor, learning, learning cycles, students
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July 13th, 2010
A language cannot sustain without grammar as grammar is the backbone of any language. English has been one of the most popular languages worldwide. It has some of the most cherished literature in the store. Great writers like Shakespeare, Joseph Conrad, James Joyce, Robert Burns, Dylan Thomas and many more were actually instrumental in decorating English language with their great literally work while keeping the essence of grammar intact. The language used in those days differed from the English we use today. The grammar was the strongest element in their literature then. However the English language underwent numerous changes in due course of time. Certain words changed for instance:- Thou and thee replaced with you.
Traditional grammar displayed the process of thinking in the literally works; the grammatical problems soon attracted considerate attention not for the set of rules and restrictions but for the beauty of the literature. In the due course of time we have an academy set up to rectify the flaws in grammar however traditionally the authorities were publically chosen by a consensus. These authorities were well acquainted with the grammar skills and would have consistent review and consideration. However the scenario is changing gradually academy is formed to rectify grammar but the rules are isolated to books and grammar is restricted to schools and colleges. Prescriptive grammar has passed out of the realm of criticism, where it sat for two hundred years, to become instead a branch of cultural heraldry.
I remember working on do as directed in schools. The most scoring and entertaining task for me as a student. However this was restricted till schools and nobody is bothered about it in today’s arena. When we say the standard of grammar is deteriorating, it means the grammar is no more looked upon as an important part of language study. Though English is one of the most popular languages worldwide, very few speak grammatically correct English. The subjective and objectives are merged without proper conjunctions. It is also been observed that grammar is taken for granted. For instance my friend a well known French professor had a debate with me on whether subjunctive do exists or do not exist in English however it does. The grammar is so much sidelined that a well educated professor can commit such faults.
A study was carried out in Sweden in order to comprehend the role of grammar teacher in the academic lives of the student. The text books of four different languages were researched in order to acquire focus on grammar explanation in different languages. The study intended to analyze the grammar explanation, grammatical terms, features and the measures through which the features are presented. The approaches evident in each of these texts were compared with one another and with the approach evident in a Latin textbook from the late 1800s. The analysis clearly showed the modern courses to be less grammar intensive than the Latin course
Grammar is gradually losing its hold over the language. Grammar once known as the backbone of the language is losing its importance to such an extent that it is just restricted to schools and colleges. It is no problem if anyone is speaking grammatically incorrect English as almost everyone does it while there are very few who know what grammatically correct English is but don’t bother to correct those who are at fault. Understanding the traditional English is a tough task not only for children but also for adults. Deterioration of grammar took place gradually and the upgrade would also take it due course of time. In the meanwhile it is required to understand the importance of grammar and its soul place in language and literature.
Tags: college, decline, deterioration, English, grammar, language, school, students
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