Teaching and Learning Issues
Educational or learning methods play important role in shaping the learning experience of students. Teachers are responsible to employ effective learning methods related to a subject to impart knowledge. Typically, many educational institutions follow the primary teaching method called “lecturing”.
Your instructor delivers the subject-related concepts to you and the other students in a classroom. This type of teaching method is more suitable for large class sizes comprising hundreds of students. However, the advances in technology have made many educational methods spring up. In this post, we will look at the key educational methods and the issues related to each method.
Teacher-centered Method
This type of educational method gives more importance to the teacher delivering the lecture in a class. Students, hence, have to passively take this knowledge and retain it for good results. Teachers are regarded as the authority figures to impart knowledge however they like. Combining the learning of textbooks and their personal experiences, their goal is to teach students in a better way. Students have to follow the instructions as provided by their instructors. Direct instruction falls in this category of teaching method that consists of lectures as structured by teachers.
The issues with this method are that students are expected to follow the rules and are taught only text-based material. Moreover, students are highly dependent on teachers and their instructions.
Student-centered Method
The student-centered method emphasizes the needs of students to help them grow and learn. Teachers aren’t only responsible for delivering the lectures, but they also help and facilitate students. It provides a cooperative learning environment for both instructors and students. When students are given opportunities to engage in classroom activities, they start to learn better.
And when teachers work as their mentors to help them in those activities, it’s more of a friendly approach. Some of the examples of the student-centered method are inquiry-based learning, game-based learning, and differentiated instruction. These learning methods vary depending on technological differences. However, teachers assume the roles of mentors to provide support and guidance to students. The issue with this type of teaching method is that it would require special teachers in some subjects.
High-tech Method
Technology has transformed the academic setting by using digital means to provide education. In a high-tech teaching method, instructors utilize education-based digital systems to facilitate students. Using the smartboard, your teachers will deliver the lectures with the help of the internet. Some online teaching method provides learning material by recorded lectures that students can access anytime. The issue with this educational method is its costs. Besides, if the student is a distance learner, they may face connectivity problems.
Low-Tech Method
While most have progressed to a high-tech teaching method, some still prefer the low-tech method. It’s the method that fosters traditionally using practical training and teaching. Students are required to take notes of their lectures while they are being delivered in a physical class. The issue with this educational method is that it’s a slow way of delivering lessons.
