Wednesday, 25 May 2011

Is Learning Observable?

I believe that learning can be observable. Observing does not necessarily have to mean giving standardized tests or final exams; however, some would be necessary in order to see who needs more time in learning the required materials. I have volunteered with teachers who say they do not believe in testing students, rather they ask students to reflect on what they have learned by giving reasons for the answers they have produced. This way, introvert learners can take their time in learning and gathering the required resources without feeling the pressure of being graded. When teachers create activities and lesson plans according to the needs of an extrovert or an introvert learner, he or she can observe how students learn, and what can be done to help them. However, it can be hard to observe what kind of a learner a student may be, as they may act differently in particular situations. I know for sure that I used to be more of an introvert during school time, and would be an extrovert learner outside of school; therefore, being in particular situations can change what type of learner a student would be. For example, a grade one student may be more active during play time than academically; thus, the student may just have real trouble in particular subject areas and requires more resources and extra time to be successful.
There are also other ways like developing discussions amongst the class and creating projects that includes a mix of introverts and extroverts. By doing this, it will be easy to see who can relate and has gotten a full grasp of the subject area; those not able to participate could then be given extra material and adaptations to make learning easier. Introverts can also get more help from their extrovert partners who most likely have a better understanding of the subject

1 comment:

Lorna said...

I really agree with you, Mandeep, that there are different circumstances that bring out introverted and extroverted traits!
A good exercise would be to start observing your reactions and making an account of them in a journal. You could then make connections and relate it to teaching situations.