EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES
There are three different kinds of education experiences: didactic, authentic and transformative (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008).
- Didactic approaches to education are comparable to “mass institutionalised education” (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008, p.17),
where by the teacher is an authoritative figure and a facilitator of knowledge, and students are relatively powerless in
directing their learning. Didactic approaches are structured and focus on students memorising and accepting information.
They do not encourage students to question information or extend their understanding. Classrooms are often set up in rows
of desks where the teacher stands at the front.
- Authentic education is more child-centred, focused on internalized understanding beyond formal repetition of the ‘correct’
answers. The major characteristics of authentic education are that learners should take more active part in their learning,
and that this learning should be closely and practically connect to their life experiences. Classrooms are often set up in
clusters of tables as students are encouraged to work in groups while the teacher moves around the room (Kalantzis &
Cope, 2008).
- The third experience, the transformative approach, sets out to “transform students life chances and play an active role in
changing social conditions” (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008, p.18). Learners are encouraged to build their own knowledge and
extend their understanding beyond the classroom.
Historically, classroom learning has been formal and didactic in approach however this has been continually reviewed over time and adapted as necessary. Authentic education movements emerged in the 20th century, in part as a reaction to the culture of order and control characteristics. Didactic approaches became out-dated as learning was disengaged of meaning and was found to be unrelated to real life experience, where as authentic and now transformative approaches are more applicable (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008). Aspects of didactic education are still evident in schools today, however teachers strive to implement authentic and transformative learning experiences where possible as these are seen to be the most effective methods of imparting knowledge and extending students thinking. These approaches also assist students in developing the higher-order thinking skills they may not have gained through a didactic education or on their own (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008).
- Didactic approaches to education are comparable to “mass institutionalised education” (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008, p.17),
where by the teacher is an authoritative figure and a facilitator of knowledge, and students are relatively powerless in
directing their learning. Didactic approaches are structured and focus on students memorising and accepting information.
They do not encourage students to question information or extend their understanding. Classrooms are often set up in rows
of desks where the teacher stands at the front.
- Authentic education is more child-centred, focused on internalized understanding beyond formal repetition of the ‘correct’
answers. The major characteristics of authentic education are that learners should take more active part in their learning,
and that this learning should be closely and practically connect to their life experiences. Classrooms are often set up in
clusters of tables as students are encouraged to work in groups while the teacher moves around the room (Kalantzis &
Cope, 2008).
- The third experience, the transformative approach, sets out to “transform students life chances and play an active role in
changing social conditions” (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008, p.18). Learners are encouraged to build their own knowledge and
extend their understanding beyond the classroom.
Historically, classroom learning has been formal and didactic in approach however this has been continually reviewed over time and adapted as necessary. Authentic education movements emerged in the 20th century, in part as a reaction to the culture of order and control characteristics. Didactic approaches became out-dated as learning was disengaged of meaning and was found to be unrelated to real life experience, where as authentic and now transformative approaches are more applicable (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008). Aspects of didactic education are still evident in schools today, however teachers strive to implement authentic and transformative learning experiences where possible as these are seen to be the most effective methods of imparting knowledge and extending students thinking. These approaches also assist students in developing the higher-order thinking skills they may not have gained through a didactic education or on their own (Kalantzis & Cope, 2008).
Didactic approach | Authentic approach | Transformative approach
__________________________