How is the role of teachers and trainers changing?
We often talk of a paradigm shift from teaching to learning. It can be a helpful expression to explain what many see as a desirable direction of change, but it is questionable whether it is really a process of replacing teaching with learning. It is better to see teaching and learning as complementary rather than alternative processes for developing learners. Learners are expected to take more control of their own learning to develop competences, as they have to be able to apply what they have learned in unknown situations.
There is consensus that teaching and learning will progressively develop into a blend of traditional forms of teaching, self-study, group learning, digital and on-line learning, learning in the workplace, and informal learning. There will not be a single model that will fit everyone in the future. As Burbules (1993) put it: “If there is one thing that can be said with confidence about teaching and learning generally (and it might be the only thing), it is that there is no one approach that will work for all subjects, all teachers, and all students – that pluralism in methods and approaches is the only intelligent attitude to adopt” (p. 98). Teachers are still very much needed in this context, to shape individual learning and help learners structure their learning and make sense of the information they receive from different angles. The image below visualizes this process.
Source: Juha Lahtinen, TAMK Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Presentation ETF Seminar Kiev March 2019
Developing competency-based learning starts from the end the learning outcomes. Teachers have a role in building the learner’s understanding of the integrated parts, and can then help the learners to learn different components.
We have seen that learning is a process in which learners construct their own understanding, knowledge, abilities and competences. Nevertheless, how likely is it that learners will arrive at the desired result without any guidance? We all recognize situations where a learner reaches a level through self-learning, but cannot improve further and needs someone to help them get to the next level. It is the role of teachers and trainers to provide support and structure in order to reach the next level, to learn more effectively and to enable learners to resolve the problems that they were previously unable to resolve.
What is learning?
Learning1 is an individual process in which people acquire and internalise knowledge and skills, and develop competence to solve problems. Learning can be formal, but also informal or non-formal. Non-formal learning is structured learning outside a formal learning system, e.g. structured learning in a company to introduce a new work process. Informal learning is unstructured. Human curiosity has made learning is an everyday activity. Learning continues after school and outside the workplace. Lifelong learning is about individuals developing themselves for career or for personal interests at every stage of their lives. Not all learning is meaningful, but many people pursue lifelong learning to improve their quality of life, as well as to sharpen their skills and qualifications.
1 Elaborated from Cedefop Glossary of Key Terms, 2014
Further reading:
- Burbules, N. (1993). Dialogue in Teaching: Theory and practice. New York: Teacher’s College Press.
- Cedefop (2014). Terminology of European education and training policy: a selection of 130 terms. Luxembourg: Publications Office.
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