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| Teaching as a continuous, life long process of learning | | | Dr Renu Nanda | 9/23/2011 9:41:40 PM |
| Teaching profession is an evolving, continu
ous and lifelong process. Learning has become a determining factor in ensuring that content and relevance of teaching pedagogy is in accordance with the existing technological practices. Lifelong learning is learning activity undertaken throughout life, whether formal or informal. The concept of continuous learning has become important because it places priority on acquiring, adapting and learning from change. It is closely related to continuous professional development, not just taking courses but developing skills and learning how to learn so that life's experiences become a learning lab. The concept of continuous learning for a teacher has become quite prominent over the past few years. Lifelong learning has been very aptly defined by the Commission for a Nation of Lifelong Learners (1997), as "a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals...to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetimes...and to apply them with confidence, creativity, and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances, and environments."
This definition emphasizes lifelong learning as:
i) continuous (it never stops);
ii) supportive (it is not done alone); iii) stimulating and empowering (it's self-directed and active, not passive); iv) incorporating knowledge, values, skills, and understanding (it's more than what we know); v) spanning a lifetime (it happens from our first breath to our last); vi) applied (it's not just for knowledge's sake); vii) incorporating confidence, creativity, and enjoyment (it's a positive, fulfilling experience); and viii) inclusive of all roles, circumstances, and environments (it applies not only to our chosen profession, but to our entire life). In this context UNESCO has highlighted the following four pillars of lifelong learning for the 21st Century. Learning to know by mastering cognitive skills & collaboration.
Learning to do by mastering skills & production. Learning to be by admitting multiple intelligent (MI) and sustainable human development. Learning to live together by dialogue and tolerance. The challenge for lifelong learning is to fundamentally rethink learning, teaching, and education for the information age in an attempt to change mind-sets. Lifelong learning involves and engages learners of all ages in acquiring and applying knowledge and skills in the context of authentic, self-directed problems. By integrating working and learning, people learn within the context of their work on real-world problems. The mental activities involved in learning may be divided into four categories:
(a) Social interaction,
(b) Processing verbal and other symbolic information,
(c) Direct experience, and
(d) Reflection
Essentials of Lifelong learning for teaching profession:
In the teaching profession acquired knowledge, skills and competencies ought to be optimally used to suit the changing educational scenario. If the teachers do not understand the reforms and cannot apply them, and are not committed to them, they will not be able to achieve the set goals of improving the quality of education. Lifelong learning is therefore about acquiring and updating all kinds of abilities, interests, knowledge and qualifications from the pre-school years to post-retirement. Teachers are expected to value all forms of learning formal, non-formal and informal. To become efficient and professionally able, the teacher has to keep in mind:
Define and set priorities about ones own continuous growth in terms of life, profession and vision. Proactive role in the world and work. Reflect one's experiences by participating in pursuits which impact personal and organisational development. Seek regular feedback about the world happenings and its relevance with one's activities. Remain open to the feedback and positive criticism. Make appropriate adjustments with ongoing feedback so as to ensure meeting closely priorities and values. Keep in touch with current trends and developments in one's field and associated domain of knowledge. Build a body of knowledge to solve problems and generate great ideas. Make solution oriented decisions with credible information base. Develop a temper of thinking more innovatively and rigorously.
Make connections among seemingly unrelated data. Build an impressive verbal power. Developing a culture of learning at all stages of life.
Steps for attaining effective lifelong learning: Reflection
setting goals assessing knowledge and skills creating a learning plan putting the plan into action evaluating and refocusing. But many teachers do not even seem to fully understand the importance of aligning the curriculum with assessment and instruction. If teachers are to effectively promote student- achievement and create environment to support learning they must continue to be lifelong learners, which could be achieved by adapting the following strategies:
Partnership working - between public authorities and education service providers (schools, universities …), the business sector and the social agencies, local associations, vocational guidance centres, research centres etc. Insight into demand for learning- redefining basic skills, new information and communication technologies. Adequate use of resources (human, material, time …) - effective allocation of resources and encouraging new forms of investment. Facilitating access to learning opportunities - introducing new provisions for different groups such as ethnic minorities, differently Abled and rural people through formal, informal and non-formal ways.
Creating a learning culture by giving learning a higher culture both in terms of image and by providing incentives for the people most reluctant to opt for learning. Striving for excellence through the introduction of quality control and indicators to measure progress. Every teacher has to inculcate a variety of required skills and develop suitable attitudes to become lifelong learners. Associate Professor, P G Department OF Education, University of Jammu |
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