Regular updates and musings on curriculum and technology in the Salisbury Township School District in Allentown, PA.
Realted to last month’s meeting….
At our last meeting we had a “didactic” vs. “constructivist” discussion to some extent. Some members of our committee were pretty adamant about the need to establish a base of facts (through direct instruction) in most disciplines before moving on to deeper thinking (through more student-centered environments). Others agreed (somewhat), but argued that in our schools we tend to stop at the facts and never move into the deeper thinking.
In “What Do Students Need to Memorize,” Scott McLeod presents some points that outline a potential future scenario which I think puts the whole discussion in a new light. How has technology changed the “base of facts” that people will need to succeed in this new world? And how should we be preparing for this?
You may also want to check out other posts on Scott’s blog. I find it to be quite good stuff!