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Learning How to Learn Printable Version PRINTABLE VERSION
by Eddie G. Fetalvero, Philippines Mar 2, 2003
Education   Opinions
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Learning How to Learn INTRODUCTION

I was educated in the province. The skills that I acquired were inferior as compared to students who took up education courses in the city. I was trained to copy lectures on the board because of insufficient book supplies. There was even a time when a semester ended and yet my professor had just barely finished the first 2 chapters of the book. I was able to view cells on large charts and drawings; witnessed chemical reactions taking place on the board; studied human anatomy through imagination. Worst of all, in one of my major subjects which I only attended once, I got a 1.5 final grade.

This is what education is in the countryside. It is a far cry from what the modern educators view education as it should be. The scenario is so depressing that while the world inevitably advances, there lurks in remote places, an educational institution that deteriorates more than it progresses. As research shows, education is revolutionizing in other parts of the world, and soon this educational revolution could reach the remote places I am referring to.

In fact, the Philippines is girding to prepare its educators for this unstoppable change. The Department of Education now promotes the integration of technology in class learning activities. It couldn't be denied however that the campaign is generally a failure. In the global community, technology indeed shows significant contribution in the teaching-learning process, as findings of many researchers would have it. But I cast doubt, considering the many technicalities in the coming paradigm, that in the third world country like the Philippines, similar results will be gleaned. Not that I don't trust the curriculum experts but because of the stark fact that we, teachers, are caught unprepared for it.

Yet the world is advancing, and there is nowhere for us, teachers, to go but to adjust our sails along with the hard-blowing wind of change so that we won't be absolutely sunken in the ocean of ignorance and mediocrity. The ringing challenge therefore posed to all teachers - tenured and neophytes - is to "learn once more how to learn."

LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

I believe that the proper use of technology is the driving force so that expected outcomes can be achieved successfully. Many teachers are cyberphobic, perennial and traditional. The notion that they would be leaving their shells in favor of a practice they are not accustomed to would pose a major problem for the school. Try to go to a school and randomly ask if how many teachers are knowledgeable enough on computer applications, surfing on the net, word processing, preparing computer animated visuals… and see for yourself the gap between the Philippine education and the American education (which I understand is the subject of the research paper I am commenting upon.)

This is the reason why the new trend calls on all of us to "learn how to learn" so that we can't be outmoded. We can't just simply indoctrinate facts after facts in our classroom anymore. Technology has affected every facet of our lives so much that its imminent effect is viewed with over-exaggeration.

For example, in a recent survey of the Time Magazine, on the ten jobs that will disappear in the future due to technologies, the teaching profession is listed as one of the dying occupations. This is very alarming! What would happen of us whose bread and butter is teaching alone? At this point enters our high sense of professionalism to be on the look out for something new. If there is someone in the classroom who would bring open to the students the realities of the world and connect their experiences in and off the school, it is the teacher - you and I. We can't just isolate the academic world from that of the real world. If the real world goes high-tech then the academic world must go with it. I am sorry to concede but sometimes students are more technological than we are. This is the reason why we need to 'learn' again because education is a process that never ends. In this fast-paced world, who knows that the technology of today will persist the next day around? It might be new again tomorrow leaving the other obsolete. 'Learning to learn' is a state of mind and dedication. It should not be considered as a burden but an opportunity that in this very competitive era, teachers stand out to be on the lead. And it feels good to be on the forefront, right?

A WHOLE NEW ROLE

Far from the lone dispenser of knowledge, we, teachers must now collaborate but not compete with information technologies. I believe that an open-minded teacher is not being threatened by technologies because she is out there to enslave technology with her educational methods and techniques. The research says, the teacher that uses educational technologies assumes the role of a facilitator, a mentor and a guide than a lecturer. Is it not a joy to celebrate the fact that there is a way to overcome the heaps of paper works that exhaust us everyday?





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Eddie G. Fetalvero


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Comments


nice
John | Mar 27th, 2003
i like it



YES,I AGREE WITH U
Hamis Mdindile | Dec 12th, 2005
IT IS TRUE BECAUSE,IN ORDER FOR A TEACHER TO BE WELL COMPETENT IN HIS/HER FIELD SHE/HE MUST HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE IN TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES,CAUSE THEY WILL HELP HIM/HER IN HIS/HER DAILY ACTIVITIES.



good
Ashfaque Hussain | Dec 8th, 2010
this is good to know about this.

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