Teaching is centered around two concepts; either modern or traditional teaching methods Traditional teaching methods focus on the general knowledge of the classrooms, the teacher is not a facilitator but the source of information. Modern methods focus on individuals based on their skills and the development process and not in groups. Traditional methods focus on the building skills of individual skills, understanding of concepts and employ technology in the teaching practice. While traditional methods focus on learning for students, modern methods help the students grow their skills. The result is the individuals employed in corporations such as the Wall Street employees or individuals that rely on their skills for survival under the crowdsourcing model.
The smart teaching model proposes an inclusive learning process because all the students take part in the process. Teaching involves “exploring theory to understand the concepts behind a skill or strategy; the demonstration or modeling; the practice of a skill and peer coaching,” (Joyce and Showers 1) Traditional teaching methods emphasized on the learning process and not the levels of applicability of lessons for the students. The practice and peer coaching learning processes are introduced in the modern, smart, teaching methods. The practice part of the teaching practice allows the students to apply concepts learned in class to real-life situations.
Taking a different direction, the learning process involves the students being actively involved in the learning process. Learning is centered on “student-centered learning, active knowledge construction and critical and creative thinking,” (Hamzah, Embi and Ismail 729). Students learn to appreciate the application of their academics early in education. The creative and critical thinking emphasized in the paper relate to the choices the students learn to make. Consequently, teachers act as guides to the students by providing alternate solutions. This allows the students to learn to make decisions and work solely without having to rely on their teachers. Further, because the students are not limited in their search for education, this form of teaching is expected to increase the knowledge levels of the students.
The smart teaching of students on their involvement in technology is not a mere concept of teaching. This is because the Information Communication Technologies have introduced remarkable technology advances (Buabeng-Andoh 136). The involvement of Information technology is important in highlighting its importance in the future employment industry and the enhancement of productivity. These modern learning methods differ with the traditional methods because they allow the student to appreciate the skills involved in the design of the communication systems.
Traditional teaching practices required that the objectives of learning be the introduction of new topics to students and then testing them on the same topic. The process does not take into account the understanding levels of the students. To change this, there was the introduction of new teaching processes; shifts were to concentrate on the progress students made in class. The modern teaching methods seek to ensure that the students are best acquainted with the application of the information, retrieval of more information and even challenge each other. This allows the students to formulate socialization skills based on their tasks and assignments.
Technology is notably effective in the refinement of the education process but offers some equally negative results (Angela, Tian and Vogel 1494). Technology alters the social lives of students by introducing them to social networks. These reduce the time students spend talking to each other. Social networks are crucial in giving the students a sense of belonging when they are accepted in the social platforms. However, the opposite has negative effects on the students. Rejection in the technological realm is translated in the physical realm. Also, the social network is an important virtual learning experience for the students. From the social networks, students gather information about others and the cultures of groups of people and similar liking. The social networks reduce the time students are supposed to spend reading and socializing.
Learning is a collective process as has been shown by the modern teaching methods. Students collectively discuss their educational needs and requirements and discuss these with the relevant authorities and heads (Hord 2). This method is owed to the modern teaching technology that empowers the students to seek knowledge and skills in co-curricular activities. Teachers are required to ensure that the students feel free enough to request for changes in the programs and forms of leadership.
The education system poorly prepares people for real life. Millions of jobs end up unfilled each year in the United States. Therefore, changing the way we learn is required now more than ever before. Cathy Davison, in her article Project Classroom Makeover, argues for new education models inside and outside the classroom to make students more attentive and pensionable (Davidson 1 para2). That, she believes, can increase the student’s overall performance in the school, and later, in their careers. On the other hand, Karen Ho, in Biographies of Hegemony shows how Wall Street has set an ideology of who is “smart” based on behavior, appearance, and the university from which a person graduated rather than one that is based on a person’s expertise (Ho 2). That’s to be sure that they will impress the clients and make better connections with them (Ho 5). These connections, as Barbara Fredrickson illustrates in her article Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affect Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become, are what make life more meaningful, healthier, and richer. Unlike Wall Street, today’s society has many diverse ideologies about who is “smart,” and it considers whoever can solve problems creatively as a “smart” regardless of his/her ideology. Therefore, learning must change to adapt the increasing demand for creative thinking.
One of the most important ways to help students develop creative thinking is to teach them what they feel passionateabout. Most students nowadays go to school to study things they are not really interested in – and to do so in non-interesting ways. Davison illustrates this point when she argues that students “are failing when assessed by a standard that has almost nothing to do with how they learn online or—more importantly—what skills they need in a digital age,” (Davidson 232). We will lose them from our schools just as, implicitly, we have lost interest in them,” ( Davison 232). Losing interest in learning makes students unable to think deeply about what they learn. Therefore, they become unable to think creatively.
Schools can increase students’ interest by increasing subjects that relate to the things that students are passionate about nowadays such as; programming, data science, communication, streaming, and social media. This is recognition of what most of the jobs in the future will involve! On the other hand, some student graduates choose not to follow their passion but instead to pursue status, power, and money in their career choice due to the downward mobility of the middle class, as Ho says, “It could be all possible that the culture of success at Harvard drives people to skip right over the most important part of cognition—getting to know themselves and what they want and need, and instead send themselves,” (Ho 181). That shows that it would be better if they get to know themselves and choose what they are passionate about, because only their passion will drive them to true, satisfied success, by using only their creative thinking instead of their elite status. So, because passion is what drives people to think deeply and creatively, schools should know what a student’s passion is and make that a priority subject to be taught to the students.
To summarize, technology is an important aspect of the academic learning process. Its negative aspects are outweighed by its advantages. Technology is the most significant aspect added to the modern learning process. Technology allows the students to be free, creative and access more information. The new learning techniques have allowed the students room to be creative and research on topics, talents, and careers of their choice because the teaching method recognizes the skills of the students.
Works Cited
Angela, Yan Yu, Stella Wen Tian and Douglas Vogel. “Can learning be virtually boosted? An investigation of online social networking impact.” Computers & Education 55.4 (2010): 1494-1503. Print. <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131510001752>.
Buabeng-Andoh, Charles. “Factors influencing teachers’ adoption and integration of information an.” International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology 8.1 (2012): 136-155. Print. <https://search.proquest.com/openview/938bbe87db68135bee298a6845a43dd9/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=28521>.
Davidson, Cathy. “The Purpose of Education.” Project Classroom (2016): 1. Print. <https://futuresinitiative.org/education16/2016/09/04/analysis-project-classroom-makeover/>.
Hamzah, M. I., M. A. Embi and A. Ismail. “ICT and Diversity in Learners’ Attitude on Smart School Initiative.” Elsevier 7.3 (2010): 728-737. Print. <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042810021038>.
Ho, Karen. Biographies of Hegemony: The Culture of Smartness and the Recruitment and Construction of Investment Bankers. Duke: John Hope Franklin Center, 2009. Print.
Hord, Shirley M. “Professional Learning Communities: Communities of Continuous Inquiry and Improvement.” Eric 1 (2011): 71. Print. <https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED410659>.
Joyce, Bruce, and Beverly Showers. “Student Achievement Through Staff Development.” National College for Student Leadership 1.1 (2003): 1-5. Print. <https://www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/joyce_and_showers_coaching_as_cpd.pdf>.
