Today, we do not stop learning after graduating from the university: more and more mature people are buying online courses, improving their qualifications, and mastering new professions. However, not everyone and not always manages to reach the end of the curriculum. The reason is rarely due to laziness, lack of motivation or time — often it is the wrong method of training.
Finding interesting online courses is not difficult — there are many offers on the Internet. You can learn photo editing or interior design, learn a foreign language, or figure out how to build an effective sales funnel. However, according to an independent study, only 20% of online schools reach the end of their studies.
However, students should not blame themselves for being lazy: more often than not, the curriculum and teaching style just doesn’t suit them. Together with behavioral psychologist Alina Redko, we figure out what are the pros and cons of different educational approaches and whether there is a universally effective method for teaching adults.
The traditional method
This approach is familiar to everyone since childhood in school or university classes: the teacher-mentor leads, and the students listen and memorize. Its founders are considered to be the «father of pedagogy» Jan Comenius and the German philosopher, psychologist and educator Johann Herbart.
The very term «traditional education» came into use only in the XNUMXth century. Pupils are usually combined into groups of approximately the same level of training. Sometimes the training is one-on-one with a teacher, but this is more about tutoring or gaining additional skills.
Advantages and disadvantages
“This approach is good for those who are used to doing everything perfectly and love it when the rules are followed,” notes Alina Redko. “Otherwise, the person will not feel safe. The downside of the approach is that teachers focus students’ attention on mistakes and lower marks for them. However, the method of learning through positive reinforcement is no less effective.”
Project approach
The project method was proposed by the American philosopher and educator John Dewey at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. The purpose of the approach is to arouse the student’s personal interest in the topic under study. To do this, the teacher poses a real problem from life to the student, and he is looking for ways to solve it, applying the knowledge gained in the classroom before.
A vivid example of the approach can be seen in the TV series House M.D., where a mentor doctor describes a complex clinical case to a team of young specialists: a patient in critical condition with mysterious symptoms. Time to solve the problem is limited. As Dewey himself argued, this method allows you to educate a person who knows how to «adapt to different situations.»
Advantages and disadvantages
“Despite the obvious advantages of the method, it is not so simple. For example, if a project task assigned to a student turns out to be unbearable for him, this can be a serious obstacle to learning,” says Alina Redko. — It is important for curriculum planners to take this aspect into account and give students projects according to their abilities. And students must be prepared for the fact that they will not only be praised. Something may not work out, but this is not a reason to give up.”
flipped class
Such a system of education appeared relatively recently — in 2007. Its authors were two American teachers Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams.
The teacher creates videos, quizzes, games, and podcasts for students that contain learning material. Students get acquainted with them at home and return to the teacher to discuss, analyze the most difficult points of the theory and consolidate their knowledge.
Initially, the authors developed a flipped classroom model for student-athletes who frequently missed classes due to competition. The media helped to develop this system of education and bring it to a new level — the largest American newspapers and magazines supported the innovative idea, and they began to apply it in adult education.
Advantages and disadvantages
“The flipped classroom gives a lot of space for independent work and time planning. Problems arise when the method is applied to the teaching of minors. And they do not have enough coordinated brain areas that are responsible for the perception of a delayed result, — explains Alina Redko. — But for people over 20 years old, this format is one of the most successful. After all, he allows you to study when there is an opportunity, strength and time for this, at your own pace.
Storytelling
Stories told to us by others are one of the oldest ways to convey information. Storytelling (from the English storytelling — “storytelling”) as a teaching method was proposed by the American entrepreneur David Armstrong, head of the international company Armstrong International.
He implemented this approach in his business to quickly train newcomers. And then he noted that the efficiency of the company has increased markedly. Storytelling is one of the oldest ways to convey information.
Today, different forms of storytelling are in demand:
- classical — when the teacher himself tells the story to the students;
- active — students are involved in the process and can somehow influence the plot;
- mixed digital — when the learning story is built in the form of interactive exercises, performing which the student discovers new plot twists.
Advantages and disadvantages
“The effectiveness of this method is high, since the story immediately models a specific situation for the student, and also involves him in learning on an emotional level,” explains Alina Redko. — Feelings strongly influence the choice and actions of a person.
If storytelling evokes positive emotions and feelings that can help solve some important problem, it is likely that the student will carry this attitude into life and use it when working with real cases.
Students can even adopt a train of thought received from the narrator or the protagonist of the educational story. This method is ineffective if the narrator or the content of the story for some reason turned out to be unpleasant for the student.
Full immersion method
Immersion in the environment is a teaching technique with elements of relaxation, suggestion and play, which today is primarily common in the study of foreign languages.
The point is that learning a new language is easier if you speak it with a teacher, read books and news sites in it, watch memes, movies and TV shows. There are quite a few traveling language schools for adults that use this approach.
Students are offered to complete interactive exercises. They need to understand the situation and find a solution on their own using language skill. For example, help the hero of the exercise find an access point to a stable Wi-Fi in order to send important files to work colleagues.
Advantages and disadvantages
“This method can be most effective if it takes into account the strengths and abilities of the student. It helps a lot to “highlight” all the missing knowledge and understand what needs to be improved further,” notes Alina Redko. “However, if the intensity of immersion for a particular person turns out to be incomparable with his level of skills, the student can drop everything.
So those who plan to study using this method need support and a clear plan. This role can be played by both a teacher and a loved one, the main thing is that he is ready to give a third-party assessment and honest feedback: “This is what you can do, but it’s too early to do it. But you are already doing a lot, and this will work too.