Education in America has finally reached the 21st Century, chronologically at least, but not pedagogically. Education is still remarkably similar to what education was like in late 19th Century! We still put kids in classrooms of about 30, arrange then into rows and columns, and tell them to study for the test. The paradigm that is used in most schools today is the same paradigm that educators used in the 1890’s. We might call this the traditional paradigm of teaching and learning. Or perhaps, the permanent paradigm of learning.

Here are some details of this paradigm.

Traditional Paradigm

If you would go into a classroom you would find that students, in general, work individualistically—sometimes in groups, but individual learning is the goal. Most teaching is teacher-directed creating a dependent social system. Choices are made for the students. Rarely do students choose content or methodology for their investigations. The emphasis in the classroom is on literacy–that is knowing facts, skills and concepts. As far as content is concerned, it is the role of the teacher to impart the right body of knowledge, and for students to acquire it. When you spend time in these classrooms you will find that the learning methods used primarily encourage the recall of information. Some would add that learning is too analytical and linear. All of this should be very familiar to you. This is the classroom you know; it is the classroom that your students, and children know. But here is the kicker, it’s the classroom that your grandparents know.

This model is failing to meet the needs of most students, especially students in urban school districts.

As I have written in the previous two posts, education needs to focus on helping students become creative and innovative thinkers. The system of education in place today prepares learners to do routine work; in a global economy, workers need to be able to solve problems, and think-on-their-feet. Schools need to be organized using a paradigm that supports this goal. Enter the global thinking model.

This is not a new model. Teachers have been using elements of this model for more than a century. John Dewey proposed teaching along this line in the 1920’s. Educators throughout the 20th Century explored some of the elements here, but schools, as-a-whole, have not embraced it. Here is what it looks like. We’ll call it the global thinking paradigm.

Global Thinking Paradigm

If you were to visit a classroom based on this model, you would notice immediately that the teacher encourages innovative and flexible thinking. Students work collaboratively in small teams to solve problems, think together as a team, and take action together. This is a skill that nearly all work environments require today. Interdependence is the motto for learning in this classroom. You might say that a synergic system is established in groups within the classroom. You might also see evidence that the teacher of these students engages them in what we call a “global community of practice” by involving them with students from other schools in real problems solving using the Internet. Students are involved in choice-making including problem and topic selection, as well as solutions; reflects the action processes of grassroots organizations. The curriculum is driven by
a new literacy insofar as “knowledge” relates to human needs, the needs of the environment and the social needs of the earth’s population and other living species. The key for learning is on inquiry, learning how to learn, and how to ask questions. And you will conclude that classroom’s based on this paradigm encourages creative thinking, and is holistic and intuitive.