My philosophy of teaching and learning has been greatly influenced by the study of Motivation. As an educator, a coach, and a student, I have always been interested in what drives people to want to learn and improve.
To paraphrase Psychologist Carl Rogers from his famous book, On Becoming a Person, "all learning is basically self-directed". This thought is of critical importance to me, as an educator. Learners must choose that what they are being taught, or what they are investigating, is something of importance and is something that they should know. It's common understanding that people tend to learn better when they study things that are of interest to them. This is the perfect example of the learner making a conscious choice to learn.
If we apply Roger's thoughts and ideas to the world of education, we must realize that learners need to see the value of what they are being taught. In addition, we need to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each individual student and encourage them to pursue the gains in knowledge.
The growth and implementation of technology into the world of education is a wonderful opportunity for learners to begin to learn and develop at their own pace, and according to their own interests. It allows for learners to take control of their learning and become more self directed.
The classic educational model of 12 grades meeting in classes at a large school building is becoming outdated. Through the development of technology and web based learning strategies, learners have the ability to learn and achieve goals and standards at their own pace. The notion of the teacher as the "provider of knowledge" is no longer true. Students with a laptop and an internet connection can easily find an infinite amount of information on subject matter.
This does not mean that teaching is no longer needed, but that it has changed. Teachers need to strive to be "guides" to learning, and help their students to achieve the established goals, standards, and benchmarks of the educational system. Instead of being the "fountain of knowledge" the teacher becomes a facilitator, helping students to achieve their own goals.
It is truly a remarkable time in the field of education, and I look toward the future with a great deal of excitement at the possibilities of what it can become.