What is learning?

Learning is the act of acquiring knowledge, Marton and Säljö (1976) state that knowledge can be achieved through Surface Learning and Deep Learning. Surface learning is the act of memorising and recalling information which would help a pupil to pass an exam, deep learning is the understanding of knowledge and a build-up of skills. The difficult task when teaching is ensuring that pupils develop these deep learning skills which sometimes can be neglected due to the nature of a curriculum which can often rely upon surface knowledge. This creates a dilemma; are we teaching pupils to pass an exam or are we encouraging them to become deep thinkers who are acquiring skills?

I would argue that both have an important role within education. It is the teacher’s role to find a balance and to ensure that pupils have an understanding of the topic but that they are encouraged to become independent thinkers. During my short career in education I have been driven to focus on the pupil’s role within the classroom and to encourage them to be responsible for their own learning. Some pupils will happily approach a task independently however others lack confidence and would rather be told the answers than work it out on their own. As teachers we need to ensure that the pupils understand the topic but need to ensure that we are not simply ‘spoon feeding’ pupils the surface knowledge.

Guy Claxon (2002) explores learning as being through resilience, resourcefulness, reflectiveness and reciprocity. Encouraging resilience within a classroom is essential to ensuring that learning is nurtured and not disrupted. Often when a task becomes difficult pupils can become distracted causing low level disruption. Resilience should be ensured through behavioural strategies, differentiation and engagement in order to minimise distractions and maximise learning. Resourcefulness though questioning and imaginative resources can be one way in which resilience is supported and encouraged.

I have experienced lessons in which I have pitched the lesson too high meaning that the work was too difficult and inaccessible for some pupils resulting in low level disruption. The lack of resilience in the pupils meant that it was easier for them to ignore the work than others in the room. I believe that challenge is essential to learning and want to push my pupils to the more difficult task. However, work that is too challenging can create a negative environment as it can reduce a pupil’s confidence and create self-doubt. Claxon highlights our tendencies to revert to a defensive mode when we are placed into uncertainty. It is essential that the teacher has an in depth understanding of the pupils that they teach in order to ensure that they are being challenged appropriately. It is also essential that pupils are taught independence in order to become resilient. Helping a pupil to learn independently will build their confidence in their own ability and push them to become more resilient learners.

When pupils are presented with a difficult task they are put under stress which can create a ‘fight or flight’ response. Walter Cannon (1929) believed that we have a primitive reaction to survival and that our natural response to difficulty is to either fight or to flee. Reflecting on Claxton’s focus on resilience it is clear that all pupils will react differently to pressure and that each pupil’s natural response will differ. Pupils who have a natural fight approach are likely to be more comfortable independent learners who will succeed when placed under pressure. It is the pupils who flee who are also likely to avoid deeper learning. It is essential that these pupils have a clear understanding of how the task is important to their learning and the purpose each task has on their education.

Howard Gardner (1993) believes that learning varies dependent upon your style of intelligence. He developed the theory of Multiple Intelligences and believes that there are 8 different learning styles: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Musical, Bodily Kinaesthetic, Spatial-Visual, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal. It is unrealistic to adapt every lesson to meet the needs of each learning style but is essential to understand the different approaches to learning and adopt strategies to meet the learning styles of the pupils across a scheme of work. I often try to incorporate visual and kinaesthetic approaches into my lessons as I believe these help to engage a wider range of pupils. Garner’s approach has helped me to explore these different learning styles further in my teaching and my own education. When exploring my own learning style I discovered that I had a musical approach to learning. I found this interesting as my former high school Math’s teacher played classical music in lessons, something that I remember fondly now and really helped my engagement in lessons.

I believe that we never stop learning and ultimately education within the school system is to prepare children for further education and further learning. It is essential to understand that all pupils are individuals who learn in different ways who need to be encouraged to be independent and to understand the value of their own learning. Reflecting on my own experience within education I have discovered that a ‘one size fits all’ approach simply doesn’t work. Learning needs to be constantly adapted to support the individual. I strive to encourage deep learning but understand that this cannot be achieved without the surface knowledge. Learning is about finding a balance in which all styles can be met and all needs supported.