Linking Dewey, Gee, Bransford & Schwartz, and Pea

             Dewey prefaces his thinking by explaining that it is not enough to simply acknowledge that something is not working and therefore do the complete opposite. While traditional instruction has been ineffective, he states, “it does not follow that progressive education is a matter of planless improvisation” (p.28). Rather, because every individual brings with him/her prior experiences and internal conditions priming them for certain learning opportunities, it is therefore a teacher’s job to most effectively orchestrate an interaction between internal and objective (external) conditions that will move a learner forward (p.42). He warns that this insight really only complicates the work of educators, and that we must now explore the methods of orchestrating these interactions. Dewey has framed the challenge for us, the other writers have brought in some more concrete examples and insights into what it will mean to enact this “progressive” form of education.

            Gee brings our attention to the achievement gap within schools and sheds some light on the fact that the way we teach within schools may be keeping certain students from reaching their potential. He advocates for a more “cultural” process of learning involving “masters. . . creating an environment rich in support for learners” (p.12).

            Bransford & Schwartz similarly argue that the goal should be to “place (students) on a trajectory toward expertise” (p.68). They argue that the end goal itself does not matter so much as having the tools and skillset to engage in the process of reaching the end goal. The idea of knowing “with,” that “an educated person thinks, perceives, and judges with everything that he has studied in school, even though he can’t recall on demand,” places emphasis on experiences that will help students grow and interact with the world in rich and meaningful ways in future experiences (p.69-70).

            Pea brings in the idea of distributed intelligence, and the idea that intelligence is accomplished rather than possessed (p.50). It is not so much about gaining personal knowledge, but about being able to interact with the world (humans and non-human objects) in effective ways. Students must learn how to interact with versatile objects, tools created by others that store intelligence (measuring tools, periodic table, maps, calculators, to name a few), as well as collaborating with others in order to construct intelligence.

            All authors place an emphasis on experience, both past and future, and social interaction. The view of what makes someone truly educated is changing and therefore, so is the role of “educator.” It is less about passing knowledge down from one brain to another, and more about setting up learning opportunities that will challenge and build upon past and current experiences, allowing learners to interact with and act on the world in deeper, productive ways.