My whole life I loved going to school. The concept of being able to learn and hang out with my friends in one place was astounding to me. The thought of being able to expand my knowledge with every class I took felt even better. I really enjoy being out of the house and feeling as though I am doing something with purpose.
In today’s society, school has become heavily reliant on technology with the offerings of online classes, learning programs, and so much more. I know in my university, I wouldn’t be able to pass half of my classes without my laptop. That being said, it hasn’t quite taken away from the social aspect of school yet, which I still love. I still experience much interaction with my peers and professors due to group projects, study sessions, etc. It creates a warm environment where most can remember their life is not just about school. This can be good for one’s mental health and overall being. So why would there be attempts to try and diminish this concept?
In an article by Keller (1968), a new teaching method is proposed as a way for college students to truly absorb the course’s material. This method calls for weekly testing of the material learned. If you do not pass this level, you cannot move onto the next section until you do. The tests can be taken as many times as needed. Through the use of procters, graduate assistants, and an instructor, the study materials for the course are provided. They are there constantly to help with the material and ensure your success. However, it is set up in such a way that the responsibility of learning is placed on the student rather than the teacher. This way, they are able to put the amount of time and effort into it that they want, and work at their own pace. Nevertheless, in order to receive an A in the class, the student’s best effort must be used.
The problem with this method to me is that it takes away one of the very things that makes me love school: the social community. If every class was to follow this method and every student was to work at their own effort and pace, it would be a much lonelier and intense way to learn. On the other hand, personally, if just one of my classes were like this, then I would feel more inclined to put all of my time into this class since it would take the most to succeed and as a result, neglect my other classes. I would not be able to equally distribute my time like I do now. Yes, the students who do try tend to really succeed in the method Keller presented, but is it enough to bring this method into our universities today and abandon our ways? Or is it possible to find a balance between, new technologies, our social environment and the emphasis on truly absorbing the material as shown in Keller’s method to create a much more well rounded school environment?
Keller, F. S. (1968). “Good-Bye, Teacher …”1. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,1(1), 79-89.
doi:10.1901/jaba.1968.1-79