Context In Education Is Everything–Being The ‘Coach’ Everyone Loves

In these settings, the teacher may organize activities and provide resources, but then takes on a coaching or facilitating role as students work cooperatively to solve problems, construct their own meaning, and generally direct their own learning. There is a wide range of how such environments operate and the extent to which teachers in them direct learning activities. Related terms include child-centered, which is often used interchangeably with student-centered; cooperative learning, in which students work together and learn from one another as well as from the activity and the teacher; project-based learning, in which students learn by completing activities that involve problem-solving and self-direction; and experiential learning, in which learners engage in carefully planned activities that become the vehicle for learning. When well and appropriately implemented, classrooms that emphasize these brands of student focus can be lively, stimulating, and very effective environments for learning.

Context Is Everything

The problem is that these terms typically represent just one set of techniques. These techniques are useful when applied in appropriate settings. However, what works in one setting may be completely out of place in another. What is appropriate for very young learners will not work for more developed individuals. What works for an adolescent suffering from depression may not be the same as what works for an individual with ADHD.

Context in education is critical. To ignore context and attempt to apply a single set of solutions across the board is a recipe for failure. Learners and learning environments are immensely varied and are best served by educators who comprehend and appreciate the highly complex nature of learning.

Photo credit: Richard Howard