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BLOCK 1: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY OF

EDUCATION
1. Which learning theory do you think the teacher Erin is defending? And
the previous teachers? Why?
Considering Erins teaching, she is defending the constructivist theory (mainly
supported by figures as Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, and others 1), which is
based on the guidance of the teacher as to help the student solve the problems

itself, modifying ideas and creating its own knowledge. In the film, it is seen how
Erin contextualizes her teaching in the social moment they are and uses it to
relate the content taught, guiding her students through the tasks and allowing
them develop their skills and knowledge. What is more, she sets her
methodology in a collective framework, defining their learning process as a
socialization activity. As it has been said, she does not transmit the knowledge
but gives different resources and enhances their motivation as a helping tool.
In contrast, the previous teachers base their teaching in the behaviourist
theory (mainly supported by figures as Ivan Pavlov , B.F.Skinner and others),

which is based on positive and negative reinforcement depending on the


behaviour. During the film, we can observe how this kind of teachers are
constantly trying to reach the maximum level by establishing different objectives
for their students. These objectives or goals are not focused on their learning
process, but are centered on their success as students. This fact is close related
with

behaviourism

approach,

because

this

theory

stands

up

for

the

establishment of some objectives which must be achieved by their students. In


case they success in the achievement of this goals, they are rewarded with a
mark, which represents a stimuli to behave in a determined way.

Click on the names to enter the link.


NOBEL PRIZE ORG.http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1904/pavlov-bio.html
[03/10/2016]
UNESCO.http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/archive/Publications/thinkerspdf/piagets.PDF
[03/10/2016]
UNESCO.http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/archive/Publications/thinkerspdf/vygotskys
.PDF [03/10/2016]
UNESCO. http://www.ibe.unesco.org/sites/default/files/skinners.pdf [03/10/2016]

2. How do the ways of understanding the learning determine the ways


of teaching?
How the teacher understands the learning completely determines how it teaches
and this can be perfectly seen at the film with two opposed examples:
The Honored Students teacher uses old methods and he is influenced by
prejudices regarding the racial aspects. Knowledge is transmitted by the use of a
lecture and textbooks, making direct questions and considering the answers
depending on the students (as the example of the only black girl in that class
when she answers). What is more, the interests, motivations, experiences of the
students are not present in that learning process.
On contrary, Erin, understands learning as a way of relating kids
experiences and interests with new knowledge they can construct. At first, she
engages her students showing their similarities and finding a common motivation
(seen in her game of the line and the interest they show to the Second World
War). She gives them confidence, a close approach, guidance to construct their
knowledge and discover/study what they need/want to know. She does not
consider their ethnicities and sees everything they do and live as educational
opportunities. It is possible to see the consequences of the Pygmalion effect,
since Erin has high expectations regarding her students and they perceive that,
gaining confidence and having better educational performances.
3. What are the main difficulties for this group at the beginning of the
course?
When starting the course, the students are not interested at all in their high

school course (as it can be seen that they do other thing at class and stop
attending them, until someone bring them back). Erin faces up a group of
conflictive students, who arrive at class and do not pay attention to her and start
a fight among them for the slightest reason (often between different ethnicities).

The students see her as a white woman, who has full of privileges for this
condition and cannot understand their situations, who looks for respect without
having gain it. She finds that behind those kids actually hard life stories are
hidden, social problems (racial conflicts) are at the back of their behaviours. And
the main difficulty is how to get over these obstacles.

4. What can this high school do to improve the teaching and learning
process?
The main problem of this high school is the prejudices they have. Along the film,
it is shown the opinion of most of the teachers, which believe that these kind of
students, referring to students from other ethnicities, do not want to be there
and study. For this reason, they think their resources do not have to be wasted

on them. What is more, as a consequence of their origins and academic results


kids are divided, labelling them (for example the honored students). The
teaching and learning process would be more efficient and valuable if those kids
were able to learn from the others, sharing experiences, opinions, similarities
and differences. The richness of an environment full of variety regarding culture
and ways of understanding life is not being used in their teaching point of view.
To improve this situation, the high school should put aside these beliefs and
treat all the students the same way, without dividing them and looking for the
strengths of every student.
Considering the methodology and the resources, they are using the old teaching
based on the transmission of the knowledge and the teacher as an active
element, while students are passive. To improve, the school should change the
methodology, involve the students in the process of learning. It is true that it is
almost impossible, really difficult, to make all the activities that Erin does with all
the students since the resources do not allow it. However, the teaching and
learning process should be oriented on the interests of the students, their
previous knowledge and experiences. It should be centred on the hands-on
perspective, a close approach to reality, in a real context and real relations to
the knowledge, so that the learning is significant to them.

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