Mantle of the Expert – Soul Needs

“Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in class listening to teachers, memorizing repackaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves. (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)

In a typical classroom setting, students are often only passively in learning, i.e., in listening to the instructor, looking at the occasional overhead or slide, and reading (when required) the textbook. Research shows that passive involvement generally leads to a limited retention of knowledge by students, as indicated in the ‘cone of learning’ developed by Edgar Dale shown below. (McKeachie, W.J., 1998)

Very nice page on Active Learning is to be found HERE including an excellent diagram.

I think there may well be an even more important category than ‘doing’ and that is to get the learners to teach. Older poor readers in a primary school I recall improved the behaviour, attitudes and reading ages when they were asked to help younger children. I also recall one of our greatest teacher innovators Dorothy Heathcote. Central to her model was the ‘Mantle of the Expert‘. She put children in situations where they had to assume the role, status and responsibilities of experts – adult experts. In doing this they stretched their understanding and the psychological space into which they could eventually move and become more than they were.

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All postings to this site relate to the central model in the

PhD. Summaries are HERE