The Learning Process

Someone once said that when we stop learning we might as well die. It is for this reason that two sciences developed in the field of learning: Pedagogy - the teaching of children; and Andragogy - the training of adults. Both groups of students set out to absorb new content but is motivated by different outcomes. We can agree that any learning should develop critical thinking and problem-solving in our modern society. Or should it?

The London-based Institute of Education just published a study under the direction of Chris Watkins in the Research Matters journal that ties the current discussion over how to teach modern critical thinking and problem-solving skills back to the decades-old discussion of students' motivation in the classroom. They found that two parallel motivations drive student achievement:

1) "Learning Orientation" - the drive to improve knowledge and competency;
2) "Performance Orientation" - the drive to prove that competency to others.

Guess which orientation is being developed under the current US-style assessment accountability system?

Watkins found the highest-achieving students had a healthy dose of both types of motivation, but students who focused too heavily on performance ironically performed less well academically, thought less critically, and had a harder time overcoming failure. Improving meta-cognition (exercises such as journaling or class discussions) does not always take place in a Learning Orientation environment which robs a student from showing or proving competency. On the flip side, a Performance Orientation emphasis does drive up competition in a classroom (which I personally don't think is a bad thing).

Education Week (Aug 17, 2010) which highlighted this study reports that the likelihood of U.S. or British schools moving away from high-stakes accountability is low, and the Research Matters review suggests educators should stop thinking of learning and performance as diametrically opposed. What educators should be aware of is that both motivators exists for optimal learning and to incorporate it in their teaching strategy.
Michael Cordier