Didactic relation in the teaching-studying-learning process

The relation between general didactics and subject didactics is first analysed and the special characteristics of subject didactics are described. With help of didactic triangle the pedagogical relation between the teacher and the student is discussed. The core of subject didactics is outlined as the teacher ́s relation to another relation, that between the student and the content. The manifest part of this later relation is expressed as studying and the latent part as learning. Finally the fact that every teacher has a didactics of his/her own is discussed. 1. General didactics and subject didactics The substance of didactics and of research on didactics is the instructional process with all to it connected factors. The ideal approach to such an examination would be to look at that process as a totality, taking all possible factors into consideration. It is certainly not possible to include all viewpoints into the same design in the same study. But the framework is totally different when the process is looked at as a whole as against the alternative approach where the focus rests on some particular component and the totality is not even discussed. Research on didactics in its broadest definition refer to all kinds of research on teaching or, more precisely, on the teaching-studying-learning process (Kansanen, 1999). It must be added that didactics also means pedagogy in this area. The descriptive side of didactics is characteristic of a research approach and the normative side represents the practical viewpoint with its arguments and justifications behind the educational decisions. In addition, didactics always is connected with some context in the society, with some institution, and it is here that a curriculum comes into the picture. A curriculum restricts the degree of freedom to act in this context. It is pedagogy as a totality that guides the instructional process according to the aims and goals stated in the curriculum. Generality in examining didactics differentiates into many special viewpoints on the action level. The teacher and the practitioner researcher need some viewpoint to approach the instructional process in practice. Beside general didactics (didactica generalis) special didactics (didactica specialis) concentrates on some aspect that is distinguished from the instructional process for examination. It may usually be some period of life (Stufendidaktik), some content (Fachdidaktik), some broader content area of education (Bereichsdidaktik), or leisure didactics (Freizeitdidaktik). Another viewpoint to look at the same problem is to speak of theoretical didactics contra applied didactics. When speaking of applied didactics the theoretical aspect of didactics is emphasised and there is a certain difference as to the