A conclusive thought: the opportunity to change education is, literally, at hand

Abstract: We have known for more years than we might care to admit what a classroom should look like in order for substantive learning to take place. But instead of a learn-by-doing (also known as project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, active learning, etc.) didactic pedagogy/direct instruction still rules the land. Whether it is a teacher at the front of the room expounding or a Khan Academy video expounding or an electronic whiteboard instead of a blackboard at the place of the expounding or if the students can immediately respond to expounding with a clicker – that is still direct instruction pedagogy and we all know that direct instruction pedagogy, while useful in places, ought not to be the overwhelmingly dominant pedagogy. So, why has this pedagogy not been replaced by the better pedagogy? The truth is this: enacting a learn-by-doing pedagogy (or project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, active learning, etc.) is really difficult to do; it requires considerable time on the teacher’s part as well as deep content knowledge in order to tailor the learning experiences to the particular strengths and weaknesses of the student.