Reshaping the Paradigms of Teaching and Learning

What Happens Today is Education's Future

By (author) Alan Wimberley

Publication date:

12 August 2016

Length of book:

160 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475826562

Historically, we have been engaged with a model of education reform since the latter part of the last century. We now have a cycle that’s become a system with “pockets of promise” and isolated experiments. It appears that everyone is an education reformer and every district, charter and region has their own particular experiment, giving the appearance of widespread innovation. We’ve grown comfortable with this “interruption” that tolerates, or celebrates, the experiments as long as they don't seriously disrupt our entrenched classroom approach to teaching and learning. Reshaping the Paradigms of Teaching and Learning is a call to move beyond experimentation and transform the understanding of our entire system of education. The author defines the distinctions between the teaching system of the last century and the need for learning systems and how this is possible for today's learner. Understanding the difference, and understanding the need, is our first step toward a broad transformation. That understanding begins with the thought but demands the action. Disruption, and each learner, awaits that transformation.

Preface: You Will Want to Read This First
Acknowledgements
Introduction: Peering Over the Edge
Chapter One: Why We Have to Get Over Ourselves
Chapter Two: Teaching or Learning?
Chapter Three: The Architecture of a Mastery Based System
Chapter Four: The Four Determinants of an Encurricular Learning System
Chapter Five: The New Flight Plan
Chapter Six: What Must Happen Now
Chapter Seven: The Transformed System
Chapter Eight: Transforming the District
About the Author

This book sets forth a powerful case that as we diligently work to reform the teaching systems of yesterday, students – and educators – of today are yearning for us to transform to learning systems that yield engagement and fulfillment in the classroom and beyond. Dr. Wimberley provides a compelling vision of replacing the compliance-based, assessment-laden, adult-centered teaching systems, and the accompanying anxiety and negativity, with student-focused learning systems that unleash the creative genius of educators to better meet the needs and interests of students. May this vision become a reality!