Dana Tempel’s Updates

Update 3: Didactic Education: The Modern Past

I believe didactic pedagogy is still alive and well in most classrooms K-12 and in higher education. Throughout the video lectures, didactic pedagogy is described as “traditional” method of teaching. More specifically, it is more lecture style (teacher talking and learners listening) with quizzes or exams to measure your understanding. I also believe educators are increasingly working to create more balanced teaching methods by finding ways to:

  • engage their learners which encourages more of a 2 way listening and learning
  • creates opportunity for learners to explore outside the box
  • allows for active learning (learners can acquire new knowledge, tap into previous experiences that might be related, & produce new knowledge)

I think didactic pedagogy although goes back many decades in education it is still effective and appropriate. I think the key is finding that balance described above. Almost anyone could agree that the more you can be creative with teaching the more excited, motivated, and engaged your learners will be. A good teacher/facilitator should agree that creating a learning space that can do this will ensure your learners the most successful outcome.

Here are some nice diagrams that help us visualize a representation of the level of learning when didactic learning is balanced with other effective teaching methods.

Didactic Overload
Didactic in Moderation

Reference:
3 ways to utilise didactic teaching methods – a critique. (2017, October 21). Retrieved June 28, 2018, from http://www.thequillguy.com/3-ways-to-utilise-didactic-teaching-methods-a-critique/