Learning vs. Performing

In my previous weblog entry I expressed my frustration with my attempts to tap into the intrinsic motivation of students. It is relatively easy to get students to perform. Students tend to be adept at jumping through whatever hoops we put before them. Students are familiar with the game of education and what is required to get the grade for which they are willing to settle. They can stuff their short-term memories with information, regurgitate the information back on an exam, and immediately empty their brains of the information to make room for the next cycle of memorization—what I call Cram/Vomit/Erase. We then dole out grades and everyone convinces themselves that learning has occurred. Learning initiates change--change in assumptions, behaviors, and outcomes. I talk with students and faculty. I read the educational literature. I consult with employers. There is general agreement that the current educational system is flawed. There are numerous proposals of how to change it. Yet we continue to do what we agree doesn’t work. We have imprisoned ourselves in a self-perpetuating system. As frustrating as I find this situation, I am also energized by the challenge to find a better way. I will continue to share in this weblog what I discover along my journey. I encourage others to share their experiences. In this way each of us can move beyond simply performing in our role as teacher to become a role model to our students of what it is to be a lifelong learner.