My philosophy of education is that all students can learn. No matter what the student’s background, income, or prior experiences in education are they can learn given the right tools and the instruction of how to use them. Students need to have an environment in which boundaries are set for containment of the content, but freedom is given for open expression and exploration in areas of interest. True education is what the student takes from a lesson or class and how they apply it to real world situations and life. The success of the student in life is measured by the goals and rubrics they set for themselves.
After teaching elementary, middle school, high school and now higher education, I find that learning is doing. Bandura (1977) has stated in his social learning theory that children learn by modeling the actions and words of others. This theory can transcend to higher learning as students watch the habits of good students, the modeling of the instructors, and accept lessons as they demonstrate competency in the content. Each student is an individual and they will model what they see best to meet their personal needs and goals and the needs and the goals to complete an academic requirement.
The ultimate goal of education is to allow students to become successful in their lives. Though the perception of success is perceived differently by different people, the perception should include insight to make the definition of success fair and meaningful. As a teacher I need to consider what really matters to my students, what is most important to them, and what they see most useful for success in the real world. I must combine this with content requirement so that the students learn the content, but more importantly apply it to their lives.
Vygotsky’s constructivist view of education has given us the idea that learning should be active and that social interaction should be included. This is a challenge in the classroom, but in a virtual classroom the challenge has rose to a higher bar. As an online instructor I must encourage social interaction between my students by challenging them to think more critically and to accept and expand on the feedback given by peers. This must be done with finesse and politically correctness without hindering free thought and free expression. Multiple perspectives from multiple backgrounds need to intertwined together so alternative viewpoints can be displayed and the students feel comfortable in sharing them.
As a catalyst of educational change and progressive education, I will be open to peer reviewed literature and research that might change the brick and mortar or virtual classroom far beyond my preconceived interpretations of what education is and what it should be. As technology changes and educational delivery models evolve, I will evolve with them to meet the student’s needs at the highest level of confidence and professionalism. The student is our client and we must meet their needs not only in the classroom, but also as an institution as the world’s market needs change.