Isms are neither filters nor blinkers

Isms are neither filters nor blinkers
The suffix ism goes back to the seventeenth century and it was used to as a philosophy or doctrine to represent a practice or an act. It follows that the idea of cognitivism and the other isms represent a philosophy that people hold on to and believe in. The use of the word has little significance. What is important is how the philosophy is applied and the impact it as on the people involved.
I differ with Bill Kerr. I don’t think that ism is either a blinker or a filter. It is a suffix that adds diction to words. We may have all the learning theory at our disposal but they won’t be beneficial to us if we do not make the appropriate use of them. Piaget’s, Bruner, Skinner and the others have written learning theories that can be used to aid learning at any time in history.
The isms in educational theories tend to complement each other. While the focus today is on constructivism and cognitivism in the classroom, the end results always carry traits of behaviorism. As students experiment, explore and solve problems, they are feel good about solving problems and this motivates them to keep solving problems. This response and reward concept is rooted in behaviorism even though it becomes visible in other isms

Future students will outperform us

The next wave is likely to produce students who will excel in every area of school work. The next wave will try to improve life in general and teaching and learning are included. It follows that the subjects that some people consider as difficult will be mastered by most, if not all students who grow up on the next wave.

How People learn best

There are several theories on how people learn and when Howard Gardner wrote on multiple intelligence in 1983, he too was showing the world how people learn. How people learn best has to do with a number of factors. In other words, a number of conditions must first be right for someone to learn to the best of his /her ability. One can learn best when:
the learning environment is right, the delivery of lesson suits the learner's learning style, the mindset of the teacher and learner are right,when the lessons are scheduled properly, and the learner is well fed, he has the right aptitude and information is presented in proper dosage.