Application of Theories and Philosophy to Teaching Practice (original) (raw)

Abstract The foundation of education commenced from the beginning of the world with the story of Adam and Eve interacting with the Tree of Knowledge. It continues in the earliest prehistory times, as adults trained the young in the knowledge and skills deemed necessary in their society. Whether by traditional or conventional method, education is a form of learning to obtain knowledge, skills, beliefs, habits, and values. It is transferred through teaching, training, research or by stories telling. Educators have always been flooded with innovative ideas about learning and teaching. Teachers seek new ways to be effective practitioners and are bombarded with suggestions for reform. Educators are usually required to try new curricula, innovative teaching strategies, and new assessments. Education affects everyone. The process of teaching and learning is personal and lies at the very heart of education. As the process becomes known in greater depth, the better an individual will be able to influence his/her growth and direction. The attempt to better understand the teaching and learning process has traditionally been dominated by behaviorist and positivist research paradigms. It is possible to increase advances previously made by examining how those who are principally and directly involved in the process of teaching and learning (teachers and students) utilize their consciousness in grasping information and contents and also the way by which they behave. Teachers have a teaching role. A teaching role is a set of behavioral patterns that emerge in response to the learning environment. This includes students and the learning task demands. Each teaching role engages students to learn in a unique manner, using one mode of grasping experience and one mode of transforming experience. The educator must closely monitor the quality of student performance toward the standards they set, and provide consistent feedback. These are the standard setting and evaluation role to help student apply knowledge toward performance goals. Hunt (1987) suggested that a learning spiral is shared between individuals through interaction. To one another, people relate. They relate in a pattern of alternating reading and flexing the true representation of the learning process. A skilled educator through specific strategy can activate learning modes in students based on their pattern of learning style. This learning style is usually developed from the educators personal and professional experiences. In a sense, it commences with understanding both the classroom and non-classroom settings with the composition such as, age, gender and learning styles, previous exposure to course content and previous work experience. It is believed that learning in adulthood is distinguished from learning in childhood. This belief is generated by the way some aspects of the learning process and the way the context intermingle in adulthood. With adults, the education they seek is transformative as they are seeking to extend, refine, and rejuvenate beliefs and knowledge they already possess. Some adults need repeated practice of a concept or skill. So with questions and answers, experimenting and researching, finding and solving, their consciousness open with a mature thought process that allow the mind to be retentive. Education is an ongoing process. One never stops learning. Every day is a new day with a new agenda. Therefore mankind should always seek to reform knowledge and gain more useful and relevant agenda.