We have identified some basic principles about effective learning which we rely on in our teaching to ensure that we are facilitating our students’ learning.
Participation and Engagement
To be effective, we believe that learning should encourage active participation of the student. When students become active participants in their learning, rather than ‘receivers of knowledge’, their engagement improves along with their level of motivation. As a result of our teachers participating with our learners, we see them learn more quickly and retain what they learn for longer periods.
We make learning equally experiential as well as informational.
Our teachers arrange their teaching to facilitate interaction and promote the sharing of ideas.
Practice and Recall
An important principle about learning that we apply in all our lessons is to ensure ample opportunities for students to practice and recall what they have learned. We do this to ensure smooth performance and maximum retention.
Contextual Relevance
We ensure deep learning by ensuring that everything students are asked to learn is meaningful. By making learning contextually relevant, our students not only retain more, but understand it at a deeper level.
To make learning relevant to our students, our teachers lessons are focused on being problem-centred (using analytical skills) rather than content-centred (relying on recall).
Application
We ensure that learning is practical for our learners. We want learning in class to transfer to real-life, working situations.It is only when students are able to transfer what they have learned to real-life contexts that we can say that they have truly learned.
Feedback
Feedback from teachers gives learners information on their progress, and as such it plays a pivotal role in learning. Effective feedback to students improves performance by helping them correct their mistakes and also reinforcing what has been successful. This is not a simple matter of identifying what is right and wrong, but a deeper reflection on why things are right and wrong, and what else can be done.