Teaching and Learning Transformative Processes (The Winter School Program)

Abstract

Scientific studies never replace or supplant subjective theories, but in the best case, enter a productive symbiosis; they can contribute to reflecting on and understanding one's own assumptions and thereby make them available to change. It is pedagogically sensible to address this tension between scientific and subjective theory, and thereby make pedagogical reflection accessible. For this reason, we bring forward the argument that practical experience in the field of education must precede a course of study using the scientific, theory-oriented approach to teacher training. This turns conventional education theory upside down: normally a well-grounded scientific education is required first, followed by cautious experiences in practical areas. Consequently, a valuable source of pedagogical knowledge is underrated, and regretfully also often discredited. The awareness and reflection of one's own subjective theories have to, however, be an integral part of any educational discussion of pedagogy and learning. The idea of allowing educational experiences without previous scientific education was tested in the Winter School Program, "Modern Teaching Methods," at Telavi State University. The participants in the Winter School Program were students from different disciplines. None had previously studied in the field of education. The participants were thus highly heterogeneous with respect to their educational training, but homogeneous with respect to their inexperience in educational studies. The interaction of the participants with theoretical assumptions of and models of pedagogy, on the one hand, and their own experiences, on the other, generated a productive tension that makes continuing related learning very probable.