A heutagogical approach recognizes the need to be flexible in the learning, where the teacher provides resources but the learner designs the actual course he or she might take by negotiating the learning. Thus, learners might read around critical issues or questions and determine what is of interest and relevance to them and then negotiate further reading and assessment tasks. The latter assessment becomes more of a learning experience rather than a means to measure attainment.
To a certain limit, I can say that our pedagogical approach has evolved from the traditional pedagogy approach to andragogy and currently, heutagogy. Nothing can be called the best approach, because there is always a room for improvement.
In the centre of learning must be the student, not the teacher. It is better, to have more approaches to learning and the student can make a decision appropriate to his preferences.
What I feel is that teachers must be aware of themselves as practitioners and as human beings if they wish to teach students in a non-threatening, anti-discriminatory way. Self-actualisation should be the goal of the teacher as well as the students.
Suggest everyone reads George Siemens then comes back and we try again:
http://www.ingedewaard.net/papers/connectivism/2005_siemens_ALearningTheoryForTheDigitalAge.pdf
Who shapes? 1)The teacher to the student or 2) the opposite? , or 3) they molded mutually?
In first case: It is the traditional concept. The teacher trap, ie. capture to the students with theirs personal charm. Some others students are out. But, there are some case where the student attract to professor. In that case, many students are out of the play.
There are cases where the brilliant porfessor fright to all students. It is the case of a famous nobel prize of physic that had a select group of students exclusively for to learn physic with him during two years. All students fled, and none of them had links with the physic. This experiment was failed. It is necessary to be magnanimous, honesty and spontaneous as professor. But it is very dificult to be in front of the students being a false.
Regards
I agree with Mahfuz Judeh and I do believe that there has been an evolution within pedagogy to support new approaches like Heutagogy! Like Rudolf Ritt mentions it is important to consider learner centricity and building enriching course materials around the learner’s needs and abilities. Through Heutagogy, you would enable the learner(s) to adjust the course materials to suit their needs and this would ensure personalisation. Educators can monitor progress and ensure key points are met.
I have attached some previous research using Heutagogy with Postgraduate students about the benefits it can have using web-based technologies.
Interesting question. The important thing that comes through what you have posed to me is the change in relationship and expectations between students and their teachers. As I was reading about the changes in Finnish education, with the following result: "More emphasis has been placed on students’ role as actively constructing knowledge, which means that ideas of ‘learning to learn’, skills and competencies, have been put in focus. All these changes have weakened the role and status of individual school subjects" (Phenomenon-based education versus discipline-based subjects – Some recent changes in Finnish schools by Sirpa Tani) The shift from traditional pedagogy is clear in this example, and the expertise of the teacher changes - from imparter of knowledge to facilitator, adviser, support, and a thinking and learning skills developer.
As mentioned by Ben Levin (above) theoretical change and ACTUAL change rarely happen at the same time, particularly with opposing (and imposing) ideas of government and much of the general population. In terms of Andragogy, adults also need to be trained in these skills that are being attempted at school levels (good!). In my own graduate studies, the shift from being given tasks/questions/information about a subject to developing my own (critical) questions, methods and approach was a gradual one, with the PhD being the culmination of such a heutagogical approach. (A quick search of articles about heutagogy shows this is a very popular and current topic!)
I think there is an evolution in pedagogy beginning from the traditional down to the current debate. You must move from somewhere. Innovations do not fall from the "moon". I am also thinking that the bearing will soon rest on more collaborative approaches between the teacher and the students.
I would like to give an example to show the differences:
I am learning several languages computer-aided:
- at first there is a check of my level and I can start on the spot.
(in a traditional class people with different levels are mixed up, so for a few people the teaching is boring, for another few people it is excessive demand)
- the computer notices individually, which words or skills I know and repeat the weak automatically in a pattern of optimal learning.
(in traditional learning each pupil is responsible for his repetition perhaps without knowing effective pattern)
- I can decide to learn more with writig, more with hearing, more with speaking according to my preferences
(in traditional learning this preferences are mixed up and are hardly adapted to individual preferences)
- I have not to go somewhere to learn a language
(perhaps I have to go to a place far away to get lessons in the language I want)
- I can do it whenever I want and how long I want!
(traditional there is a schedule that may not fit with my interests)
- I decide about the speed of my learning
(In traditional learning the speed is predeterminated)
- I cannot do any conversation in my programm
(traditional learning has advantages in teaching this skill!)
- age doesn't matter!
About your point of "learner designs the actual course he or she might take by negotiating the learning"
Never have I experienced this personally in my study years; I do hope all institutes come to this stage; empower students to own their learning!
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