High Quality Learning

From the 1970'ies I have made research on educational objectives and pondered what is high quality learning. In schools there are often many kinds of ritualistic learning, that has low quality in the sense that it does not serve real long term needs of individual, society or humankind.

After decades of work, I created my own tentative, integrating theory of high quality learning (e.g. Åhlberg 1996, 1997, 1998a - 1998c, 2001, 2002a and 2002b). According to it high quality learning has at least 12 aspects. High Quality learning is 1) Meaningful in the sense that it corresponds real needs of individual, society and humankind. Through the concept of 'real needs' high quality learning is connected to the general definition of 'quality' in my theory. It is meaningful also in the Ausubelian sense that new learnt knowledge is connected to earlier knowledge. 2) Deep in the sense that grounds and justifications for knowledge are actively sought after, and consequences of knowledge is actively tested both theoretically and empirically. 3) Proactive, creative, expanding, transformative, surpassing earlier knowledge and expertise in the sense that real human needs are better and better met, real problems are solved, or at least alleviated, better future is created as a result of creative learning. It often means reframing problems, seeing the world, its problems and real human needs in different perspectives. 4) Metacognitive, in the sense that ways to monitor and promote own learning are learnt. About these and eight other aspects of high quality learning you may read more about in Åhlberg (1997) and Åhlberg (1998).

After I learnt about Collaborative Knowledge Building in the sense of Professors Carl Bereiter and Marlene Scardamalia, I have added 13th aspect: In the Knowledge Age, learning to build knowledge collaboratively is an important aspect of High Quality Learning (Åhlberg 2001 and 2002).

I introduced three new quality tools (Improved Concept Mapping, Improved Vee Heuristics and ARRA or Analysis of Reasoning, Rhetorics and Argumentation ) to monitor and promote high quality learning.

References:

Åhlberg, M. 1996. Tutkiva opettaja oman teoriansa kehittäjänä ja testaajana. [Inquiring teachers as developers and testers of their own theories]. In Ojanen, S. (toim.) Tutkiva opettaja 2. Helsingin yliopiston Lahden tutkimus- ja täydennyskoulutuskeskus, 71-86.

Åhlberg, M. 1997. Jatkuva laadunparantaminen korkealaatuisena oppimisena. [Continual Quality Improvement as High Quality Learning]. University of Joensuu. Research Reports of the Faculty of Education N:o 68.

Åhlberg, M. 1998a. Kestävän kehityksen pedagogiikka ja yleisdidaktiikka. University of Joensuu. Bulletins of the Faculty of Education. N:o 71.

Åhlberg, M. 1998b. Ecopedagogy and ecodidactics: Education for Sustainable Development, Good Environment and Good Life. University of Joensuu. Bulletins of the Faculty of Education. N:o 69.

Åhlberg, M. 1998c. Education for sustainability, good environment and good life. In Åhlberg, M. & Leal Filho, W. (Eds.) 1998. Environmental education for sustainability: good environment, good life. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 25 - 43.

Åhlberg, M. 2001. Ympäristökasvatuksen tulevaisuuden näkymiä: ekopedagogiikkaa ja ekodidaktiikkaa kestävän kehityksen edistämiseksi. Teoksessa Rjakorpi, AZ. & Salmio, K. (toim.) Toteutuuko kestävä kehitys kouluissa ja oppilaitoksissa. Helsinki: Opetushallitus. Arviointi 3/2001, 327 - 344.

Åhlberg, M. 2002a. Ympäristökasvatus koulun ja sen toimintojen laadunkehittämisenä: perusteita ja työvälineitä. Teoksessa Julkunen, M.-L. (toim.) Opetus, oppiminen, vuorovaikutus. Toinen parannettu painos. Helsinki: WSOY, 302 - 321.

Åhlberg, M. 2002b. Suomentajan jälkisanat: Eheyttävän kasvatuksen teorian, käsitekarttojen ja Vee heuristiikan käytöstä sekä tutkimus- ja kehittämistyöstä Suomessa. Teoksessa Novak, J. 2002. Tiedon oppiminen, luominen ja käyttö. Käsitekartat työvälineinä oppilaitoksissa ja yrityksissä. Jyväskylä: PS-kustannus, 300 - 315.

Bereiter, C. 2002. Education and Mind in the Knowledge Age. London: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bereiter, C. & Scardmalia, M. 1993. Surpassing ourselves. Chicago: Open Court.