In Geoff Johnson opinion piece, “ No single right answer in direct instruction versus inquiry-based learning debate ,” he claims “when it co...
In Geoff Johnson opinion piece, “No single right answer in direct instruction versus inquiry-based learning debate,” he claims “when it comes to learning, both direct instruction and inquiry-based learning play a role.” Johnson writes that Dr. John Hattie’s “research has brought him to the conclusion that there is no one ‘right’ way of teaching in order to effect learning.”
Contrast Johnson’s opinion piece with John Almarode and Steve Piccininni’s interview with Hattie written up in the article, “Direct Instruction is Not the Enemy.” The article covers the “misconceptions, myths, and false beliefs” about Direct Instruction (DI) and how those beliefs get in the way of understanding what it is. But most importantly, Almarode and Piccininni discuss Hattie’s research on DI effect size at 0.59. They describe this as “greater than the rate of learning associated with one year of schooling, 0.40.” Which means that DI is incredibly effective, on its own. Nowhere did Johnson talk about this.
Johnson leaves his article with a quote from Albert Einstein: “I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” Which is quite funny because Direct Instruction insists children don’t learn unless teachers actually teach. The only way to know a child is learning is by ensuring the student is grasping concepts to mastery. So yes, Einstein was indeed describing Direct Instruction to a “T.”
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