There are many ways to teach and learn : while some people find it easy to absorb reading content, others need more dynamic resources.
Some students only learn with a teacher explaining things to them, while others do well with group work and discoveries through discussions. These are just a few examples of pedagogical practices .
This concept revolves around a methodological plan that the educational institution and teachers make to generate the best learning results. Since everyone learns better in their own way, it is worth paying attention to pedagogical practices when choosing a place to start studying .
Continue reading to better understand this concept and why it is important to pay attention to it!
What are pedagogical practices?
Teaching-learning processes depend on many factors to generate good results. These include issues such as interest in the subject, the teacher’s teaching ability, the study techniques used, the student’s ability to dedicate themselves, and even a predisposition.
For example, some people find it easier to deal with Mathematics than others. Pedagogical practices are one of these factors. In short, they are a methodological choice made by the teacher, the institution or the student to deal with a certain content, considering:
- the pedagogical intentionality, that is, the learning objective in that topic;
- the expectations of the institution and the teacher regarding student performance;
- teaching conditions, in relation to technologies, infrastructure and materials;
- the student profile and their learning style, which may involve personal preferences and certain strengths or weaknesses, depending on the types of intelligence that stand out for each person.
What are the impacts of these practices?
Today, we know that traditional education is not the only and often not even the best option. The old school models with rows of chairs, students copying material and teachers in more hierarchical positions are being revised.
Educational trends are moving towards an increasingly collaborative, dynamic and interdisciplinary school or university experience . This is because, as studies in the area of educational methodologies and technologies advance, we learn that people can have different ways of learning.
We also know that the active participation of the learner is very advantageous for gaining knowledge, as it allows them to go beyond “rote learning” and mobilize their own perceptions, hypotheses and conclusions. In this way, learning is more meaningful and profound.
Therefore, paying attention to the pedagogical practices adopted by a given educational institution makes all the difference in the study experience. As mentioned in the introduction, they represent the different ways of teaching and learning.
What are the main pedagogical practices?
On the university websites, you can learn about the pedagogical practices used by reading about the teaching methodology and educational resources that the educational institution offers. Take a look at some of the practices currently featured!
Student protagonism
As mentioned, the leading role of students in teaching-learning processes is a definitive trend. This concept is based on the idea that knowledge construction is a two-way street. Furthermore, active student participation generates more results than the passive stance of simply attending lectures.
In this way, practices that put you at the center of the process have been widely applied. One proposal that goes in this direction is the flipped classroom , which consists of passing on the content first for the student to see alone — in the form of books, texts or activities.
The classroom comes later: with some experience and familiarity with the topic, you can participate much more in class. You can ask questions and take advantage of the information systematized by the teachers more dynamically.
Troubleshooting
Working on problems is an excellent way to stimulate learning with dynamism and autonomy. Starting from a question, preferably with a concrete context and based on real events, you can discuss, ask questions, mobilize knowledge, formulate hypotheses and draw conclusions.
This pedagogical practice helps to develop the abstraction of knowledge . That is, instead of having a concept, formula or technique always conditioned by the examples and exercises seen in class, students are encouraged to take this knowledge off paper and apply it critically in other situations.
Group work
Using the hook from the previous topic, problems are best approached when several people reflect on them . This allows for different points of view, the expansion of references for reflection and the exchange of knowledge and conclusions. For this reason, group work is a classic pedagogical practice that never goes out of fashion.
Developing activities with colleagues contributes not only to richer and more plural learning, but also to the improvement of important skills for academic, professional and personal life .
One example is time management , as group work leaves less room for procrastination — there are several people depending on your participation and commitment.
Furthermore, these experiences stimulate the ability to establish interpersonal relationships , to listen actively and to position oneself with empathy.
Multimodal resources
Textbooks and handouts are very welcome. After all, there are countless benefits to reading and many people are able to learn from this exercise. However, in the digital age, multimodal resources are increasingly present in pedagogical practices.
The use of films to complement content was already seen in classrooms. Nowadays, learning can also be deepened with games, 3D simulations, online visits to museums and other spaces, podcasts, study Instagram , YouTube videos, among many other multimedia materials .