The fresco, Scuola di Atena, or School of Athens, is on the east wall of the Stanza della Segnatura at the Vatican Museum in Vatican City. Plato and Aristotle stand in the center of this Raephel masterpiece (Janson & Janson, 2004, p. 31), surrounded by numerous philosophers and educators depicted by Renaissance masters. It exemplifies what learning looks like through discussion, inquiry, modeling, reflection, collaboration, debate, communication (written and oral), various disciplines, and so on. This painting should remind the education world of what learning is. Learning is a universal process initiated through inquiry and driven by discovery. Over the last 2300 years, learning has shifted from inquiry and discovery to memorizing and responding. Applying modern technology to the ancient learning model that brought us the Renaissance and the Enlightenment will reignite teaching and learning in the 21st century.
Educability
All humans can learn. Educability is a “defining feature of human beings” (Ipperciel, 2022, p. 56). If all humans can learn, then the only thing standing in the way of that learning is the method used to guide it. Many teaching strategies are available, and finding the right one that works for everyone is difficult. As Benjamin Bloom notes, the ideal situation for learning is the one-on-one tutor, but can a group setting come close to matching the efficacy of the tutor (Ipperciel, 2022, p. 57)? At the time of his research, technology was unavailable to meet that need. Today, it can.
Inquiry and Technology
Inquiry is a foundational principle of learning. Imagine a baby lying on the floor looking at a rattle just out of reach. The question that might enter this developing mind may be, “How do I get that thing?” The baby tries multiple strategies based on previous experiences until one finally meets the objective. This learning is based on a simple question and attempts to discover a solution. The Socratic Method, a strategy that uses questions to apply prior knowledge to new learning, is a standard practice in classrooms. Through questions, curiosity is ignited, relevance (even if only momentarily) is applied, and there is an objective of incremental mastery for each question.
Technology is a broad term that can mean any tool allowing more efficient and effective task completion. It magnifies the user’s ability to accomplish a task quicker and at a higher expectation. For specificity in this context, online information retrieval (OIR) via internet searches (web searches) on connected devices (mobile, laptop web browsers) is the specific technology referred to in the following descriptions. When technology is allowed, teachers can ask more complex questions and expect students to gather basic information to answer these questions, leading to deeper and more personalized learning (Bertasso, 2023).
Without technology, learners are limited to their own retrieval of personal prior knowledge. The starting point for the instructor must be closer to the most basic principles of the presented content. However, when learners tap into further knowledge through technology (OIR), instructors can start with greater complexity through carefully crafted questions. (see image below). Artificial intelligence, knowledge databases, online resources, learning software, and other information-accessible resources will only enhance learning if the expectations of depth and complexity increase.
Benjamin Bloom was seeking the personalization of education. He challenged educators, “How do we approximate the tutor-learner setting (including feedback and corrective activities) and personalize the learning situation to best adapt to students’ needs, strengths, weaknesses, and interests” (Ipperciel, 2022, p. 57)? Classical inquiry and learning strategies infused with modern technology are fundamental to the learning revolution described by education advocate Sir Ken Robinson. Learners will “develop their own solutions but with external support based on a personalized curriculum” (TED & Robinson, 2015). Perhaps the Renaissance of the 21st century is ready to take flight. If so, it will be through “[Multimedia and technical arts, technology], combined with the extraordinary talents of teachers [will] provide the opportunities to revolutionize education (TED & Robinson, 2015).
Conclusion
Learning is a process initiated by inquiry. Current models of K-12 education assume that technology does not exist and students must rely solely on their prior knowledge to advance and achieve. Therefore, the questions asked of students are low-level with pre-determined solutions. The personalized learning within a group setting envisioned by Bloom is not attainable under these parameters. The personalization–feedback, pace, content, learning preferences, and agency –needed for the ideal learning situation to thrive is attainable through technology and fundamental learning strategies (Ipperciel, 2022, p. 56). This post has only addressed the initiation of learning through inquiry. The learning process, from the beginning through discovery, assessment, feedback, and reflection, can be revolutionized through technology and implementing the most classical learning strategies.
References
Bertasso, M. (2023, Feb 21). AI in the Classroom. YouTube.com. https://youtu.be/sVaQ19YHGS8?si=Opx8AbAiPSVA6-EJ
Ipperciel, D. (2022, March 31). What Should the Future of Learning Look Like? International Journal of Higher Education, 11(5), 51-69. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v11n5p51
Janson, H. W., & Janson, A. F. (2004). History of Art: The Western Tradition. Pearson/Prentice-Hall.
TED & Robinson, K. (2015, September 15). Bring on the learning revolution! YouTube. Retrieved September 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFMZrEABdw4
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