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Teaching and learning



Teaching is not the same as learning. While they each fulfill some part of the definition of "education", they are not education on their own.

Learning is probably more akin to the first definition of education, because it does not entail an authority from which the learning takes place. It could be from a person, a non-living object or an event involving both.

Teaching seems to be more inclusive of an authority which guides what is taught. Even when we say "this experience taught me", we're saying the experience involved something specific that was worth learning.

Is it necessary for the process of education to contain both of these; teaching as well as learning?

Image source courtesy of Projects Abroad.

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  1. SugaNovaMay 8, 2011 at 4:48 PM

    I dont know if we can separate the two as I believe that teaching inherently involves learning. For example when making a lesson plan a good understanding of the material is required to convey the main objectives. If the teacher is unable to understand such materials it hinders the process of those receiving the learning. For this reason I believe that education is about reciprocity and that teaching and learning go hand in hand.

    I think one can say a lot more about this as it is a big topic but I guess for now these are my initial thoughts

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  2. akMay 11, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    What you say makes sense. I think I was initially caught up with just the verbs "to learn" and "to teach". Doesn't the action of teaching - just that act, in the moment that it is happening - imply that there is an authority which is guiding the teaching?

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