Group1B-4
Activity 4a: Spontaneous Learning

I found this discussion on spontaneous learning very informative.  I know that learners do not really come to school not knowing anything.  However, I do not think that most teachers really try to bridge the gap between school (scientific) learning and spontaneous learning.  What we tend to do is to teach from the curriculum, making sure that all the relevant topics are covered and not considering that learners already have something in them that we should build on. 

Educators now have a challenge, that is, to be translators of scientific concepts into language which learners understand, decide when to teach the concepts; and continuous monitoring and communicating with learners to ensure that they are linking what they already to know to what they are learning.  This indicates that teaching is becoming more learner centered. 

It is also important to note that even though we are trying to facilitate teaching and learning with ICT, it does not mean that there is no need for teachers in the classroom.  What it suggests to me is that classrooms will become more learner-centered where teachers act as facilitators to guide students' learning as they discover more and more new concepts and build upon those concepts that they have already acquired.