Connecting knowledge relativism and learning highlights two perspectives for me. If we want to engage our brains in higher order thinking we need engage in activities that question ideas, beliefs, values and facts. We need to ask why, find answers and still look for more. In this instance, at this stage I agree with the critics of knowledge relativism. I agree that we would be experiencing a less satisfying form of engagement if we simply accepted the knowledge of expert others. From a classroom perspective, the class that has not connected through a variety of get to know you activities would break down if they did not gain cultural knowledge about their peers.
When it comes to relationships, I am generalising the category of relationships, I think the knowledge relativism movement could be more enhancing. For example: you are out for drinks with a close friend who is in the midst of ‘should I stay married, or should I move on’. In this instance a live and let live approach would surely be more enhancing for your friendship and supportive of the complexity of this dilemma. In the instance of a student who is describing a family issue that is sensitive and they are looking for acceptance, putting aside ethnocentrism would enable them to describe and analyse the situation to make sense of it.
Prue
May 18, 2009
Watching the power teaching clip at the extended PD the other night actually made me think about engagement and connecting knowledge. I don’t doubt that the teacher thought she was doing something really magical (and really strange). I think she was trying to be really engaging, but engagement doesn’t make you learn! In my blog I was discussing about how poor teaching can lead to thinking engagement is enough. But I think it is harder when a teacher thinks they’re doing the best for their students … and they’re not! And that is the end of my rant! OVER AND OUT!