I copy here the first two paragraphs of an excellent - and very up-to-date LSN Publication by Frank Coffield, Emeritus Professor of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London.
"Just for once let us take the government’s rhetoric seriously and imagine a learning and skills sector (LSS), where teaching and learning have become the number one priority. We are all familiar with current practice: ritual genuflection is made to the central impor tance of learning, but the sermon swiftly becomes a litany of what the government considers to be the really key elements of transformation – priorities, targets, inspection grades and funding – and the topics of teaching and learning disappear from sight, as if they had no momentum or dynamic of their own. If they are mentioned fur ther, teaching and learning are treated as unproblematic, technical matters that require little discussion. The unspoken assumption
is that we can all recognise and disseminate ‘best practice’ without any difficulty.
For once, let us reverse this process and take the following proposition seriously, namely that the way to creating a world-class LSS is to improve the teaching and learning taking place within it. This pamphlet will explore this proposition, and will tease out the most likely consequences of making teaching and learning the first priority of the post-compulsory sector. In doing so, I am aware that I am swimming against the prevailing tide but, as Malcolm Muggeridge once remarked, only dead fish swim with the stream."
The pamphlet: "Just suppose teaching and learning became the first priority..." (which is quite long) is attached here:
Download frank_coffield_on_teach_and_learning.pdf
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