Anyone know what bulimic learning is? You can probably guess the meaning without too much effort, but let me give you my definition. Bulimic learning refers to the student body practice of memorizing facts exclusively for a test, then disregarding those facts (purging) as soon as the test is over.
Bulimic learning is the kind of learning most of us, I believe, were accustomed to in high school and college. We memorized a bunch of facts the night before, we regurgitated these facts onto the test paper the following day, and then promptly purged ourselves of the information we had just gorged upon. And just as someone who suffers from bulimia gains no nutritional value from food, so we gained no educational value from our classes.
I remember that in college, usually on Fridays, my friends and I would have particularly difficult examinations. It was after these arduous exams that we would pay a visit to the apartment hot tub and begin the process of "freeing" ourselves from the burdens of what we regarded as useless information. We would soak into the hot water and literally feel our knowledge melt away. Thus freed from such space-hogging clutter, we were left to ask those questions that burn upon the minds of the most gifted scholars. (Questions such as "Why do hands get so pruney?" and "whose turn is it to turn on the jets?")
"Ah!" I would think to myself, "I can FEEL myself getting dumber." When farting in the hot tub seemed funny to us, we knew our purge was complete.
My point in bringing up bulimic learning is to start a little investigation into true learning environments. Obviously, as a teacher, I want to encourage students to move beyond bulimic learning, and I think that this must start with me. I want to move beyond cramming my students full of irrelevant information, and I want to do this by giving them ideas that truly matter. And I want to find techniques that will allow them to care about this information and keep it in reserve for when it is truly needed.
One of the greatest problems in American education is the belief that a test proves students have learned. I think many people would agree with me when I say this, yet it remains a cornerstone of how education works all over the world. I guess this is because people are always thinking that there is no way around it. Maybe you, yourself, are thinking, "but Shane, what do we do? What are the alternatives?"
Well, thanks for chiming in, Sparky. That is an excellent question. What ARE the alternatives to this memorization madness? Gosh, first off. I don't know. It isn't that I'm opposed to tests, it's just that....well, I'll give some of my own ideas on in my next post. Remind me to tell you the pop fly story.
Until then, how about some of YOU tell me? I'll ask this question in a different way so that you can see what I'm fishing for. Could anyone tell me a story about a class where they really learned? About a class that moved beyond the words in a textbook and into the skills and ideas that currently shape who you are and what you do? Into that undiscovered country from whose bourne few travelers return?
Tell me about it. Let the ideas soak in the hot tub of your own brains (Seth, Abdu, and Sparky, I'm especially looking at you). I'll meet you next Friday and we can discuss. Bring your own towels.
Jennifer wrote:"You hit it right on with the concept of bulmic learning. I don't have the answers, but not much has changed since I went to school. We have to motivate the students to move beyond learning for the sake of passing a test (obviously) and learning because they want to learn. As for how to evaluate them, I'm stumped--I'm not a teacher by trade, just a mom. I know the kids I've worked with (beyond my own kids, like when I've tutored, or worked in the school district as an aide) are learning when they are excited and motivated and showing interest beyond what I've introduced to them."
ReplyDeleteAlas, my mind is constipated when it comes to thinking of alternatives to testing. I am sure that there is a btter way, it just won't come out of my head in an expressable manner. But I DO know that it takes a teacher who cares about teaching and student who cares about learning to actually learn for the sake of learning.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing about bulimic learning is that most of it doesn't even *taste* good going down. So maybe it's the flavor that needs changing? The texture? The nutritional content? Maybe students just need to plug their perverbial noses and enjoy the *spinach*. Or maybe a spoonful of mental HFCS would help the *medicine* go down? But that would promote cancer growth. And then we would have to worry about health issues and that brings the conversation to a whole new level of metaphorical mystery. Looking forward to the next post.
Shane my PhD kinda hits on this. I would love to chat with you and pick your brain. Do you have time to chat? Do you have skype? Do you have number? I keep forgetting you are married now, so are you allowed to chat, skype and bounce ideas? Please let me know. I'm going to email you as well. I'm so excited to talk to you about this.
ReplyDeletePS you are 17 hours behind me!!!