STUDENTS AND LEARNING SITUATIONS
1. Before arriving in learning situations students develop representations of a best way to secure an advantage, they “goal think.” In an actual learning situation students strive to incorporate achievements in "Goal Thinking" with demands of an actual learning situation, they “Task Think.” Here, students may encounter difficulties; this is because prior learning may not readily and easily agree with demands of an actual learning situation. Therefore, a student may struggle.
2. Our children want to achieve success; they want teachers who show competence in handling learning situations and subject matters. A student wants to be sure that h/her teacher can help tailor what h/she must learn to what the student believes h/she already knows to be the fact. Educators must continue to understand that especially teachers cannot disregard what students have thought (and believed to be right/correct) and expect the students to express interest in learning.
3. Students believe, perhaps unconsciously, that without teachers helping to address how they come upon what they stand for, their believes, teachers do not help to maximize their learning efforts; without helping students to examine and addressing their thinking regarding their believes, instructional efforts may point students in multiple directions, and they react to teachers accordingly. According to Dewey, without examining and addressing a student's independent determination and representation of a best way to secure an advantage (a student's “goal thinking” or interest), a teacher cannot be certain where a student's learning will lead the student.
4. We define what a learner brings to a learning situation as Goal Thinking and what a learner does in a learning situation as Task Thinking. Agreement between Goal Thinking) and Task Thinking determines a student's level of interest, and this may be strong or weak; a student encounters less difficulties in a learning situation when the agreement is strong, or/and encounters increased difficulties in a learning situation when the agreement is weak.
5. The purpose of researching Goal and Task Thinking principles is to determine elements involved in Goal and Task Thinking, help design instructional content and delivery and help students bridge differences between Goal and Task Thinking. This way, we simplify learning for students and help them connect with the right direction for growth.
6. In the Center for Development of Interest in Learning, CDOIL Inc., our main focus is to research, define and explicate Goal and Task Thinking principles of teaching and learning. We are a 501 (3) c organization.
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