Learning to learn is a competence that every student should develop in his or her learning process.
According to Ramón Besonías, professor of philosophy, most students admit that they do not have study strategies that go beyond memorization. It is a teacher’s mistake to assume that students come from home already knowing how they should study. In addition to teaching their subject, it is important for educators to teach students how to study so that they develop their ability to learn how to learn.
Is teaching synonymous with explaining? Does conveying information to students guarantee that students learn? Is studying and learning the same thing? Undoubtedly, the concepts are related in some way; however, it is necessary to know the different nuances they have in order to understand how they influence the process of teaching and learning.
Teach and explain
According to Manuel Fernández, professor at the Universidad de Málaga, teaching is not synonymous with explaining, and learning is a voluntary act. Since teaching is not a simple process of transferring knowledge from teacher to student; a mechanical transfer that results in mechanical memorization.
Teaching to learn involves the teacher implementing strategies that exercise students’ cognitive abilities. In this way, mental processes related to information processing are facilitated.
Keys to learning how to learn
Roald Hoffmann and Saundra McGuire established four pillars for the teaching process, and they are as follows:
1. Empathy. Students perform better when they know that the teacher cares about them.
2. Active learning. Active student participation facilitates learning.
3. Interaction among students. Learning is individual, but it is better when you work in a team.
4. Ego empowerment. This helps to encourage students to feel that they are responsible for the successes they achieve in their learning process.
The teacher’s duty is to teach students how to learn, and the students’ duty is to teach the teacher how to teach better.
Finally, the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana (International Iberoamerican University) (UNIB) offers the Master in Education with a Specialty in Teacher Training.
