Dialogic learning: principles, precedents and benefits
Just as society advances and changes with time, the way of educating, as well as learning, also changes and advances. Dialogical learning It is a great example of this type of transformation.
The growth and popularization of the learning community has favored that this type of teaching currents flourish and demonstrate its benefits over other more traditional types of education.
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What is dialogical learning?
Dialogical learning constitutes a practical framework in which these learning communities are developed. It encourages people to learn through interaction with other people, with communication being the main source of education.
From the point of view of dialogical learning, interaction with third parties is essential for establishing a learning process or mechanism. Through this process of dialogue we elaborate a series of knowledge from an initially social and intersubjective plane , to later assimilate it as an own or intrasubjective knowledge.
In addition, another characteristic of dialogical learning is that all those who participate in it do so in an equal relationship. This implies that the contributions of each and every one of the participants are important and are based on criteria of validity and not power.
In the beginning, the idea of dialogical learning was developed based on the observation about how people are capable of learning not only inside schools or educational centers of any kind, but outside of these have the opportunity to absorb large amounts of information freely and with the possibility of participating in said learning.
As a consequence of this fact, the first learning communities began to develop as we understand them today. Which aim to give greater importance to equal dialogue within the learning group and revolutionize the teaching methods practiced to date.
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The 7 principles of dialogical learning
In order to carry out the dialogical learning as it was founded, 7 fundamental principles must be given. They are the following.
1. Equal dialogue
By dialogue we mean an exchange of information between two or more people who express their ideas and comments in an alternative way. Yes to this we add the qualification of egalitarian, that is to say on equal terms, we get break the hierarchical and authoritarian relations of traditional education .
This means that each idea, opinion or thought is accepted based on a criterion of validity of the arguments, instead of being imposed by means of the power or the simple fact of having an accrediting title.
2. Cultural intelligence
The concept of cultural intelligence is one of the most important within the dynamics of dialogical learning. This type of intelligence overcomes the limitations of traditional conceptions of intelligence, which are based almost entirely on the IQ and have a certain cultural and class bias.
The advantage of cultural intelligence, compared to traditional notions of intelligence, is that it includes both academic intelligence and practical intelligence and communicative intelligence.
3. Transformation
As mentioned above, dialogical learning seeks the transformation of the socio-cultural environment in order to also transform learning. In this way, the transformation of the contexts prior to the exchange of knowledge occurs through the interaction of all the people from whom you learn , including oneself.
4. Instrumental dimension
In dialogical learning, instrumental dimension is understood as those means or tools that form the basis to achieve the rest of learnings , being an essential principle to ensure a quality education.
The objective of this dimension is to avoid social exclusion through the intervention and participation of all people belonging to the learning communities.
5. Creation of meaning
The creation of meaning refers to the creation of a vital orientation of our existence. The involvement of families in the communities and the education of their children; as well as the creation of spaces for interaction and dialogue for solving problems together .
Dialogic learning aims to shape a whole universe of learning with a social and ethical background that goes beyond the mere administration and assimilation of knowledge.
6Solidarity
In order to develop routines and educational experiences based on equality, it is necessary to assimilate an egalitarian conception of education, in which educational welfare is pursued of all the students.
In this way, the principle of solidarity promotes an inclusive education that offers the same opportunities to all students and that, far from fostering competitiveness among them, promotes collaboration and the sharing of learning mechanisms and techniques.
This implies that both teachers, students, and the rest of the people of the community commit themselves to ensure that all students can enjoy satisfactory academic results .
7. Equality of differences
Traditionally it has been understood that diversity within the classroom tends to hinder teaching processes, hence the supposed need to create classrooms and specific classes for students with special needs and favoring segregation and educational inequalities.
On the contrary, in dialogical learning, this diversity is recognized and accepted, with the difference that this diversity is used for its own benefit as a motor of learning. Finally, this principle supports the right of children to enjoy a high quality education regardless of their characteristics or personal situation.
Advantages and contributions
Once you know what they are the theoretical and practical foundations of dialogic learning As well as the fundamental principles on which it is based, we can reach a series of conclusions about its advantages and contributions to the field of current education.
These benefits are specified in the following points:
- Creating a common language that favors the functioning of the group and the inclusion of all the members.
- Empowerment of individual thinking and the construction of knowledge.
- Promotion of values such as communication, collaboration and responsibility.
- Enhancement of skills for teamwork.
- The accompaniment and inclusion in a work group favors the motivation for learning.
- Generation of a positive interdependence in which the members of the group need each other to improve and learn.
- Positive evaluation of collaborations and individual contributions .
- Enhancement of a context of discussion and constructive communication.
- Generation of synergies within the learning groups.
- Grant opportunities to all students regardless of their abilities and personal situation.
- Encourages the involvement and active participation of both students and the rest of the community.
