Expected lessons: what they are and how they influence education
The development of the human being is a long and complex process. Although there is a tendency for this process to happen in certain periods, we all have our own rhythm of physical and mental maturation, and the learning that we acquire throughout life also happens at different rates.
This is taken into account in the field of education, although this does not prevent the fact that as a general rule the different school courses take into account that it is necessary to possess certain knowledge, skills or abilities to be able to overcome them. It is about the concept of expected learning , which we will discuss throughout this article.
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Expected learning: what is it and what does it imply?
It is understood by expected learning all that set of knowledge that a subject in a learning situation (for example, in school) is expected to reach within the educational level that is being studied. It is considered that this learning must be able to be expressed in a concrete and operative way, being able to be applied and generalized later.
This concretion implies that the concept of expectable learning is usually very concise, referring to a specific activity or knowledge that the subject should have. These are indicators regarding the achievements that each student is expected to achieve in different facets during the formative period.
Technically, these expected lessons are used to evaluate what has been achieved through the evaluations carried out throughout the school year. It does not refer only to theoretical concepts but can also incorporate attitudes, perspectives, skills, actions and other competencies that can be demonstrated through evaluation. Basically, if we observe the objectives of a teaching plan we will be seeing as a general rule the expected learning that we want to achieve.
The expected learning do not limit yourself to children's education : in any educational or training process it is intended that certain objectives be achieved. For example, also in the university education is expected the acquisition of some contents and skills in order to guarantee a good future professional performance, or even in unofficial courses in order to assess whether the process has been followed and what has been expected has been acquired get.
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The need for good sequencing
The expected learning does not arise by mere whim or is organized in a haphazard way: it has been carefully evaluated the fundamental aspects that must be acquired and take into account both the abilities of the subjects that follow the course and the learning that they have already acquired and those that They plan to get it later. This is fundamental if we want these expected learning to be meaningful (that is, we can attribute a meaning to them), although an expected learning could also be merely rote.
In this sense, they have to be organized in a logical and organize the contents so that the demand and difficulty towards the student grow gradually . This would go from basic and basic to complex.
In this sense there are a large number of guides developed regarding the knowledge that students of different courses should have, although it is necessary to take into account and adapt each one of them to the conditions of the students themselves, the country and culture and the educational and socio-economic conditions of the members of the group.
Three fundamental areas of expected learning
As we have said, the expected learning is used as an indicator of the achievements made by the students and allow you to assess your learning capacity and the fulfillment of educational objectives . In other words, they have learned what was intended to be learned. And as we have seen, they are not limited to theoretical knowledge: there are different elements that are valued that are expected to be acquired.
For example, if we group them by formative fields we can find those that are part of language and communication, mathematical thinking, nature, art, social and physical development. But although generally each subject has its own objectives and expected learning, in general the areas or fundamental factors that are considered must be learned can be included in three large groups.
1. Know
Knowledge refers to the theoretical knowledge acquired during the school year. It does not require a practical application or even generalization, but it is enough with the acquisition of knowledge itself. It is probably the most easily assessed according to whether the content is or is not learned, being the most representative of the academic formation .
2. Know how to do
In this case reference is made to the practical use of knowledge. It necessarily implies an understanding of the processes necessary to reach an end, although sometimes theoretical knowledge is not essential of what they imply for it. Applied mathematics, music, carpentry or mechanics are some of the knowledge that usually require more learning associated with know-how.
3. Know how to be
This last factor combines the set of attitudes, ways of acting and integrating beliefs and values in everyday life, linking positively and maintaining the motivation and direction to an objective. It's something that can be worked on in emotional education , or that it is intended to achieve by performing various activities. Many of the skills required in university training or in professional fields such as psychology (for example empathy, unconditional acceptance, etc.) would be part of this group of expected learning.
Advantages and precautions
The elaboration of a learning system based on the expected learning is very useful for both students and educators. And it is that in the first place allows to adaptively organize training , structuring what, how and when to introduce the different concepts to learn and facilitating the generation of strategies.
However, it should be noted that these objectives are generalized for the average of the age group or school year, but individualized plans or adaptations for those with functional diversity at the psychic, physical or sensory levels must also be taken into account and elaborated. it is by default as if it is by excess.
In addition to this, we must bear in mind that learning must be operational, clear, and relevant or else it would be complicated or absurd to incorporate it as expected.
