Pedagogical Experts versus Content Experts

Pedagogical Experts versus Content Experts

I am choosing to agree to disagree with one of my favorite School 2.0 gurus. In a recent post Wesley Fryer points out that “we need teachers with content knowledge, but today more than ever thanks to the Internet and the wealth of high-quality digital curriculum there, teachers don’t have to be the content experts anymore [but that] teachers need to be PEDAGOGICAL EXPERTS much more than they need to be content experts today.” Well, maybe I’m overlooking the point here, but I believe that teachers still need to be CONTENT EXPERTS as well as pedagogical experts. To remove the content experts and replace them with online digital curriculum and pedagogical experts would be futile to the educational process. It would be like putting the cart before the horse.

However, in Wesley’s defense, I do understand that much more can be done now than ever before with digital curriculum. I realize that with a pedagogical expert in place that learning of specific content can take place. Nevertheless, difficult questions often arise in content areas and an expert on hand is essential to the teaching and learning process. Sure teachers need to be coaches, facilitators, and cheerleaders for students who engage in REAL work as they learn and create knowledge work “deliverables” for prescribed deadlines, but they need to be teachers first.

If we remove the content experts (i.e. teachers) from the educational process, then we are left with coaches, facilitators, and cheerleaders. It’s like having the horse push the cart rather than pull it. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense. Now, I’m not saying that teachers have to have Doctorial degrees to be content experts, but they at least need a healthy dose of content courses on their college transcript to be considered content experts. Moreover, as much as I love technology (e.g. School 2.0), I’m not ready just yet to turn my children’s education over to coaches, facilitators, and cheerleaders.

In contrast, I am ready to turn my children over to content experts that are also pedagogical experts. It would also be nice if these experts were great coaches, facilitators, and cheerleaders. There isn’t anything wrong with having these additional skills in ones repertoire. As for technology, GOOD TEACHING with technology can make a difference and Wesley makes reference to a number of great resources in his post. For example, the 18 page PDF file from Cheryl’s organization (http://www.metiri.com/) is a sobering read and should make educators reevaluate the way they are using technology. Personally, I am just scratching the surface and will continue to evaluate the way that I use technology in my school.

All in all, my favorite thing about Wesley’s post is his satirical news headlines and I won’t disagree at all about the point he is making with these. As a matter of fact, he couldn’t be closer to the truth. Here they are…

- NEWS FLASH! SHARPER PENCILS DON’T IMPROVE STUDENT TEST SCORES!

- HOT OFF THE PRESSES! BRIGHTER OVERHEAD PROJECTOR BULBS FAIL TO BOOST SAT RESULTS!

- AMAZING DISCOVERY! COLORED CHALK DOES NOT INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN 132 SCHOOLS!

Thanks for the insightful satire Mr. Fryer.

William Bishop (Bill)

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