Abstract
Myths occupy an enduringly powerful position in teaching and learning objectives, in activities and in outcomes in contemporary education. Myths also generate a range of responses from education researchers: some researchers seek to challenge and transform persistent myths associated with disempowering stereotypes; some focus on interrogating myths understood as popular mis/conceptions about teaching and learning; and some researchers conceptualize teaching and learning as sets of powerful narratives and stories that evoke timely or timeless messages about current educational practice that need to be comprehended. Finally, myths can be productive learning tools in themselves, as they create (and sometimes recreate) narratives that are neatly wrapped around culturally based messages and ‘truths’. The following chapters interrogate assumptions upon which teaching in a variety of contexts is based, drawing together a rich array of perspectives and methodologies. Some chapters are based on scrupulous empirical research and others on the critically alert interpretation of theory. The chapters take up the idea of a ‘myth’ in different ways. Of course in any rationalist sense, anything ‘mythical’ is ‘untrue’, but arguably something mythic also crosses into areas of faith and belief. In some chapters, the authors argue that there is critical scrutiny of faith which is sometimes misplaced, in aspects of practice and scholarship and also in technology.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Archetti, C. (2012). Friend or foe? Problem-based learning (PBL) in political communication. European Political Science, 11, 551–566. doi: 10.1057/eps.2011.40
Balam, E. M., & Shannon, D. M. (2010). Student ratings of college teaching: A comparison of faculty and their students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(2), 209–221.
Bradley, J., & Devlin-Glass, F. (2010). Affect and narrative encoding: The problematics of representing and teaching Yanyuwa narratives in cyberspace. In T. Kayalis & A. Natsina (Eds.), Teaching literature at a distance: Open, online and blended learning (pp. 183–194). London, UK: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Choi, Y. (2013). Teaching social studies for newcomer English language learners: Toward culturally relevant pedagogy. Multicultural Perspectives, 15(1), 12–18.
Cranton, P. (2011). A transformative perspective on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Higher Education Research & Development, 30(1), 75–86.
Davidovitch, N., & Soen, D. (2009). Myths and facts about student surveys of teaching: The links between students’ evaluations of faculty and course grades. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 6(7), 41–50.
Davies, M. (2012). Can universities survive the digital revolution? Quadrant Online. Retrieved from http://www.quadrant.org.au/magazine/issue/2012/12/can-universities-survive-the-digital-revolution.
Davies, A., Fidler, D., & Gorbis, M. (2011). Future work skills 2020. Palo Alto, CA: Institute for the Future for the University of Phoenix Research Institute.
Day, T. (2012). Undergraduate teaching and learning in physical geography. Progress in Physical Geography, 36(3), 305–332.
Deakin Crick, R. (2007). Learning how to learn: The dynamic assessment of learning power. The Curriculum Journal, 18(2), 135–153.
Drohan, S., Mauffette, Y., & Allard, J. (2011). Employers’ perspectives on problembased learning initiatives. In T. Barrett & S. Moore (Eds.), New approaches to problem-based learning: Revitalising your practice in higher education (pp. 87–99). New York: Routledge.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Hamilton, E. (1940). Mythology. New York: Mentor Books.
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A., & Ludgate, H. (2013). NMC Horizon Report: 2013 higher education edition. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium.
Kek, M. Y. C. A., & Huijser, H. (2011). The power of problem-based learning in developing critical thinking skills: Preparing students for tomorrow’s digital futures in today’s classrooms. Higher Education Research & Development, 30(3), 329–341.
Kennedy, G. E., Judd, T. S., Churchward, A., Gray, K., & Krause, K. (2008). First year students’ experiences with technology: Are they really digital natives? Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(1), 108–122.
Kitson, A., & Husbands, C., with Steward, S. (2011). Teaching & learning history 11–18: Understanding the past. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
Kumashiro, K. K. (2009). Against common sense: Teaching and learning toward social justice (revised edn.). New York: Routledge.
Lemos, M. S., Queirós, C., Teixeira, P. M., & Menezes, I. (2011). Development and validation of a theoretically based, multidimensional questionnaire of student evaluation of university teaching. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 36(7), 843–864.
Majoor, G., & Aarts, H. (2010). A role for problem-based learning in higher education in the developing world. In H. Van Berkel, A. Scherpbier, H. Hillen, & C. van der Vleuten (Eds.), Lessons from problem-based learning (pp. 249–257). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Moore, I., & Poikela, S. (2011). Evaluating problem-based learning initiatives. In T. Barrett & S. Moore (Eds.), New approaches to problem-based learning: Revitalising your practice in higher education (pp. 100–111). New York: Routledge.
Mulhall, P., & Gunstone, R. (2012, August). Views about learning physics held by physics teachers with differing approaches to teaching physics. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 23(5), 429–449.
Oblinger, D., & Oblinger, J. (2005). Is it age or IT: First steps toward understanding the Net generation. In D. Oblinger & J. Oblinger (Eds.), Educating the net generation (pp. 2.1–2.20). Boulder, CO: Educause.
O’Dowd, M. (2012). Engaging non-indigenous students in indigenous history and ‘un-history’: An approach for non-indigenous teachers and a politics for the 21st century. History of Education Review, 41(2), 104–118.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–5.
Reich, G. A. (2010). Teaching and learning history: A disciplined approach? Theory & Research in Social Education, 38(2), 289–292.
Schapper, J., & Mayson, S. E. (2010). Research-led teaching: Moving from a fractured engagement to a marriage of convenience. Higher Education Research & Development, 29(6), 641–651.
Sefa Dei, G. J. (2010). Teaching Africa: Towards a transgressive pedagogy (Explorations of educational purpose vol. 9). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Netherlands.
Smith, J. (2010). Teaching about indigenous forms of knowledge: Insights from non-indigenous teachers of visual arts education in New Zealand. In O. Kwo (Ed.), Teachers as learners: Critical discourse on challenges and opportunities (CERC Studies in comparative education vol. 26) (pp. 87–105). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Netherlands.
Smith, M. J. (2010). Current status of research in teaching and learning evolution: II. Pedagogical issues. Science & Education, 19(6–8), 539–571.
Usher, A. (2009, May 21–24). Ten years back and ten years forward: Developments and trends in higher education in the Europe region. Paper presented at the UNESCO forum on higher education in the Europe region, Bucharest, Romania.
Wee, K. N. L., & Kek, Y. C. M. (2002). Authentic problem-based learning: Rewriting business education. Singapore: Prentice Hall.
Zmuda, A. (2010). Breaking free from myths about teaching and learning: Innovation as an engine for student success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2015 Marcus K. Harmes, Henk Huijser and Patrick Alan Danaher
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Harmes, M.K., Huijser, H., Danaher, P.A. (2015). Demythologizing Teaching and Learning in Education: Towards a Research Agenda. In: Harmes, M.K., Huijser, H., Danaher, P.A. (eds) Myths in Education, Learning and Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137476982_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137476982_1
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-50205-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-47698-2
eBook Packages: Palgrave Education CollectionEducation (R0)