Education plays a significant role in developing people, continuity, and transfer of experience in the civilized world. However, traditional teaching is not always the best approach. The Brazilian scientist Paulo Freire wrote that conventional education was often used “as an instrument of conservatism, where the learner becomes a passive receptor of certain knowledge” (Ihejirika, 2017, p. 1). In the scholar’s opinion, this method is so impractical that it makes the student entirely immune to new knowledge. The only value that remains is the certificate awarded upon completion of the education. Therefore, Freire called the traditional method “the banking system of education,” proposing a problem-posing approach as a reasonable alternative. This paper aims to present the literature review describing the disadvantages and negative implications of traditional education methods.
Most scholars use Freire’s model as a basis for implementing less traditional educational methods such as problem-solving pedagogy. Ihejirika (2017) notes that Freire’s problem-posing model “engrains in the learner the liberty to develop thinking abilities, which aid such a person to contribute in the learning process,” and “conceives education as a symbiotic method of learning” (p. 1). The scholar adds that a problem-solving attitude is most practical since it allows the learner to gain independence to change society by addressing societal problems. Further, Espinoza (2017) analyzes the traditional educational model adopted in Latin America since the 1980s and based on ideas promoted by international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The scientist notes that education in Latin America would be more effective if the training was carried out following the ideas of Freire, who declared the liberating role of the state in training professionals “with a critical and ethical consciousness, committed to the needs of the area, region and world” (Espinoza, 2017, p. 435).
Nweke and Owoh (2020) emphasize that Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy ideas are consistent with John Dewey’s experimental education concepts regarding proper formal education. Both Freire and Dewey condemned the traditional approach to education, which denies the learner’s experience as a learning element. Nweke and Owoh (2020) noted that the difference in Freire and Dewey’s approaches is due to their origins and life experiences. Dewey, who lived in the developed civilized city of America, promoted education to support democratic development. Freire, who lived in Brazil during the dictatorship, perceived education as an enlightenment tool and liberation from unfinished learning.
Further, Dawson and Avoseh (2018) note that in the context of the challenges that globalization poses for learning, modern education should use Freire’s liberation pedagogy as an alternative to the traditional approach. Scientists also emphasize that teachers’ task is to change the educational school structure and “free students from the ontological slavery of the neoliberal, market social structure, reinforced by globalization” (Dawson and Avoseh, 2018, p. 1). Machakanja and Manuel (2020) also describe the advantages of new ethical values-based approaches over traditional education. Scholars emphasize that “Freire’s thesis and the Ubuntu philosophy open up new possibilities for approaching education in Africa” as they “redirect educational systems that were predominantly colonial and capitalist banking types of education” (p. 683).
Wang and Hoffman (2020) emphasize that the traditional education system, in the context of globalization and post-colonial development, “works to involve students in the current global system, rather than empowering them to challenge that system” (p. 435). Scientists recommend going beyond this limitation using Levinas’ ideas and a post-humanist approach. Broughan and Prinsloo (2020) add that the traditional educational system excludes students from most learning analytics practices and suggests using Freire’s teachings as a rationale for including students as partners in collecting and using their data.
Further, Jones (2017) notes that traditional educational forces “smother educational imagination” (p. 1). The scientist also admits that the banking system of education “simply ‘fill’ students with information, rather than encouraging them to be independent, creative, and individualized learners” (Jones, 2017, p. 1). Shih (2018) adds that the traditional method excludes the possibility of interaction, saying that Freire’s approach is seeing education as a practice of freedom, where through the dialogue, learners and educators raise their awareness. Bybee (2020) notes that teachers need to be more humane and avoid the teacher-centered approach through freedom from oppression and liberation from the ‘banking system’ education. The scientist emphasizes that the dehumanization of traditional education oppresses both students and educators.
Veugelers (2017) says that a focus on social justice becomes part of traditional learning. The scientist notes that humanized moral education will empower connections of education with society. Noteworthy, Chambers (2019) states that the non-traditional education offered by Freire justifiably contains an element of a directive that characterizes dialogues between teachers and students. Kohan (2018) adds that the traditional approach, which can be replaced by the more current Lipmann and Freire approaches, is out of place in primary school children’s education and criticizes the de facto status quo in Latin American education.
Firdaus and Mariyat (2017) emphasize that modern education is losing humanity, as the primary teaching approach is teacher-centered education. Therefore, the goal of the humanistic approach is to direct education towards self-actualization, self-understanding, and self-realization of students who will be critical and act following universal values. Matsuyama et al. (2019) add that teacher-oriented learning discourages students from self-directed learning. The transition to student-oriented education will allow students to be more motivated, self-identify in the process better, and adopt new learning strategies. Interestingly, Moosivand et al. (2020) find positives about personal, teacher-oriented methods versus virtual learning. According to the study, teacher-oriented education was associated with better academic grades and social cohesion than distance learning. LojdovĂĄ (2019) noted a contradiction inherent in the educational system. The learner-oriented approach is used in internship practice, while in teaching practice, educators use a teacher-oriented method.
According to a study by Mpho (2018), even though most participants are committed to an inclusive education system, the results showed that a teacher-oriented approach was used in most cases. An and Mindrila (2020) also recognize the benefits of learner-centered education, noting that “it can be a challenging task to implement learner-centered education in the current education system which was designed for sorting rather than learning” (p. 133). Scientists provide an extensive list of effective student-centered practices. Finally, Kaymakamoglu (2018) says that although teachers and participants in the study spoke of a commitment to a constructivist educational approach, in practice, they predominantly applied the traditional method.
Thus, the literature review describing the disadvantages and negative implications of traditional education methods was presented. Formal teacher-centered education is usually criticized for reducing students’ motivation and bringing self-identification difficulties in the learning process. The banking method is another name for conventional education that is widely used by Paulo Freire’s followers. Freire offered an alternative, problem-posing learning based on a constructive dialogue between learner and educator. Scientists also cite the approaches of John Dewey, Levinas, Lipmann, and the Ubuntu philosophy as an effective option to the traditional teaching method.
Reference List
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