Dialogical Learning: Principles, Precedents And Benefits
Just as society advances and changes over time, the ways of educating and learning also transform and advance. Dialogical learning is a great example of this type of transformation.
The growth and popularization of learning communities has allowed this type of teaching currents to prosper and demonstrate their benefits over other more traditional types of teaching.
Dialogical learning constitutes the practical framework in which these learning communities develop. It encourages people to learn through interaction with other people, with communication being the main source of teaching.
From the point of view of dialogic learning, interaction with third parties is essential for a learning process or mechanism to be established. Through this dialogue process We develop a series of knowledge from an initially social and intersubjective level and then assimilate it as one’s own or intrasubjective knowledge.
Furthermore, another characteristic of dialogic learning is that all those who participate in it do so on an equal basis. 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 its beginnings, the idea of dialogic learning was developed based on the observation of how people are capable of learning not only within schools or educational centers of any type, but outside of these. They have the opportunity to assimilate 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.
The 7 principles of dialogic learning
In order for dialogic learning to be carried out as it was founded, 7 fundamental principles must be met. They are the following.
1. Equal dialogue
By dialogue we understand an exchange of information between two or more people who express their ideas and comments in an alternative way. If we add to this the qualification of egalitarian, that is, under equal conditions, we obtain break the hierarchical and authoritarian relationships 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 through power or the simple fact of possessing an accrediting title.
2. Cultural intelligence
The concept of cultural intelligence is one of the most important within the dynamics of dialogic learning. This type of intelligence overcomes the limitations of traditional conceptions of intelligence, which are based almost entirely on 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, dialogic learning seeks to transform 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.
In dialogic learning, the instrumental dimension is understood as those means or tools that form the basis to achieve the rest of the learning being an essential principle to ensure 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 for our existence. The involvement of families in the communities and in the education of their children; as well as the creation of spaces for interaction and dialogue to solving problems together
Dialogical learning aims to form an entire learning universe with a social and ethical background that goes beyond the mere administration and assimilation of knowledge.
6. Solidarity
In order to develop educational routines and experiences based on equality, it is necessary to assimilate an egalitarian conception of education, in which educational well-being 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 promoting competitiveness among them, enhances collaboration and the sharing of learning mechanisms and techniques.
This implies that both the teachers, the students, and the rest of the people in the community are committed when it comes 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 make teaching processes difficult, hence the supposed need to create specific classrooms and classes for students with special needs and favoring segregation and educational inequalities.
On the contrary, in dialogic learning this diversity is recognized and accepted with the difference that this diversity is used for its own benefit as another engine of learning. Finally, this principle supports the right of boys and girls to enjoy the highest quality education regardless of their characteristics or personal situation.
Advantages and contributions
Once we 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:
