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While education research over the past 75 years supports student-centred, adaptive, and metacognitive learning, classroom implementation lags behind due to:
- Lack of training in new methodologies: Many teachers were trained in traditional, lecture-based methods and default to them.
- Fear of losing control: Inquiry-based and student-led learning require teachers to trust the learning process, which can feel risky.
- Assessment pressures: Standardized testing forces many teachers to prioritize content coverage over deep understanding.
- Institutional resistance: School systems are slow to adopt brain-based learning models and still favour rote learning structures.
- Personal resistance: Teachers resist change.
Is it not time for parents to demand 21st century education?
This table below reflects the research done by giants in education, starting with Jean Piaget as if education systems were tone-deaf and colour blind for changes.
Who is blaming who for what?
Change starts with me!
| Research recommendation | Theoretical justification | What actually happens in classrooms |
| Piaget (1936-1950s): Learning is developmental; children construct knowledge at their own pace. 75 years and not yet evident in classrooms | Stages of cognitive development emphasize active learning and discovery. | Schools continued using age-based grades rather than ability-based progression. Most learning remained rote-based, with little emphasis on student-driven exploration. |
| Vygotsky (1930s-1960s): Learning is social; the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) requires scaffolding. 60 years and not yet evident in classrooms | Teachers should guide students rather than deliver content. Peer learning enhances understanding. | Teachers still focused on content delivery rather than guiding students through learning struggles. Group work was used but lacked structured scaffolding. |
| Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956): Higher-order thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation) should be prioritized. 60 years and not yet evident in classrooms | Schools should move beyond memorization and focus on problem-solving and creativity. | Exams still emphasized recall rather than analysis. Teachers focused on lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy due to time constraints. |
| Bruner (1960s): Learning should be spiral-based, revisiting concepts at deeper levels. 60 years and not yet evident in classrooms | Students should gradually build knowledge, seeing connections between topics. | Curriculums remained fragmented, with little effort to connect concepts across years. Teaching remained linear, rather than spiral-based. |
| Constructivism (1970s-1990s): Students should construct their own understanding through experience. 35 years and not yet evident in classrooms | Learning should be interactive and inquiry-driven, not listening and absorbing information. | Many teachers still relied on lectures and textbooks rather than hands-on or problem-based learning. Inquiry learning was rarely implemented. |
| Neuroscience & Brain-Based Learning (2000s-Present): Teaching should align with how the brain naturally learns (emotion, relevance, engagement). 25 years and not yet evident in classrooms | Students learn best through real-world applications, movement, and deep thinking. | Schools still emphasize standardized testing and rigid curriculums. Many teachers lack training in brain-based learning. |
| Thinking Tools & Metacognition (Future Vision): Learning must make thinking visible, to enable students to develop self-regulated learning skills. Evident in Thinking Tools classes including all of rhe above. | Teachers should facilitate deep thinking rather than content delivery. Students should be active participants in learning. | Still limited implementation—most teachers rely on pre-made slides and lesson plans. Many are unaware of metacognition and Thinking Tools. |
