Resource-based learning (RBL) is an approach to
pedagogy which actively involves students, teachers and resource providers in the application of a range of resources (both human and non-human) in the learning process.
It is claimed that this approach offers a flexible structure to learning such that the learner can develop as a learner according to their "varied interests, experiences, learning styles, needs and ability levels".
The RBL approach focuses on the resources available to the learners and how the learners interact with these resources. This leads to an interest in the uses of technology to support and develop a learning environment.
Background
The exigencies of the
Second World War impelled the training of large numbers of both military and civilian staff, and in the United Kingdom this led to the adoption of
B. F. Skinner
Burrhus Frederic Skinner (March 20, 1904 – August 18, 1990) was an American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher. He was a professor of psychology at Harvard University from 1958 until his retirement in 1974.
...
's
operant conditioning
Operant conditioning, also called instrumental conditioning, is a learning process where behaviors are modified through the association of stimuli with reinforcement or punishment. In it, operants—behaviors that affect one's environment—are c ...
as a strategy for achieving the requisite
behaviour modification. By the 1950s and 1960s these stimulus-response methods were introduced into education, but were seen as being too mechanical. The response was a move to more
cognitivist and
constructivist approaches.
[Latchem, C. (2013). Whatever became of educational technology? the implications for teacher education. World Journal on Educational Technology, 5(3), 371-388.] In 1966 the
Nuffield Foundation
The Nuffield Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1943 by William Morris, Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors Ltd. It aims to improve social well-being by funding research and innovation projects in education and social pol ...
introduced the ''Resources for Learning'' project. This involved the teacher introducing a problem, the pupils formulating a
hypothesis and then the pupils designing and carrying out an experiment.
an ex-headmaster soon took over as Director of the project. However experience soon showed that a more instructional approach was better at being effective. This led to greater reliance on
instructional design.
[ This involved consideration of the scientific principles of pedagogy as well as attention to the equipment to be used to present the resources, which was seen as having managerial implications. Kim Taylor wrote ''Resources for Learning'', (1971), which predicted significant changes if resource-based methods were to be effectively deployed.][ One of the issues he highlighted was that as a modern economy created pressure for a universalised education, which would require a shift away from "teacher-as-craftsman" as the situation would generate a significant short-fall in teachers. The "Nuffield solution" involved a transition from a craft-based model of teaching to a more industrial approach where greater attention is paid to the managerial effectiveness and the quality of the educational resources.]
References
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Pedagogy