LEARNING FROM WISE MOTHER-NATURE OR BIG BROTHER INSTRUCTOR - THE WRONG CHOICE AS SEEN FROM AN EDUCATIONAL-PERSPECTIVE

Many psychological models of instruction trace their roots to cognitivistic theories of cognitive development. Thus, they are primarily based on data from young children or cross-cultural comparisons. However, the goal of instructional models is to provide a scientific basis for the reform of all schools in industrialized societies. This article questions the general thesis that students' deep understanding and flexible use of acquired knowledge require necessarily self-directed instruction. It is argued that teacher-directed instruction can also facilitate active student learning, and that such instruction can compensate for some of the disadvantages of self-directed instruction, which plays, of course, a crucial role in cognitive development and productive learning.