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In Taoist education, it is said not to trust stories for their knowledge for one is practically guaranteed to not understand them completely as the author intended. Instead, put one’s trust in observing and experiencing the universe directly. The ancient sages came up with some great ideas on what behavior leads to a positive society and they did not get it from stories. They got it from observing how societies operate, asking questions ad performing experiments.
Taoists motto is this, “ This is what we observed to be true, but do not take our word for it, observe the universe for yourself.” Taoism concludes that observation and direct experience are preferable to education.
In the contemporary educational system in the Philippines, observation, inquiry and performance is also of great help in transferring knowledge to the pupils and students and even mentors themselves. The process of observation is also utilized in the different subjects offered from kindergarten, elementary, secondary, graduate and post graduate education.
In the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, students are encourage to observe for themselves in order to learn. Let say in Science subjects, students are asked to observe a group of people as well as the environment in relation to certain topics. In Social studies, students are asked to observe how people interact, how people use their resources and even how our country is progressing through the interaction of all the citizens of the country. The same thins is true in the other subjects.
In our school, San Francisco B National High School, Shielded Metal Arc Welding and Electronic Processing and Servicing are offered in senior high school. The students do not only receive lectures from their teachers. Teachers themselves are demonstrating how certain processes are done in these programs. Teachers do the actual teaching of how to create masterpieces through welding. Teachers also teach them to repair school facilities and equipment through welding. As they learn all the process, teachers ask them to work on their own. They even make feasibility studies and action researches regarding their outputs.
This is what also happens in electronics, teachers let the students observe how they fix different home and school appliances. After that, they are asked to bring some appliances which need repair. They themselves are repairing the said appliances and of course with the guidance and help of their teachers.
Truly observation, inquiry and performance go together in the teaching process. With a number of technical courses offered at the Sisters of Mary namely training for call centers, electronics, dressmaking, drafting and mass production, typing and computer, stenography, bookkeeping, automotive, welding, refrigeration and air conditioning; observation, inquiry and performance is indeed playing very important roles.
In all these offered courses, demonstration and giving of lectures plus inquiry may be done interchangeably as the need arises. After the students gained mastery from the exchange of questions and answers in the discussion, that is the time when the teachers asks their students to apply their knowledge.
Students take their body measures, cut the cloth, draft and sew their own clothes. Students work on their computers in their designated cubicles as if they are real call center agents entertaining calls from different costumers. Students fix different vehicles and home appliances. They work on balance sheets and ledgers. These training becomes a great help when they study in college or even when they immediately apply for a job.
The same thing happens to aspiring student teachers. They observe first what the teacher does when she teaches. After some time, the student teachers act as the mentors of the students. They also inquire if there are tasks that they are not sure of.
Observation is also applied in the researches conducted by the students in secondary, graduate and post graduate studies. Through observation, certain problems and challenges are given solutions.
Observation, inquiry and performance are very much used in the education process in all levels of education in the Philippines. Teachers asked certain questions regarding the lessons and the students are expected to answer them based on their understanding. At the end of the lesson, certain tasks are to be performed by the students. This is the so called inquiry based learning; at the same time performance based learning. Researchers also inquire to acquire to get the data needed for their thesis.
In different classes especially in Sciences and researches, experimentation is very important I order to prove that something is really true or to solve numerous problems.
Dean's 