Professor Rupert Wegerif is Director of Research for the Graduate School of Education.His research is diverse but it all deals with the idea of dialogue, and dialogic learning; rethinking what it means to teach reasoning in terms of dialogue in classrooms, looking at groups, how they think together, how they solve problems together, and how this process impacts individual cognitive abilities. Dialogic learning is asking questions, admitting you don’t understand the problem; it teaches you to think. Groups empowered like this solve problems quicker, develop an understanding of other people, and become comfortable with diverse views and new ideas. Learning to think is about being drawn into dialogues; education is about more than just textbooks and exams. Most of his work concerns primary school children, aged 8-10; evidence suggests that children get turned onto or off education at primary level, so research that’s effective at this stage has more impact.
Wegerif
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About the Author: Patrick Blessinger
Dr. Patrick Blessinger is an adjunct associate professor of education at St. John's University, a math and science teacher with the New York State Education Department, and chief research scientist of the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (in consultative status with the United Nations). Dr. Blessinger is the editor and author of many books and articles and he is an educational policy analyst and contributing writer with UNESCO's Inclusive Policy Lab, University World News, The Hechinger Report, and Higher Education Tomorrow, among others. Dr. Blessinger teaches courses in education, leadership, and research methods and he serves on doctoral dissertation committees. Dr. Blessinger has been involved with accreditation certification for universities and colleges and he has been involved in various educational consulting projects. Dr. Blessinger provides professional development workshops and classes to teachers and educational leaders and regularly gives presentations at academic conferences around the world. Dr. Blessinger has received several educational awards, including: Fulbright Senior Scholar to Denmark (Department of State, USA), Governor’s Teaching Fellow (Institute of Higher Education, University of Georgia, USA), and Certified Educator (National Geographic Society, USA).