Edgar Dale's description of what an ideal student should be.
Using the term a "good mind" in place of the ideal student, he explains that the ideal student should be critical and ask questions of the world; should learn, understand and apply concepts; communicates effectively through conversation and active listening; displays creative and critical thinking; shows an ability to adapt and makes wise, informed choices; and is disciplined and responsible. In the process of describing the ideal student, Dr. Dale also describes many ways that educators should help to cultivate "the good mind" in students: looking for a balance between concrete experiences and abstract representations, seeking a variety of approaches to teaching, and providing an environment that encourages creativity and independent thinking. .
In some ways, I think Dr. Dale not only describes the ideal student, he is talking about how a person should live their life. It's hard to disagree with much of what he describes as "the good mind," since it is meant to be an ideal, a goal. I can't really say that I have all of the characteristics of "the good mind." I would like to be a more active listener, be more creative and look at the world more critically. And who couldn't improve on their self-discipline? At the same time, I don't believe all of my teachers always seek to cultivate "the good mind" either. In other words, it's a great idea and something to strive towards as students and teachers, but to me Dr. Dale's "good mind" is more an ideal than reality. .
He provides great ideas, not a lot of details. Dr. Dale does a good job of telling us what to do, not how to do it. If anything, it's good advice. I know after reading it, it gave me some ideas on how I should approach learning and see more of the "big picture." So, he has helped point me in the direction of developing my own "good mind.".
