Resource-based learning (RBL) is an approach to

pedagogy Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...

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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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, inventor, and social philosopher. He was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University from 1948 until his retirement in ...

operant conditioning Operant conditioning, also called instrumental conditioning, is a learning process in which voluntary behaviors are modified by association with the addition (or removal) of reward or aversive stimuli. The frequency or duration of the behavior ma ...

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 A hypothesis (: hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. A scientific hypothesis must be based on observations and make a testable and reproducible prediction about reality, in a process beginning with an educated guess o ...

and then the pupils designing and carrying out an experiment. Kim Taylor 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 Instructional design (ID), also known as instructional systems design and originally known as instructional systems development (ISD), is the practice of systematically designing, developing and delivering instructional materials and experiences, ...

. 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

{{reflist Pedagogy