Surface Learning Vs Deep Learning

"It is terribly important that in explicit and concerted ways we make students aware of themselves as learners. We must regularly ask, not only “What are you learning?” but “How are you learning?”

We must confront them with the effectiveness (more often ineffectiveness) of their approaches. We must offer alternatives and then challenge students to test the efficacy of those approaches.

We can tell them the alternatives work better but they will be convinced if they discover that for themselves."

Maryellen Weimar

Sure, it comes from a blog post in November 2012. But this doesn't make it any less relevant.  Marilyn Weimer P.HD wrote a salient  blog post on surface versus deep learning. 

Sadly many examples of surface learning occur every day in so many schools in so many countries. Too often students are "learning" in an environment that values recall and simple grades over deeper learning that challenges thinking na understanding.  It is the environment where "grade grubbers" thrive, its a term Sam Neal uses in reflecting on her students and the context of learning. Sam is a passionate and creative teacher who gets what real learning is about... 

Her blog post (excerpt above) about  the pressure to perform in a broken system says it so well.