Breaking the traditional academic and everyday learning dichotomy

This chapter examines the evolution of educational paradigms from the 20th to the 21st century, with a focus on the shift from traditional, teacher-centred academic learning to constructivist, student-centred approaches that incorporate everyday experiences. It traces the historical development of learning theories—behaviourism, cognitivism, humanistic, and sociocultural perspectives—and examines the transition in curriculum orientations towards holistic and student-centred education. The chapter also clarifies the distinctions among formal, non-formal, and informal learning, emphasising their interconnected roles in shaping modern educational practices. To bridge the gap between academic and everyday learning, it highlights pedagogical strategies such as dialogic collaborative inquiry, scenario-based learning, problem-based learning, and experiential learning. These methods are applied across diverse disciplines, including English, mathematics, science, AI literacy, vocational education, financial education, PSHE, and music, demonstrating how theory and practice can be integrated to create meaningful, relevant educational experiences. The chapter concludes that adopting these approaches can dismantle the dichotomy between academic and everyday learning, fostering a more inclusive, practical, and impactful educational landscape.