If fewer feared the 'outdated' label, students might learn more

Mathilde Tybring-Gjedde, a Member of Parliament for Oslo Høyre, criticizes the current direction of Norwegian education, arguing that a misplaced emphasis on "understanding" over "factual knowledge" is hindering student learning. In an opinion piece for Aftenposten, she challenges the notion that students learn too little because they "learn without understanding," asserting instead that understanding is a direct result of accumulating factual knowledge step-by-step in long-term memory.

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If fewer had feared the labels "outdated" and "old-fashioned" and instead focused on research and evidence, perhaps students would have learned more in school.

Tybring-Gjedde stresses the importance of a structured learning sequence, warning that prioritizing conceptual exploration before students have a knowledge base widens the gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. She clarifies that this does not mean rote memorization or teacher monologues, but rather a "solid knowledge base" built through teacher-led instruction. This includes explicit explanations, modeling, and guided practice before students engage in independent exploration.

Citing cognitive research, she highlights the need for small, manageable steps to avoid overloading students' working memory and the necessity of practice and repetition over time. Tybring-Gjedde expresses concern that the importance of teacher support and systematic knowledge building is being downplayed in schools. She notes that even proponents of exploratory learning acknowledge its need for "appropriate scope and the right way," yet fail to critically assess current practices or define these terms.

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Understanding is not an alternative to factual knowledge, it is the result of it.

She points to the alarming statistic that one in three students struggle with basic reading and math. Tybring-Gjedde believes politicians, the Directorate of Education, and teacher training institutions have made mistakes that need to be learned from. She finds it particularly troubling that some academic circles, which have influenced Norwegian schools for 15 years, show little self-reflection. A significant issue, she argues, is the one-sided methodology in teacher training and the prevalence of qualitative research lacking effect measurement.

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The sequence of learning is important. If you deprioritize factual knowledge and expect beginners to understand and discuss before they have knowledge, you increase the differences between students who have and do not have many books on their home bookshelf.

Tybring-Gjedde further questions the assertion that exploratory learning is "absolutely necessary," noting that proponents like professors Annette Hessen Bjerke and Kirsti Marie Jegstad offer no supporting research. She acknowledges broader societal trends like complex student groups and social media impacting concentration, alongside teachers facing pressure and isolation due to municipal budget constraints. To reverse this trend, she advocates for clearer curricula, more research on teaching effectiveness, and an independent review of teacher education quality. Høyre, her party, aims for a school system grounded in proven methods, with teachers who have adequate time to teach, ultimately enabling students to both learn and understand more.

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I certainly do not mean that students should sit at their desks and memorize random facts while the teacher transfers their knowledge through boring monologues. That is a straw man.