I took this course in my first semester of the MET program, along with ETEC 511. I really enjoyed the learning in this course at the time as I found it to very much live up to the title (see above). In addition, I thought the professor was very friendly, succinct, explicit and helpful - all qualities I admire deeply in any educator.

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I'm really glad I took this course when I did. Much of the theories in this course bridge upon constructivism and understanding its fit within 21st century pedagogy. You also examine theories of the past, such as behaviourism, to see how they contrast with modern pedagogy. I would highly recommend taking ETEC 512 before ETEC 530, a course that goes very deep into the concept of constructivism.

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Prior to the MET program, I had been teaching at a private immersion school in Seoul for roughly three years after finishing my teacher training program in New Zealand. This teacher training course did, briefly, touch upon constructivist theory, however, I felt as if it was just glanced over and never given the proper time to consolidate. Admittedly, I still struggled with what 21st century practice looked like and my classroom was still largely teacher-centered. ETEC 512, especially with its heavy concentration on constructivist theorists such as Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, ultimately led to a deeper understanding of what they were trying to elucidate. The assignments in this course, especially, gave me the time to apply theory to practice.

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Looking back now, I can safely say that this course was pivotal in shaping my practice for the better.