The 6 branches of Pedagogy (and their characteristics)

We hear a lot about Pedagogy, but… do we know exactly what it is?

It is the science that studies the methodology and teaching techniques that can be applied so that students learn. Like any science, it includes a series of differentiated branches.

In this article we will talk about the 6 branches of Pedagogy; We tell you what its fundamental characteristics are, its objectives and some examples of educational strategies used from each of these areas of work.

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What is Pedagogy?

Before delving into the 6 branches of Pedagogy, we will first explain what Pedagogy is. Is about the science that studies the methodology and the different techniques that can be applied in teaching.

Although teaching (and learning) lasts practically a lifetime, it is also true that it is in the childhood stage where it takes on special relevance, through schooling. That is why Pedagogy focuses especially on children's learning, although it can also go further.

through pedagogy methods are designed to teach students, as well as different educational strategies to enable learning. For this, it is also essential to know the profile of each student (their interests, motivations, strengths, weaknesses, intelligence, abilities, etc.).

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The branches of Pedagogy, summarized

Now yes, we are going to see what the 6 branches of Pedagogy are, as well as their fundamental characteristics.

1. experiential pedagogy

The first of the 6 branches of Pedagogy that we are going to explain is Experiential Pedagogy. Is It is fundamentally based on the experiences of the students themselves to enrich their learning process.. In other words, it uses these experiences (generally lived outside the school context) so that students learn and internalize values ​​such as diversity and equality.

In addition, these life experiences can be very useful to raise discussions in class, listening and expressing different opinions. It is through debates that students can broaden their perspective of things, that is, “broaden horizons”. Experiential Pedagogy seeks that.

On the other hand, this branch of Pedagogy relies on their own mistakes to grow, learn and evolve (in short, in life experiences).

Examples of educational practices that are part of experiential pedagogy are: use games of roles to interpret different "roles" in class, project videos of different themes, etc. Many of these resources also serve to work on empathy and what it would be like to live one experience or another in life.

2. modeling pedagogy

The second of the 6 branches of Pedagogy is the pedagogy of modeling. In order to develop educational practices through this branch, a person to act as a model is required (i.e., someone who is an expert in some subject, process, skill, etc.). It is also essential that what you want to transmit or teach is reproduced verbally or in images, but that it is done explicitly.

The function of the model will be to reproduce certain behaviors, actions, tasks and patterns that are intended to be taught to the student, so that he or she can also reproduce them, through imitation and internalization of explanations.

The message that is transmitted through the pedagogy of modeling is that it can be taught through imitation and thanks to a person who is an expert in some subject, who transmits her knowledge to the students through language, her actions, etc.

If, in addition, said model (beyond the teachers, who are fundamental models) is well known and outstanding in some subject (that is, that is, enjoys a certain status), learning is more likely to occur, because their “reliability” increases in the eyes of others. students. Logically, however, the student's motivations and abilities also influence learning.

3. differentiated pedagogy

Differentiated Pedagogy, another of the 6 branches of Pedagogy, seeks to enhance the learning of each student, individually and adapted to their level, age, abilities, difficulties, etc.

That is to say, the professionals who follow this branch use the available pedagogical resources (and if they do not exist, they create them) to be able to adapt to the individual differences of each student; that is, to be able to teach in diversity.

Through material adaptations, curricular adaptations, individualized plans, content adaptations and more, it is intended to maximize the student's learning, as well as adapt to her interests, needs and abilities.

As a result of this reality, differentiated pedagogy is born, increasingly on the rise due to the great diversity of students that there are, as well as the existence of so many learning and neurodevelopmental disorders within the classroom.

4. cyber pedagogy

Cyber ​​Pedagogy uses different technologies to enhance student learning. That is, it is about teaching (or complementing "normative" teaching through various technological resources, such as: e-learning platforms, tablet or mobile apps, web pages, etc.

It is an undeniable reality that technology has improved our lives in some aspects (one of them, education), although it is true that its use must also be controlled so that this improvement is real. That is, everything in its proper measure. As a complementary tool to learning (and above all to facilitate that all students have access to it) can be very effective. The most important thing is the professional, and the use that he/she makes of the different technological options available.

In addition, the technology can also be used to increase student motivation, through videos, images, interactive activities that incorporate sound and/or music, etc. This especially benefits children with a neurodevelopmental disorder.

In short, cybernetic pedagogy is a branch of innovative pedagogy that is on the rise, and it can be very effective in the learning processes, although always with the use of guidelines and through a continuous evaluation of the same.

5. Pedagogy of the relationship between theory and practice

This branch of Pedagogy, as its name indicates, relates theory to practice; that is, it analyzes, through the different contributions and pedagogical theories, how teaching and educational practice can be improved. Secondly, seeks that it is the student himself who, through the reflection of her experiences, learns.

6. multisensory pedagogy

Multisensory Pedagogy (or Pedagogy of multisensory learning), the last of the 6 branches of Pedagogy, tries, through the use of all the senses, to enhance learning in students.

In other words, it is fundamentally based on the senses, since it is these that allow the student to acquire certain skills, understand certain meanings, etc. It is, therefore, a branch that advocates more sensory learning.

Bibliographic references:

• Carvajal Alvarado, G. (2002). Differentiated Pedagogy: According to Philippe Meirieu. Dialogues Electronic Journal of History, 3(2-3):
• DeBattisti, P. J. (2011) Classifications of General Pedagogy and Specific Pedagogies: an analysis of the demarcations made by specialists in the pedagogical field. VIII Meeting of Pedagogy Chairs of Argentine National Universities, La Plata.
• Piaget, J. (2019). Psychology and pedagogy. Twenty-first Century Publishers Argentina, S.A.