Well said, James...I would say that meeting the learner where they are at is just the beginning of the education journey for the learner. There are so many factors at play with each learner (where they are at in their life education journey, what are the personal factors at home that may be interfering with fully engaging with the course content, what's in it for them, etc.). I think you are right on track when you say that the instructor needs to interact with all aspects as the course progresses to completion. This is the mark of a "master teacher" who aims to know their students...after all, we are not there to "catch" them not knowing something. It's a little like golf, if the learner can see the "green" they can shoot towards it. If they don't know what is expected of them, they are doomed to fail. I have never subscribed to the "Pontius Pilate" teacher who says "I taught it, they didn't learn it"...if you did teach a concept and the students didn't get it, how are you reteaching it? Or teaching it a different way? If the goal is mastery for all students, then how are we (as teachers) reacting to the fact that the student hasn't grasped something? It's really not about how we teach, its about how students learn! :)
