Knowledge media face an awkward chasm between theories.
The old theory was naive transmissionism: "I'll convey this knowledge by telling you about it." That's effectively books' learning model.
But we know that model's wrong: learning is an active process of assimilation.
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Books (and videos and lectures) sometimes work anyway, but because the learner's doing the heavy lifting—making connections, posing & answering questions, etc
In apprenticeships and great classrooms, the new theory (constructivism) operates: teachers foster active assimilation.
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But what's the equivalent of a "book" which was composed using an effective theory of how its reader will learn? We don't know.
It's a rock and a hard place: we know the old theory's wrong; we don't know how to make media which operate under our new theories.
Exciting times.
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The Royal Academy of Dance's grade syllabi.
A handful of books and (when I learnt) CDs that illustrate a defined skill progression.
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This is such an interesting reference—thank you! The syllabi I'm able to find appear to include examination requirements (e.g. "demonstrate secure posture and correct weight placement") but it sounds like what you're referring to also includes learning materials? Have a link? 🙏
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Hmm, the thing I was reffering to included things like music for exercises (like this) radenterprises.co.uk/rad-syllabus/p but there's probably also teacher training materials I can't find? I've never taught RAD, only been a student. But the progressions are consistent across schools.
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Thank you for the pointer! Was the operative learning theory that if you performed the exercises "enough," you would acquire the knowledge they embodied? Did the printed exercises contain instruction / feedback mechanisms, or did those come through the teacher?