Active Learning Theories: Freire’s Banking vs. Bartholomae
David Bartholomae: Active Reading and Meaning Construction
The Transformative Nature of Reading
In Ways of Reading, David Bartholomae challenges the traditional idea that reading and writing are passive processes. He argues that students should not simply repeat what authors or teachers say, but rather take an active role in constructing meaning. For him, reading is not about finding information, but about participating in a conversation with the author and developing one’s own interpretation. This vision transforms education into a creative and intellectual act, where students learn by thinking, questioning, and writing.
Making Your Mark on the Text
Bartholomae’s main argument is that readers “make their mark” on a text as the text makes its mark on them. When students read, they should not wait for the author to reveal the meaning; they should speak back to the text, continuing the author’s project or developing their own ideas. In this sense, reading becomes a social and dialogic act. Every student reads differently because each brings their own experiences and assumptions to the text. Understanding, therefore, is not given by the author but created by the reader through interpretation and reflection.
Writing, Re-Vision, and Academic Discourse
Writing, for Bartholomae, is a natural extension of reading. It allows students to explore, question, and test their own understanding. Through writing, they become aware of how they read and think — a process he calls “re-vision.”
In academic contexts, this also means that students must “invent the university”: they need to learn how to speak and write within academic discourse, adopting its conventions, tone, and logic. However, this is not imitation; it is participation. Students enter the conversation of knowledge by combining what they learn from others with their own perspectives.
Outcomes of Bartholomae’s Approach
Bartholomae’s approach encourages independence, critical thinking, and creativity. Instead of memorising information, students learn to interpret, analyse, and transform ideas. This kind of education produces not only better writers but also more conscious thinkers—people capable of engaging with complex texts and contributing their own voices to academic and cultural discussions.
Conclusion on Bartholomae
Bartholomae’s theory reminds us that education is not about copying knowledge but about creating it. Reading and writing are active, transformative acts that shape both the learner and the world of ideas they enter.
Paulo Freire: Challenging the Banking Concept of Education
Critique of the Traditional Banking Model
In The “Banking” Concept of Education, Paulo Freire presents a powerful criticism of traditional education. He argues that most schools follow what he calls the banking model, where teachers “deposit” information into students’ minds as if they were empty containers. In this system, students are expected to memorise and repeat what they are told instead of understanding, questioning, or creating knowledge. For Freire, this kind of education keeps people passive and reinforces social inequality.
Problem-Posing Education: Dialogue and Discovery
Freire contrasts the banking model with what he calls problem-posing education. In this alternative model, learning is based on dialogue, reflection, and collaboration between teachers and students. Rather than a one-way transmission of knowledge, education becomes a process of shared discovery. Students are encouraged to:
- Think critically.
- Connect knowledge to their own experiences.
- Recognise their ability to change the world around them.
The classroom, therefore, becomes a space for communication and freedom instead of control.
Praxis and Critical Awareness
A key idea in Freire’s theory is critical awareness. He believes that education should help learners become aware of social, political, and economic injustices, and inspire them to take action to transform those realities. This process, which he calls praxis (reflection and action combined), allows education to become a tool for liberation rather than oppression. Teachers, in this vision, are not authority figures but partners in learning. They also learn from students and help them discover their own voices.
Relevance in Modern Learning Environments
Freire’s ideas are especially relevant today. In many modern classrooms, and even in online learning environments, education often continues to follow the banking model: students memorise facts for exams without developing critical thinking. Freire reminds us that true learning must go beyond repetition. It should involve dialogue, creativity, and social responsibility. When students are encouraged to ask questions, share experiences, and reflect on real problems, education becomes a transformative force.
Conclusion on Freire
Freire’s The “Banking” Concept of Education offers a vision of learning that is deeply human and democratic. Education should not be about storing information, but about opening the mind to reflection. When students and teachers work together to understand and change their world, knowledge becomes an act of freedom.