EDF1302

Perspectives on teaching

Dr I J Mitchell

6 points - 3 hours per week - Second semester - Clayton - Prerequisite: EDF1301

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should be familiar with some common teaching goals and should be able to: recognise elements of teaching models in practice; appreciate the variety of teaching models used by teachers; link teaching to learning; analyse and evaluate different teaching approaches in terms of understandings about learning; plan teaching approaches that are likely to stimulate high quality learning; list effective and ineffective teaching behaviours; access and use a wide range of teaching procedures and understand some implications of new technologies for teaching.

Synopsis This subject builds on the understandings of ability, understanding, learning, motivation and interest that were developed in EDC1001 (How learners learn). It examines the implications of these ideas for a range of aspects of teaching such as explanation, discussion, questioning, group work, library and practical work. It looks at changes to views of teaching over the last forty years as a result of increased understanding of learning and change, the appearance of new technologies, the rise in school retention rates and changes in the nature of educational research. The importance of reflection on practice and the value and nature of collaborative action research are emphasised; the subject draws heavily on the work of teacher researchers and frames good teaching as a process of lifelong professional development.

Assessment Journal (1500 words): 30% - Teaching portfolio: 30% - Fieldwork written report (1500 words): 20% - Contribution to class discussion: 10% - Oral report: 10%

Recommended texts

Baird J R and Northfield J R Learning from the PEEL experience 2nd edn, PEEL Publishing, 1995
Joyce B and Weil M Models of teaching Prentice-Hall, 1986
Killen R Effective teaching strategies Social Science Press, 1996
Loughran J J and Northfield J R Opening the classroom door: Teacher, researcher, learner Falmer, 1996
Mitchell I J and Mitchell J A Stories of reflective teaching PEEL Publishing, 1997
White R T and Gunstone R F Probing understanding Falmer, 1992

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