Knowledge changes everything

Just like the subject spells it out, knowledge changes everything. Your feelings, thoughts and the way you see environment.

During last several weeks I’ve been thinking and planning about my teaching methods, my lesson plan and my attitude towards students. Before starting Postgraduate Certificate of Special Study in Teaching and Learning course (PgCert SSTL) course at the Westminster International University in Tashkent I was, as John Biggs considers a Level 1 teacher. I believed that university students are responsible for their own studies. In other words, university level student must be able to carry on with their subject on their own. That is what most universities promote, self-study. I was no exception. But this teacher mindset blames students and focuses on what student does or does not do.

I must confess, I was a level 1 teacher. I used to pick up important ideas of the topic and lecture students on important things, show where to go next and let them know that if they have any difficulties they can always find me at room X or by some email address.

After several months of PgCert SSTL course, I became familiar with teaching and learning theories, ideas and methods. That changed my believes and I became more aware of what I am doing and most importantly what I am NOT doing as a teacher or facilitator. Now I am spending more time on planning sessions and lesson plans. I think off good teaching methods that would stimulate student’s deep learning.

When I thought that my current mindset is the way the teacher’s mindset should be, good planning, stimulating deep learning, considering all types of learners, etc. I came across John Biggs Teacher Levels. There was a third level, when teacher is focused on what student does before and after the class. How he pursues the new topic on his own time, basically - self-study.

To sum up, we can put it all in a little and nice tip below.

TIP:
We as teachers should consider good practices and stimulate deep learning during our classes and also think about what our students do after the classes.

How frequently should we assess students?

Our third session was all about teaching and learning, and the missing link between them. As always the session was well planed and organized. Elena did a truly terrific job. Analyzing past three sessions I could conclude that planning your session is the best way to go. As one of the attendees quoted:
Fail to plan, and you plan to fail.

But this is not what I will be considering today. Today I would like to share my opinion on how frequently should we assess our students. There is possibly no 100% correct answer that would fit into any situation. Before deciding one should consider different factors like culture, etc.

In Uzbekistan we have post USSR teaching system, so self-study and independent learning is not promoted here. Independent learning ends with the homework. That is probably why students here got used to be dragged from A to B. I myself used to be just like that. That is why I think that we should constantly assess students here in Uzbekistan. This will not let them loosen up and positive/constructed feedback will motivate them.

Assessments don’t have to be formal, I also agree that we physically can not mark all students every session. I suggest we evaluate (word suggested by Elena) rather than assess our students, but do it constantly.

TIP:
Constantly evaluate your students.

Starting a lecture

Yesterday, we had a second lecture/workshop. The session was about the PG Cert course and its structure. Elena is a course leader and a lead teacher of the course. She was very well prepared and had planned all kinds of activities that made us engage into the process.

I am looking for ideas all the time and yesterday's session was no exception. I jotted down some ideas and methods Elena (Lena) used. I will be talking about them in the future posts, but now I would like to share with something I noticed yesterday. It was an evening session and we did not quite know what the session was all about. We knew it was an introduction but we did not know what exactly we will be doing. So Lena said that the session has been started and gave us agenda and quick overview of the session.

From that moment on it was crystal clear what the lesson was all about and we were all more open and confident in our engagements. So, I just noted this and thought I should write about it.

Don't take me wrong, I already know that having an Agenda section in your first PowerPoint slides is good, but I guess I never felt the gravity of it.

TIP:
Tell what lecture/session is all about at the begging.

What are your thoughts about it?

A little background never hurt anyone

Hello everyone. My name is Said and I'm a software developer at WIUT. I love programming and designing system architectures. Currently I am developing web related software, websites, intranets, etc. I am heavily into Java programming language right now.

I'm also very interested in teaching, so I'm taking my university's “The Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education” (PG Cert) course. I have two years of teaching experience. Probably will have more :)