March 2011
PTTLS Lewisham College Lois Dalphinis Monday class (9:30 – 1:00)
[
Theory Assignment Task Two ]
The Teacher and the Institution
Part 1 Describe what your role, responsibilities and boundaries would be as a teacher in terms of the teaching/training cycle. ‘Learning is easiest, most meaningful and most effective when it takes place in a nonthreatening situation. Learners should be motivated by a desire to succeed, to explore, to develop1 and to improve.’ (Petty G., 2004, p18: The learner’s practical and emotional needs) Working as a teacher in FE today requires the ability to assimilate a variety of roles within a safe learning environment. Ensuring the Training and Learning Cycle takes place, is a responsibility of teaching and an effective way to enable this learning experience is delivered is to incorporate the Training and Learning Cycle into teaching practices. Professional roles and responsibilities The Learning Cycle ‘can be started at any time, but all points must be followed, for effective training and learning 1. Identifying needs and planning2 – finding out the needs of the organisation and the students, preparing a scheme of work and session plans to deliver group or individual learning based upon the needs of the organisation, the syllabus and the students 2. Designing – preparing the environment, suitable delivery resources and handouts 3. Facilitating – delivering teaching and learning in a suitable manner 4. Assessing – ensuring your students have learnt the necessary skills and knowledge 5. Evaluating – obtaining feedback from the students and evaluating yourself in order to modify or make changes in the future’ (Gravells A. 2007, pgs 10, 11, 27-28) Maintaining the Cycle is a responsibility which is also beneficial in terms of teachers Professional Development Practice, as the cycle enables self-evaluation and development opportunities, where a teacher can assess his or her own skills, knowledge, values and attitudes and plan to deliver an enriched learning experience in future teaching sessions.
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In ‘Cybernetics – Control and communication in the Animal and the Machine’ (1948), Wierner laid down and important foundation for the development of digital computers 2 See: ‘ItlTeach’ / Differentiation
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Action!
Carry out this action plan, monitoring its implementation.
Action plan How can I close the gap between where I am and where I want to be?
Fig 1: The self-directed learning cycle
Self-evaluation Where am I now? The learner reflects, evaluating his or her own skills, knowledge, values and attitudes.
Goal-setting Where do I want to be? The learner considers his or her aspirations, and sets personal goals or targets.
(Petty G. ‘How do we learn?’ p.18)
Professional Boundaries You will have professional boundaries within which to work and it is important not to overstep these. You would need to find out what these are at your place of work. It is about knowing where your role as a Tutor stops. E.g.: You might feel it sensible to make a telephone call to a student, who has been absent, but making regular calls would be inappropriate. It may be more appropriate to request assistance from others to ensure that an equal and positive learning experience is available for all. Always ensure you maintain confidentiality and follow any organisational requirements.
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Administrative responsibilities of a teacher will include: • Completing attendance records • Maintaining records of student progress e.g.: interview, tutorials, assessments etc • Having a duty of care for your students • Inducting students to the organisation and course • Carrying out one-to-one tutorials and reviews with students • Following professional values and ethics • Acting and speaking appropriately • Standardising your practice with others • Attending meetings • Preparing delivery material and marking work • Attending promotional events and exhibitions • Referring students to other people or agencies when necessary (/mnt/tmp/tmp96lYp_ )
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Part 2 Explain the general need for keeping records and describe any other types of records that would be important for you to maintain. Record keeping is a valuable tool that enables continuous assessment, planning and development within learning environments. ‘Different records that a teacher would [be responsible] to keep are: • • • • • •
• • • • • •
Registers – e-register or paper based Timetables, Staff allocation to Groups etc… Learner files - including Application Form, Interview, Initial Assessment, Diagnostic Assessment, data base of Personal/contact details etc Class / Group profiles Scheme of Work, Lesson Plans, Handouts, Resources etc… Unit and course work marks Assessment Records – Exercises • Formal e.g. NVQ type assessments/portfolios • Summative e.g. exam/on-line tests Student feedback and evaluation of lessons and course Tracking sheets - Students’ individual learning plans (ILP) and progress Tutorial notes Health & Safety – Risk assessments where necessary/ Cause for Concern forms or Disciplinary procedure Notes to support Course – Visiting Speakers, Site Visits Course Annual Review data’ Information on Columbus (Record keeping and methods of assessment: PTLLS Session 4) (Assessment and Record Keeping Types of Records and Systems to be kept)
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Continuing Professional Development As a teacher, it is important to asses and develop your own learning and teaching methods, and this is achieved best through Continuing Professional development (CPD). Your CPD will enable you to: a) analyze the effectiveness of different ways of communicating with the learners. b) analyze the assessment procedures related to the teaching and learning cycle. An important process in maintaining this development, assessment and review is to keep a Reflective / Learning journal.
Part 3 Identify the key aspects of current legislative requirements and codes of practice relevant to your subject and the type of organization within which you would like to work. Course materials In the learning environment e.g. FE College, knowledge of the building, the course, procedures and disciplinary action is an important first step in establishing ground rules. For example at Lewisham College, students should, ‘be able to learn in a pleasant environment’ (Lewisham College 2010), and the college want all students to ‘feel safe’ and respected’. The Students’ Charter sets out college ground rules which outline the colleges’ expectations for students and include: •
Attend all classes on time and working hard on your studies
•
Wearing your security pass
•
Care for others and the college environment and
•
Being actively involved and contribute in College life: o Stand up and report unfair treatment regardless of differences o Working towards targets of college and student betterment and o Producing evidence for your learning.
Student Planner
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Beginning the class with clear timetable is an invaluable structural tool to assist learners, grounding them in the courses duration and timescales and should be planned and prepared before class begins. By negotiating the class rules with learners during class time, learners are able to adapt on the class rules creating a bespoke environment for specific learners and groups. This could involve the negotiation of rules on lateness – no class admittance after 15 min. for example.
Legislation and codes of practice in the FE sector As a teacher, you have a duty of care to your students. ‘All students must feel that they are positively and equally valued and accepted…and they must feel that they and the groups to which they belong (e.g. ethnic, gender, social-class or attainment groups) are fully and equally valued’ (Petty.G 2004) Some key aspects of current legislative requirements and codes of practice in terms of teaching are: Health and Safety - The FE sector must abide by the ‘Health and Safety At Work Act’. Data Protection - Disclosure of confidential information to an unauthorised person is a criminal offence. Child Protection - The government launched a children’s welfare reform in 2003 called ‘Every Child Matters’ and passed the ‘Children Act’ in 2004. Equal Opportunities - Education providers must promote equality of opportunities and tackle discrimination. Providers cannot discriminate on grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, belief or disability. Visual Arts and Digital Media : My subject area As preparation for my Micro teach and as part of course requirements, I have been documenting and tracking my progress and development on the PTTLS course in order to develop my working practice. My objective is to review work as part of my CPD, which I hope will enable other learners to develop individual working practices. As part of this practice, I have been documenting my work online, which requires me to adhere to specific online providers’ terms and conditions of use. This can include copywriting legislation and also being aware of the forms of media each provider can support.
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Reflective Practice Reflect on each part of the task you have completed and write a page of two paragraphs stating what you feel you have learnt from doing the area of focus and how it will influence your future teaching.
Part1: Describe what your role, responsibilities and boundaries would be as a teacher in terms of the teaching/training cycle . Through this task, I have learnt the importance of having a clear structure and boundaries as a teacher. Working and developing learning materials, in line with the Training cycle, I am aiming to develop and deliver an effective Micro teach and any future learning. Through considered planning and documentation, which involves detailed administrative tasks, I hope to combine my teaching, learning in design and media. Page | 8
Part2: Explain the general need for keeping records and describe any other types of records that would be important for you to maintain.
Again, the importance administration was clear to me, as becoming an effective teacher requires the ability to organize workloads and the ability to work with large groups, implementing strategies which will provide and safe and encouraging learning environment for all learners. In developing a Pre-Assessment Survey for my Microteaching, I opened an account with www.polldaddy.com which allows producing and sharing online polls, surveys and quizzes. I printed the survey and gave handouts during class time to my peers which also contained a link to the survey.3 This enabled me and others to keep a record of materials and to reference my work clearly.
Part3: Identify the key aspects of current legislative requirements and codes of practice relevant to your subject and the type of organization within which you would like to work. My aim is to teach Media and Design and I would like to be able to work in Further Education. When working with media a vast majority of time can be spent working at a computer and it is very important to make sure learners are aware of Health and Safety issues surrounding the use of equipment.
Part3: continuation For example, it would be important for learners to be aware of the correct seating position when working at a computer and also ensure that food and drinks are not being consumed when equipment is in use. With this in mind, I aim to incorporate this into my Micro teach, stating this as a ground rule when working with media and electrical equipment, encouraging my learners to be aware of how to set-up a safe environment when working.
3
http://polldaddy.com/s/E9BE137F6D5E0F53
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Bibliography Page | 10
BOOKS 1. Francis M. & Gould J.
‘Achieving your PTTLS Award’
(2009) SAGE Publications
‘Planning & Enabling Learning – in the Lifelong Learning Sector’
(2008) Learning Matters
‘Preparing to Teach in Lifelong Learning Sector’
(2007) Learning Matters
4. Hitching J.
‘Maintaining Your License to Practice’
(2008) Learning Matters
5. Petty G.
‘Teaching Today’
(2004) Nelson Thornes
6. Scrunton R.
‘Modern Culture’
(2005) Continuum
‘Preparing to Teach in Lifelong Learning Sector’
(2007) Learning Matters
2. Gravells A. & S. Simpson et.al
3. Gravells A. & S. Simpson et.al
7. Gravells A. & S. Simpson et.al
LEWISHAM COLLEGE: Student Materials 8. Lewisham College
‘Complaints Procedure’
(2010) Lewisham College
9. Lewisham College
‘Disciplinary Procedure’
(2010) Lewisham College
10. Lewisham College
‘Student Planner 2010-2011’ (2010) Lewisham College
Bibliography Page | 11
INTERNET 11. Dalphinis L.
CMP : ‘Street Level’
12. Dalphinis L.
Lifelong Learning: ‘Introduction’
13. Dalphinis L.
‘Itldo: Cybertext’
(2011) Tumblr ITLD
(2011) Word press ITLTeach (2011) Word press Itldo//: writing
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