A warm welcome to all teachers at highshool, college and university-levels

Teaching at all levels is about making our students reach the learning objectives, grow and develop their potential, ... and several dimensions of citizenship engagement, too.  

We can always do better as teachers; there are always opportunities to observe, to evaluate and to try out new actions. 

That´s what makes us develop as teachers, and our students do better, too. 

 

The content on this blog is (almost) all the information (handouts, PowerPoints, tasks and texts), which has been in use in our courses for college and university teachers on 

 “How to develop my teaching” 

… since 2014 at Sct. Pauls University in Kenya & Tumaini Makumira University  in Tanzania.

 

Now it is up to you, dear reader, (whoever you are) to choose what is useful for you in your teaching and (maybe) in training of your colleagues: 

 

The levels of teaching in focus are highshool, college and university-levels.

 

Please, use whatever you can

share the link with colleagues

and take care wherever you are

Egon Hedegaard

PS: Thanks go to my co-teachers Caroline Seed and Richard Seed for inspiring cooperation, friendship and hospitality from 2014 and on. And thanks go to all participants who enthusiastically have taken part in our courses and developed own teaching continuously.

I wish you all the best in your efforts to continue developing your teaching together with colleagues, ... and through training courses organised by yourself.

Gratefulness and thanks goes also to everyone who has contributed to make our courses and semester long learning cycles successful learning experiences.

 

 See Catherine sum up her learning experiences: here

Here is an overview of all pages in this blog: 

Click here to jump to anywhere in this blog: Keep ON going  - Teach better by use of evaluation and action plans  A warm welcome to all teachers at highshool, college and university-levels Click   Evaluate your own courses + Inspirational active learning methods handouts Click Take small steps every day Click Planning of deeper learning Click Focus on the theoretical framework: "You need a framework …” Click   Evaluate your courses together with your students   5 steps to turn inspiration into action & plan a MIDWAY EVALUATION in your courses Click Inspiration for how to develop better homework results Click Inspiration for your next steps: What to learn from your students Click   Evaluate together with a colleague/colleagues , … and train your colleagues Click Inspiration for your next steps Click Sources and references Click   (Furthermore, LNKS to 30 inspirational documents are to be found in these blog posts)

  

 

Evaluate your own courses

Evaluation is a process that critically examines a program. It involves collecting and analysing information about a program's activities, characteristics, and outcomes. Its purpose is to make judgments about a program, to improve its effectiveness, and/or to inform programming decisions (Patton, 1987).   Source: Evaluation: What is it and why do it? Click I recommend this site if you need an introduction - or a recap – of the basic concepts of evaluation (like formative & summative evaluation etc.)

 

 

 If you are a teacher, who already plans your lessons with focus on methods of interactive lecturing, students learning activities, focus on deep learning etc. … all in order to reach the learning objectives, 

.. , then go to take small steps every day: Click https://evaluateanddevelop.blogspot.com/2020/08/take-small-steps-every-day_24.html

 

If you want to explore the characteristics described above 

before going on 

... then click one or more of these links: 

Inspirational active learning methods handouts 

 

 

- The basics of Planning for Teaching: Six important steps in any teaching process http://teachglobalcitizenship.blogspot.com/2018/06/basics-of-planning-teaching.html 

including:

 

- Five Defining Elements of Cooperative Learning (1 page, Word Online)

Click

  

- Jigsaw- A Cooperative learning Structure(14 pages, PDF) Click

From Silver et al (2007): The Strategic Teacher. Selecting the Right Research-Based Strategy for Every Lesson.  

 

Intro:

 

 

 

- The New American Lecture: The Interactive lecture(13 pages, PDF) Click

From Silver et al (2007): The Strategic Teacher. Selecting the Right Research-Based Strategy for Every Lesson.  

 

From the intro page: 

  

- Using activities in large classes(1 page, PDF) Click

 

From David Baume: First Words

 

 

 

- Teaching in Large Groups (pdf) Click

 

From Cannon R.  & Newble, D. (2000): A Handbook for Teachers in Universities and colleges. A Guide to improving methods. Kogan Page. 

 

 

 

- Teaching in Small Groups (pdf)Click

 

From Cannon R.  & Newble, D. (2000): A Handbook for Teachers in Universities and colleges. A Guide to improving methods. Kogan Page. 

 

 

- How do they conduct class? (pdf) Click

 

From Bain, Ken (2004): “What the best college teachers do"   

 

From the intro: ”Our study of outstanding ….

 

 

 

 

 

- How Do They Treat Their Students? (pdf) Click

 

From Bain, Ken (2004): “What the best college teachers do"   

 

 

- Introduction to learning portfolio, rubrics and assessment (7 pages, Word Online) Click

A general introduction: “A portfolio is a compilation of student work assembled for the purpose of evaluating & determining whether students have met learning standards  or academic requirements for courses, grade-level promotion, and graduation.                 

Advocates of student portfolios argue that compiling, reviewing, and evaluating student work over time can provide a richer and more accurate picture of what students have learned and are able to do than more traditional measures, such as standardized tests or final exams, that reflect only what a student knows at a specific point in time.

 

Example of portfolio presentation in teacher education at Frostburg State University, Maryland, USA:

Here is an overview of all pages in this blog: 

Click here to jump to anywhere in this blog: Keep ON going  - Teach better by use of evaluation and action plans  A warm welcome to all teachers at highshool, college and university-levels Click   Evaluate your own courses + Inspirational active learning methods handouts Click Take small steps every day Click Planning of deeper learning Click Focus on the theoretical framework: "You need a framework …” Click   Evaluate your courses together with your students   5 steps to turn inspiration into action & plan a MIDWAY EVALUATION in your courses Click Inspiration for how to develop better homework results Click Inspiration for your next steps: What to learn from your students Click   Evaluate together with a colleague/colleagues , … and train your colleagues Click Inspiration for your next steps Click Sources and references Click   (Furthermore, LNKS to 30 inspirational documents are to be found in these blog posts)

  

Take small steps every day

When you turn your thoughts into actions, then the results are new experiences.

Some of you are already in full swing. Others might experience the same challenges as other participants in earlier courses have formulated at the beginning of this phase:

 

“There is a risk of “loss of enthusiasm if it does not go well in the 1^st few weeks”

“There might be challenges in time management, since many of the deep learning techniques require time”

 “It is a challenge to find time for collaboration with colleagues and dissemination of the knowledge gained here to colleagues”

“The different nature of the courses I teach might require other teaching techniques”

“Facilitators need to keep in touch with participants to remind them of their roles. Participants tend to be busy when they get back to work”

It is urgent to overcome such challenges. One of the ways is to make many small changes of your thinking:

Make a note to yourself before teaching a class, tutoring a student, and even before meetings: What is the intended learning outcome of this session?

… and add a reflective sentence or two right after.

 

The same goes for “The basic of Planning for Teaching. Six important steps in any teaching process”. 

If you can’t find time to do all the considerations proposed in   “The basics of Planning for Teaching: Six important steps in any teaching process”? http://teachglobalcitizenship.blogspot.com/2018/06/basics-of-planning-teaching.html

 

... then choose your focus, plan and try ...

E.g. 

      Tomorrow I will try to build a bridge to student´s preunderstanding 

      Tomorrow I will try a new hook

      Tomorrow I will use several kinds of questions such as ...

      Tomorrow I will use the white-board to help my students organise their notes instead of getting my notes

      Tomorrow I will teach in chunks of 20 minutes, and ask all students in the lecture theatre to sum up in pairs, to answer questions and guess the conclusions in the next “chunk”

      Tomorrow I will ...

 

... AND make a written note when you plan, AND add a reflective sentence or two right after (or some other time on the SAME day as your class).

 

If you already are in the middle of coping with bigger challenges (overhaul of whole courses, preparing training of your colleagues, ...): CONGRATULATIONS!

OUR POINTS ARE …

 

1. You don´t need extra time in order TO BECOME AN EXPERIMENTING TEACHER,

YOU JUST HAVE TO USE YOUR TIME DIFFERENTLY, AND ASK YOURSELF EVERY DAY:

How do I do the usual with a little twist, ... in such a way that the students and I experiment a little, and I get a new experience (which will be a stepping stone leading me to the next action)

 

2. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR OWN DEVELOPMENT AS A REFLECTING TEACHER THAT YOU KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR EXPERIMENTAL STEPS, AND WHAT CAME OUT OF IT:

It makes it possible to build development as a step-by-step journey.

And you will (after doing this for a while) be able to get a helicopter view of your journey and reflect on what to conclude and what to do next in your professional life.

 

Start WRITING “MY PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION NOTES” in a notebook, on your PC or your phone (just choose your own way)

 

Here is an example of my own version of “MY PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION NOTES”: 

 

My example is from the last day of our intro-course: 

The session on “Student questionnaire that demands reflections”

 

My planning considerations:  I have chosen to show the participants a student questionnaire because it is a good example of many reflective questions. Click I asked myself when I was planning: How can I make every participant reflect on what questions create the most important student reflection? I chose to plan a small role-play/simulation of a staff meeting where each colleague is demanded to recommended one question (and answer “WHY”). A participant is asked to lead the meeting and conclude. My intention is, too, that everyone experience to take part in a simulation, and will be able to do role-plays/simulations afterwards.   My notes after the session: The participants did very well: Engaged and well argued responses from everyone. The appointed group leader did well even though I should have given him clearer instructions. My conclusion is that this session was a good beginning on this topic. However, a follow-up is needed, a good training task would be that each participant made a short questionnaire for students in one of his/her own classes. (Maybe as part of the follow-up course we hope to implement in the beginning of 2019). The use of role-plays/simulations has to be deepened, too (theoretically as well as practically).

 

Last words:

A short recap: Why do we ask you to do notes like this: We want to push everyone to start writing your own version of “MY PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION NOTES”

Evaluation Template: My professional Evaluation Notes Click

 

 

Here is an overview of all pages in this blog: 

Click here to jump to anywhere in this blog: Keep ON going  - Teach better by use of evaluation and action plans  A warm welcome to all teachers at highshool, college and university-levels Click   Evaluate your own courses + Inspirational active learning methods handouts Click Take small steps every day  Click Planning of deeper learning Click Focus on the theoretical framework: "You need a framework …” Click   Evaluate your courses together with your students   5 steps to turn inspiration into action & plan a MIDWAY EVALUATION in your courses Click Inspiration for how to develop better homework results Click Inspiration for your next steps: What to learn from your students Click   Evaluate together with a colleague/colleagues , … and train your colleagues Click Inspiration for your next steps Click Sources and references Click   (Furthermore, LNKS to 30 inspirational documents are to be found in these blog posts)

  

Planning of deeper learning

  “When using the deep approach in handling a task, students have positive feelings: interest, a sense of importance, challenge, even exhilaration. Learning is a pleasure”

Source: Biggs J & tang, C. (1999, page 16 in Teaching for Quality Learning at University.

 

 "Teach so Robert behaves like Susan!" 

or Biggs “Constructive alignment” revisited“

These short videos are recommended as an introduction to teachers as well as students:

 

 

 

"Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding" is a 19-minute award winning short-film (in 4 parts) about teaching at university and higher-level educational institutions. It is based on the "Constructive Alignment" theory developed by Professor John Biggs. 

 

The film delivers a foundation for understanding what a teacher needs to do in order to make sure all types of students actually learn what the teacher intends, and develops a deep learning approach. 

 

The film is also available in high quality on DVD with subtitles in seven languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, and Danish). Film homepage: http://www.daimi.au.dk/~brabrand/short-film/

 

The video to be found as a CD and on the Internet as 3 smaller videos (all in all 19 minutes)

(1/3): Learning (Student Perspective) &  (2/3): Teaching (Teacher Perspective) http://youtu.be/6Ngc9ihb35g1$  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ngc9ihb35g

 

(3/3): Understanding (Knowledge Perspective)

http://youtu.be/vcybQlLAV2k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcybQlLAV2k

 

(4/4): The Solution (Constructive Alignment)

 http://youtu.be/ggThtInFtnM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggThtInFtnM

 

Here is a way to discuss how the theories demonstrated in these videos are relevant in your situation:

 

- Stop after each section and discuss: Is this relevant in my situation as a teacher: Why/Why not?

 

- Give the combined videos a title with student names from one of your own classes 

(Instead of  "Teach so Robert behaves like Susan!" 

insert these names and rename the title "Teach so … behaves like …!")

and discuss why you chose these names!? 

 

- What are you inspired to change in your teaching, and in your students’ perceptions of learning?

 

Here is an overview of all pages in this blog: 

Click here to jump to anywhere in this blog: Keep ON going  - Teach better by use of evaluation and action plans  A warm welcome to all teachers at highshool, college and university-levels Click   Evaluate your own courses + Inspirational active learning methods handouts Click Take small steps every Click Planning of deeper learning Click Focus on the theoretical framework: "You need a framework …” Click   Evaluate your courses together with your students   5 steps to turn inspiration into action & plan a MIDWAY EVALUATION in your courses Click Inspiration for how to develop better homework results Click Inspiration for your next steps: What to learn from your students Click   Evaluate together with a colleague/colleagues , … and train your colleagues Click Inspiration for your next steps Click Sources and references Click   (Furthermore, LNKS to 30 inspirational documents are to be found in these blog posts)