Activity 11 - Theories Of Learning

Quotations from: The Centre For Teaching & Academic Growth, University Of British Columbia.

www.tag.ubc.ca/programs/learningconferences?Quotes.php

The quote that most closely matches my own perspective on theories of teaching would have to be:

"My philosophy with regard to education is that the teacher should facilitate the student in their search for knowledge (rather than deliver the knowleddge per se). With this in mind I try to engage the students in an interactive discussion around the specific subject matter which they need to know."

My way of engaging the students would be more a physical/creative task on the specific subject matter rather than a discussion. But I would say that this is the closest quote to my own philosophy.

Activity 8 - My Experience As A Learner

Activity 8 - My Experience As A Learner Let’s focus again on your experiences as a learner. Think about 2 of your learning experiences, one that was particularly good from your perspective and one that was not. A particularly effective learning experience: Contemporary dance class at college. The lecturer was an amazing teacher. She was strict and disciplined & sometimes harsh but you knew that she was a great teacher and that she would help you to be successful in the art of dance.

A particularly poor learning experience: At college while studying dance we had to complete a written unit called: Entrepreneurship. This was part of our course because many of us would go on to work as freelance dancers artists

Reasons why this was effective for me: I knew she was very experienced in her field so I trusted her. She was very clear and precise as to what was expected of me and explained the class content very well which I really appreciated. I became a very good contemporary dancer due to her time and commitment that she gave. She was able to give me great opportunities while I was at college (eg. dance work, performances). She increased my knowledge of dance and made me more passionate about the subject. And knowing her and being a student of hers has helped me gain jobs since I left college, as her good & strict reputation is one that most Scottish dancers/companies will know of.

Reasons why this was ineffective for me: I didn’t learn anything worthwhile. I already had an HND in Communication & Media so had covered a lot of this information already in a previous course. The classes were constantly cancelled or we had a different lecturer or we were sent to the library if there was no lecturer available to take us. The class complained about the lack of consistency and teaching that was given to us to complete this unit. The class was very conscientious and were used to discipline and consistency in our dance classes, so it was due to our own commitment & teamwork that we got through the unit and passed.

Activity 6 - How Do I Learn?

Activity 6 - How Do I Learn?

Phil Race says, “I’m going to ask you four questions about how you learn”.

The grid is presented below; use it to answer the questions that are posed.

Consider the questions in the 4 boxes in relation to your learning and jot down your thoughts:

1. How do you learn well? Think of something that you are good at, something that you know you do well. How did you become good at it? Dance: Practice & commitment.	2. What makes you feel good? Think of something about yourself that you feel good about. How can you tell that you feel good about this? What’s your evidence to support this feeling? I’m a good host. Enjoyment, contentment & happy when being a host. People say I’m great at it. I love sitting back and seeing everyone having a good time.
3. What can go wrong? Think of something that you’re not good at, perhaps as a result of a bad learning experience. What went wrong and whose (if anyone’s) fault it may have been. Physics. The teacher was not good at breaking down the information that I needed to know. Her lessons were very fast. Her style of teaching didn’t suit my way of learning.	4. What if there isn’t a “want”? Think of something you did learn successfully but at the time you did not want to learn it. What kept you going so that you did indeed succeed in learning? How to take an aerobics class. I had to pass the unit to get my HND in dance. I could use the skill in a dance class. I knew it would help me long term.

Activity 5 - How will Bloom's 'Taxonomy Of Learning' influence my Learning Teaching & Assessment Plan?

I think to a point I already use parts of Bloom's Taxonomy Of Learning in my lessons with the students. I just wasn't conscious of it. It's made me more aware of the ways to questions & challenge my student's & how to develop the students' skills of learning. I will definatley make sure that for every lesson I will have questions that challenge the students. I will make sure that from now on higher order thinking skills will be an essential part of my lessons.

Because my subject is very practical I find that the higher order thinking skills that I use most in my lessons are: Application, Analysis & Synthesis.

With dance there's a lot of dramatising, interpretation, demonstrating, rehearsing, experimenting, creating, arranging, developing & preparation. All of which are higher order thinking skills.

This will be a model which I continously refer to, to make sure I'm challenging the students.

Activity 1: Definitions of Learning Teaching and Assessment

Activity 1: Definitions of Learning Teaching and Assessment


Determine your own definitions, based on your experience and thinking, that will help you to formulate your learning, teaching and assessment plan:

Learning:
• Taking an idea, subject or skill that can be, but isn’t always of interest to the learner and developing or increasing your knowledge of that particular idea, subject or skill, and in turn allowing the learner to pursue what it is they really want to do long term. (Example: An acting student who also has to learn skills in movement & dance but actually doesn’t enjoy or like dance but has to do it to pass their acting course & gain their qualification).
• Being given the chance to explore, experiment & be creative with your own ideas, techniques & concepts as well as others’.

Teaching:
• Being so passionate about something you want others to learn/participate/share the passion of the subject.
• Passing on information & skills that at one time you would’ve learned from someone else who was an expert in that particular field.
• Giving learners the best experience you can in your subject.
• Passing on life skills (confidence, respect, awareness of other etc).
• Making people aware of your subject and its role in society.
• Never stale, staying current and up to date allows for fresh knowledge to be passed on to the learner, therefore making the subject even more interesting and accessible to the learner.

Assessment:
• A tool to show the learner how much knowledge they have gained and retained on a particular idea, skill or subject without any help or guidance from anyone else
• A tool for the teacher to show how much the learners are taking in and if learners are making the same mistakes which could mean there is a flaw in the teaching method, or it has to be simplified or more time spent on that particular section of work.
• Evidence to show the work has been completed and the learner has passed the unit/course and is capable of moving on to a higher grade, unit, course.
• It’s something to work towards to make the work seem worthwhile and keep you progressing forward (especially if you don’t enjoy it). It’s a clear indication to the learners that the subject, idea, etc they have been working in is completed.