Transcript What do learners think about ‘good teaching’?

'"It's not real teaching is it?"
Challenges in utilising Web2.0 tools to
support the work place learning of
trainee teachers in the post-compulsory
sector'
Warren Kidd
Cass School of Education
University of East London
“still the same yet different”
(Kosnik, 2007: 18).
“...intentionality about making
the thinking behind my
teaching visible.” (Kosnik,
2007: 18).
Kosnik, C., (2007). ‘Still the Same Yet Different’, in T. Russell and J. Loughran (Eds), Enacting a Pedagogy of Teacher
Education: Values, relationships and practices. London: Routledge.
How do Web2.0 tools fit into
PCET provision?
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Pre-programme wiki;
VLE – for on-programme support;
Trainee ‘private’ blogger and Facebook;
Irregular PCET podcasts;
PCET Twitter feed
Learner voice podcasts – used as both a research
and teaching tool;
• Mentoring video blog – to aid professional learning
and for capacity building;
• Cohort of ex-trainees have joined a secure wiki for
post-programme evaluation.
Pre-programme wiki
Pre-programme wiki
Topics discussed included:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What will the programme be like?
How ‘intense’ will the challenge be?
What should teachers wear?
What does it mean to be a professionalin-training?
5. What are trainees most excited about?
How does ‘e-learning’ fit into our
pedagogy as teacher educators?
• Modelling;
• Professional learning
– tools and
equipment;
• Aid reflective practice;
• Support – build
communities;
• External facing
partnerships.
• Three core statements:
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The pedagogy is more
important than the tools
or, the learning is more
important than the ‘e’;
E-learning requires
massive orchestration
VLEs – not necessarily
learning (OFSTED,
January 2009)
There are a variety of benefits of the utilization
of these tools:
• asynchronous support separate from formal
sessions
• learners have the opportunity to request
resources
• enhanced ‘learning contact’ outside of normal
routines
• reconceptualisation of ‘contact/teaching time’
• ‘fit-for-purpose’
• modelling of blended learning practices
Learners still access the resources ‘located’ at a desk-top
and have not explored Mobile working/learning.
Experiences of a minority of Mobile-learners further
compounds the growing divide between those professional
learners who have access to such technologies and those
who either do not have access or who have little inclination.
Use of Twitter for reading updates has had the greatest
impact and uptake for the simplest and shortest amount of
staff time.
A great deal of staff time involved in the orchestration of this
work (at the start).
The work has raised issues regarding ‘work’ and work
spaces.
iPodagogy?
Recording short files worked best (between 3 – 8 minutes),
retaining learners/listeners attention
Vital to ‘announce’ the programme/context at the very start
3 or 4 key words used at the start of each podcast and then
picked up and developed through the recording in order to
‘locate’ it (plus use of repetition and counting)
There was an emphasis given at all times to use of specialist
language, and also to the definition of this language and its
deconstruction all through the recordings
Each podcast recording re-capped at the end using the same
key words that it started with.
The use of wikis and blogs as a data gathering
tool (for research-informed-practice)
• E-focus group – but one that is
asynchronous;
• Produce data that is both ‘off the cuff’ and
also ‘considered’;
• Data is expressed by participants in the
language of Web2.0;
• Build up conversational elements between
participants;
• Have access to time of posting;
• Easy to edit, easy to moderate and have
‘anywhere’ access;
• Data ready-made in digital form.
“I am also sooooo confused about what
the college is looking for with regards to
teaching practice. My colleague, who I
adore and totally respect and who i think is
awesome, got observed today and got a
grade two for mainly didactic teaching with
activities inbetween.........I feel totally lost!
On the other hand, I love the work and the
stuff I am doing with my students and feel
it is right, but will I need to have a didactic
approach with a few bits of activities when
I am observed next year????!!! Any
suggestions guys?”
“The worrying thing is, is that my colleague
commented on the fact that she did the
didactic with activities because otherwise
'they don't think they are learning anything'
My stomach churned over and I felt myself
getting quite annoyed actually!! Not toward
my colleague, but towards the whole
system! After doing my PGCE training and
it changing my life completely and my
ideas about what teaching should be, to
hear that comment, after working so hard
really made me feel angry, annoyed,
anxious and a bit sad actually!”
Key themes
1. Frustration at ‘older staff’ and their practice
2. Feeling of tension between models of ‘good
practice’ on PGCE and what employment
institutions were celebrating as ‘normal’ or
‘good practice’
3. Surprise and anxiety at prevalence of
‘didactic’ teaching
4. Surprise and frustration at learners who
valued didactic methods
5. ‘Emotional drain’ of feeling ‘unconnected’ with
colleagues