INTRODUCTION / PREPARING TO TEACH

                           Good teaching begins long before the first day of class!

TOPIC 1a: Pedagogy 

 

a)  Introduction and overview

b)  Pedagogy - what is it? see definitions  [pdf]  D2L

c)  Introductory overview of various pedagogical philosophies and approaches:

• authoritarian vs. constructivist models 

• traditional content delivery vs. inquiry-based 

• teacher-centered vs. learner-centered

• lecture-based vs. hands-on/active-learning

- Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education  [pdf] D2L

-  Got Teaching? A Student Perspective on Effective Teaching at UA   [pdf] D2L
This is a report on a student project completed for Dr. Nancy Huber's Fall 2003 AED 403/503 Collaborative Leadership course)

Suggestions for follow-up on Topic 1a:

• Visit the "Moodle" Site for an overview of the constuctivist philosophy of learning:  http://moodle.org/doc/?frame=philosophy.html )

  Moodle is a course management system (CMS) - a free, Open Source software package designed using sound pedagogical principles, to help educators create effective online learning communities.

 TOPIC 1b:  Learning Styles and Cognitive Skills   Corresponding handout  [pdf]

a) Overview of Bloom’s Taxonomy, critical thinking and problem solving

b) Survey of different models/studies on learning styles

 

Suggestions for follow-up on Topic 1b and for background on Topic 2's assignment:

On Learning Styles:

•  Read:   Felder, R.M. Matters of Style  [pdf]  
            also at: http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/LS-Prism.htm
  

• Browse:   Wikipedia's (!) pretty good summary of Learning Styles

 

On Cognitive Development and Critical Thinking Skills:
        (Read the first two to help with your Topic 2 assignment)

• Browse webpages on: Bloom’s Taxonomy at these URLS, or others you find on your own:

            http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/bloom.html
            http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

 

• Read: Lynch, C.L. Wolcott, S.K.(2001)  Helping Your Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills [pdf]    See also: http://www.wolcottlynch.com/ for more ideas and information about the authors of this paper.
  
  

• Read: more about learning styles from Richard Felder and his collaborators, including the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) and how the Myers-Briggs Indicator types relate to teaching and learning: More on cognitive skills & learning styles

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Related Assignment

==>  Complete the Learning Style Assessment under “Self-Assessments” at the UA Think Tank website: http://thinktank.arizona.edu/resources/selfassesment/learning_style
 

==>  Complete the Learning Style Inventory (LSI) based on David Kolb's Model http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html 
(you'll have to click on Enter Profile and fill out at #13 to get access to the survey)

==>   Complete the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) questionnaire:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
and read more about it on this page from Richard Felder:  More on cognitive skills & learning styles