Providing high quality learning experiences through the sustained use of teaching, facilitation and assessment practices and high-level communication and interpersonal skills that inspire students and foster independent learning and the active engagement of students with the subject matter

Providing high quality learning experiences through the sustained use of teaching, facilitation and assessment practices and high-level communication and interpersonal skills that inspire students and foster independent learning and the active engagement

The students of today are high-tech consumers. Even our disadvantaged students seem to be having the latest technological and cellphone gadgets. Keeping the above in mind, Nations’ (2001) question, “How long do learners [and students] have to wait for technology to be used within the learning context” cannot by side-stepped. Students [and learners] should be using ICTs, as the learning context should utilise the ICT tools that the students use at home, otherwise there is a mismatch (Nations, 2001). Hence, I do believe that it is important to provide learning experiences in which technological applications are used. PowerPoint can become just another ‘black board’; hence I have included Video Clips in my PowerPoint Presentations in order that my students are exposed to other perspectives related to the methodology of teaching mathematical concepts [See image below].

YouTube Patterns

I use specific questions that I pose before I play the video clips in order that my students have to look for and think about what they see. Sample questions that I pose, for example, are “Is this a good method of explaining this mathematical concept? Provide reasons for your answer,” “How could one improve on this method?” and/or “Compare the three methods that these teachers have used. Which one would you argue is the best? Provide reasons.” These questions indicate that I am not only focusing on the knowledge level (first level order thinking of Bloom and that of Anderson and Krathwohl), but that I pursue the higher levels of thinking.

The discussion of these questions is then conducted within groups of four to six members. My groups are heterogeneous; as I try to create opportunities for my students to hear voices from different contexts. Thus, I try to show respect for diversity and diverse opinions, one of the corner stones of the values of our Vision 2020. Equally important, when a student answers questions incorrectly, I try to respond in a manner that shows that I have respect and understanding, for example by asking them “Could you explain to us why you have answered in that way?” or “That is an interesting response. Please tell us how you arrive at it.”

As it is not always possible to play every interesting video clip in the classroom and to provide the students with every hand-out on paper, I am also using the electronic online LEARN system (learn.nmmu.ac.za). I provide them with additional video material as well as online links [See images below].

Learn

By not printing everything, I also adhere to the values of the Vision 2020, as it shows that I try to embrace environmental friendly practices, i.e. conserving trees by using less paper and by using less toner, hence reducing my carbon footprint.

It is also very important to motivate student-teachers, hence I use YouTube video clips (Click on the video below to let it play) to motivate them why the profession is so important and of the huge role that teachers play.

Whenever possible, I try to use examples of misconceptions of the primary school learners’ understanding and use them as valuable learning experiences from which my students can learn. We discuss misconceptions, for example why learners have them and what we can do to remedy them before they actually occur in the classroom.

In addition, I try to communicate regularly with my students via email. I email all of them regarding things that they have to prepare for, assignments that have to be handed in, tests that are coming up, etc.

I also try to promote the idea of forming diverse student study groups. The value of these diverse study groups is not only in the co-construction of understanding, but that it also creates an opportunity for the students to hear multiple voices from different cultural contexts, and hopefully, it leads to greater understanding of one another. I have noticed in my class that some students from different cultural backgrounds find it difficult to work together because of our political past. Hence, I let them draw or choose numbers and then I group them according to the numbers that have been selected.

Students seem to be very positive about my modules, as well as the way I teach them (see images below).

PICM201 Student Feedback

My PowerPoint Animation Tutorial

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My EXCEL Animation Tutorial

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My fellow colleagues also support the fact that I am a very good teacher-facilitator. This becomes evident in their responses below: