PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SUBJECTS THEORY COURSES Educ 101
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
3 units
This is a basic course on child and adolescent development focusing on current research and theory on the biological, linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional dimensions of development and the factors that affect the progress of development. The coverage of the course is structured to cover the key dimensions of the development of the children and adolescents: physical, linguistic, cognitive and socioemotional development. For each dimension, the core contemporary research findings and theories are covered. Particular emphasis is given to the factors that have been identified as having positive or negative effects on the natural course of these developmental processes. In addition, some focus is given to the exceptional cases when children or adolescents vary from the natural course. The coverage of these ideas is intended to provide the future teacher with a broad yet fairly detailed understanding of the developmental processes that students undergo and do that such an understanding may be used to guide all dealings ( i.e. formal instructional, informal social,etc.) with the students. Educ 102
FACILITATING LEARNING
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 101 The course emphasizes contemporary theories and research on the cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, socio-cultural, and individual difference factors in the acquisition of knowledge. The course coverage shall focus on contemporary theories and research on learning. (As such, some of the traditional theories of learning will not be addressed in detail.) The exploration and discussion of these theories and research will focus on how these apply to the Philippines, regional, local, and personal experience. More importantly, the processing of the theories and research will emphasize how teacher may use the various ideas to better facilitate the learning processes among students. Educ 103
SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATION
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 101, Educ 102 This course is an introduction to social science (economic, socio-cultural, political, geographical and environmental processes) theory and research as they relate to education and to understanding of the four pillars of learning, which are fundamental in making critical and logical decision as an active member in the society and as a global citizen. The course aims to enhance critical understanding and responding to the
transformations in education, work, culture, globalization and subjectivity that have induced education, economic, socio-cultural, political, geographical and environmental networks. METHODS AND STRATEGIES COURSES Educ 104
PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING I
3 units
This course introduces prospective teachers to the nature of teaching. It deals specifically with the principles of effective instruction and the concomitant processes involved; instructional planning and demonstration teaching. The course is a blend of theoretical information and selected matching actual experiences. Prerequisite: Child and Adolescent Development Educ 105
PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING II
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 104 The course introduces prospective secondary and elementary teachers to knowledge and understanding of the subject area which includes: foundation disciplines, structural components, and models of teaching and assessment strategies. These will provide the student with the theoretical underpinnings in teaching and develop concepts, skills, attitudes, values related to the subject area. Educ 106A
DEVELOPMENTAL READING I
3 units
*Prerequisite: Engl 101, Engl 102, Lit 101 The course sharpens the teacher’s reading proficiency in the preparation for the introduction to the nature of the reading process. Educ 106B
DEVELOPMENTAL READING II
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 106A The course deals with theories, techniques and materials in teaching beginning reading and their application. Educ 107
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY I
3 units
This is a 3-unit course designed to introduce the basic learning theories and principles as bases for the design, development, implementation and evaluation of instruction using education technology. Students are expected to acquire skills in integrating technology in various content areas. Course activities are focused on the design and development of ICT-based instructional plans.
Educ 108
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY II
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 107 This is a 3- unit course designed to introduce both traditional and innovative technologies to facilitate and foster meaningful and effective learning. Students are expected to demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature, application and production of the various types of educational technologies. The course will likewise focus both on developing teacher-support materials and the production of technologybased student outputs. Educ 109
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING I
3 units
The course focuses on the development and utilization of assessment tools to improve the teaching-learning process. It emphasizes the use of testing for measuring knowledge, comprehension and other thinking skills. It allows the students to go through the standard steps in test construction for quality assessment. Educ 110
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING II
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 109 The course focuses on the development and utilization of assessment of alternative forms of assessment in measuring authentic learning. Emphasis is given to ways of assessing process- and product-oriented learning targets as well as affective learning. Students will experience how to develop rubrics for performance-0based and portfolio assessment. Educ 111
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 101-110 courses The course is intended to introduce the education students to effective curriculum design and assessment. The course topics include curriculum models, principles and approaches in designing, delivering and addressing the curriculum. Educ 112
TEACHING PROFESSION
3 units
*Prerequisite: Educ 111 The course deals with the teacher as an individual, classroom teacher, community teacher and global teacher. This emphasizes professionalization to cover teachers’ status and levels of professional rewards and professionalism to improve competencies. Educ 113 SPECIAL TOPIC 1:
TEACHING MULTIGRADE CLASSES
1 unit
Multigrade teaching is a program identified as a means to address the problem of access to education given the lack of teachers, school and materials. Thus, this course was designed to meet the demands of multigrade school teachers in order to improve their educational performance while ensuring a high quality of education. The course makes comparison between multigrade and single grade teaching in terms of outcomes and teaching practices. The content of its program is designed to team/prepare prospective teachers to acquire deeper understanding of the philosophy, goals, objectives, special features of multigrade teaching, and different roles and functions of teachers in multigrade teaching. It will also able them to demonstrate competence in the preparation of lesson plans, tests, and instructional materials, the development of instructional materials, employing appropriate teaching strategies, drawing a community report, and structuring classrooms for effective midgrade teaching. Educ 114 SPECIAL TOPIC 2:
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
1 unit
The course is designed to provide students with a holistic, practical perspective on how schools and classrooms can become and learning-friendly. It will require them to recognize the feasible approaches to facilitate learning considering the learners’ diverse background. Educ 115 SPECIAL TOPIC 3: EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
1 unit
This course provides basic concept and skill in educational research. Specifically, the course focus with preparation of an action research proposal, a preparation to its conduct if action research a s suggest in its teaching profession Note: For these Special Topics Courses, some of the possible topics are, but not limited to the following: Teaching Multigrade Classes, Environmental Education, Teaching Multicultural Classrooms, Integrative Teaching Strategies, Collaborative Learning, Use of Popular Media in Teaching, Topics on Distance Learning, Problem-Based Teaching, the Eight-Week Curriculum, Addressing Learning Gaps, and Teaching Indigenous Peoples. Educ 116
PRACTICE TEACHING
6 units
*Prerequisite: All FS courses, Theory and Methods and Strategies courses Practice Teaching is a 6-unit course offered to those who have completed all Field Study courses. It is part of the Experiential Learning courses of the new Teacher Education Curriculum which gives prospective teachers the chance to experience the life in actual learning environment. The opportunities and experiences embedded in this
course will enable them to meet the challenges of the real learning environment. The varied requirements will help them cope with the demands of the profession. FIELD STUDY COURSES FS 1 unit
LEARNERS’ DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENT
1
*Prerequisite: Educ 101, Educ 102, Educ 103 This course is designed to help the education students verify the behavior of the child in the actual classroom setting. It will require them to recognize the feasible approaches to facilitate learning considering the learners’ different phases of development and social environment. FS 2
EXPERIENCING THE TEACHING-LEARNING
PROCESS
1 unit
*Prerequisite: FS 1, Educ 104, Educ 105 This course is designed to provide students with opportunities to examine the application of teaching theories and principles in the learning environment. Students are expected to verify the cognitive, metacognitive, individual differences and motivational factors that influence the acquisition of knowledge. The students are given the chance to develop and try out learning tasks, instructional materials and assessment tools. FS 3
TECHNOLOGY IN THE LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
1 unit
*Prerequisite: FS 2, Educ 107, Educ 108 This course is designed to enrich the students’ experiences in developing and utilizing appropriate technology to facilitate learning. It shall also provide exposure and hand-on opportunities in the use of Information and Communications Technology. FS 4
UNDERSTANDING CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
1 unit
*Prerequisite: FS 3, Educ 111 This course is intended to introduce the education pre-service students to effective curriculum design and assessment. The course topics include curriculum models, principles and approaches in designing, delivering and addressing the curriculum.
It emphasizes familiarity with contemporary curriculum policies and framework and their relevance or planning, pedagogy and assessment at the classroom level. FS 5
LEARNING ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
1 unit
*Prerequisite: FS 4, Educ 109, Educ 110 This course allows the student to have Hands-on experiences in assigning an assessment tool, launching this in the classroom and evaluating the results based on the principles of teaching. FS 6
ON BECOMING A TEACHER
1 unit
*Prerequisite: FS 5, Educ 104, Educ 105, Educ 112 This course provides opportunities for the students to explore the utilization of alternative assessment tools in actual classroom setting. It will also require them to apply the concepts they have learned about developing rubrics for performance-based and portfolio assessment. Note: FS 2 to FS 6 require the preceding FS subject as prerequisite.
Teaching Principles Teaching is a complex, multifaceted activity, often requiring us as instructors to juggle multiple tasks and goals simultaneously and flexibly. The following small but powerful set of principles can make teaching both more effective and more efficient, by helping us create the conditions that support student learning and minimize the need for revising materials, content, and policies. While implementing these principles requires a commitment in time and effort, it often saves time and energy later on. Effective teaching involves acquiring relevant knowledge about students and using that knowledge to inform our course design and classroom teaching. When we teach, we do not just teach the content, we teach students the content. A variety of student characteristics can affect learning. For example, students’ cultural and generational backgrounds influence how they see the world; disciplinary backgrounds lead students to approach problems in different ways; and students’ prior knowledge (both accurate and inaccurate aspects) shapes new learning. Although we cannot adequately measure all of these characteristics, gathering the most relevant information as early as possible in course planning and continuing to do so during the semester can (a) inform course design (e.g., decisions about objectives, pacing, examples, format), (b) help explain
student difficulties (e.g., identification of common misconceptions), and (c) guide instructional adaptations (e.g., recognition of the need for additional practice). Effective teaching involves aligning the three major components of instruction: learning objectives, assessments, and instructional activities. Taking the time to do this upfront saves time in the end and leads to a better course. Teaching is more effective and student learning is enhanced when (a) we, as instructors, articulate a clear set of learning objectives (i.e., the knowledge and skills that we expect students to demonstrate by the end of a course); (b) the instructional activities (e.g., case studies, labs, discussions, readings) support these learning objectives by providing goal-oriented practice; and (c) the assessments (e.g., tests, papers, problem sets, performances) provide opportunities for students to demonstrate and practice the knowledge and skills articulated in the objectives, and for instructors to offer targeted feedback that can guide further learning. Effective teaching involves articulating explicit expectations regarding learning objectives and policies. There is amazing variation in what is expected of students across American classrooms and even within a given discipline. For example, what constitutes evidence may differ greatly across courses; what is permissible collaboration in one course could be considered cheating in another. As a result, students’ expectations may not match ours. Thus, being clear about our expectations and communicating them explicitly helps students learn more and perform better. Articulating our learning objectives (i.e., the knowledge and skills that we expect students to demonstrate by the end of a course) gives students a clear target to aim for and enables them to monitor their progress along the way. Similarly, being explicit about course policies (e.g., on class participation, laptop use, and late assignment) in the syllabus and in class allows us to resolve differences early and tends to reduce conflicts and tensions that may arise. Altogether, being explicit leads to a more productive learning environment for all students. More information on how clear learning objectives supports students' learning. (pdf) Effective teaching involves prioritizing the knowledge and skills we choose to focus on. Coverage is the enemy: Don’t try to do too much in a single course. Too many topics work against student learning, so it is necessary for us to make decisions – sometimes difficult ones – about what we will and will not include in a course. This involves (a) recognizing the parameters of the course (e.g., class size, students’ backgrounds and experiences, course position in the curriculum sequence, number of course units), (b) setting our priorities for student learning, and (c) determining a set of objectives that can be reasonably accomplished. Effective teaching involves recognizing and overcoming our expert blind spots. We are not our students! As experts, we tend to access and apply knowledge automatically and unconsciously (e.g., make connections, draw on relevant bodies of knowledge, and choose appropriate strategies) and so we often skip or combine critical steps when we teach. Students, on the other hand, don’t yet have sufficient background and experience to make these leaps and can become confused,
draw incorrect conclusions, or fail to develop important skills. They need instructors to break tasks into component steps, explain connections explicitly, and model processes in detail. Though it is difficult for experts to do this, we need to identify and explicitly communicate to students the knowledge and skills we take for granted, so that students can see expert thinking in action and practice applying it themselves. Effective teaching involves adopting appropriate teaching roles to support our learning goals. Even though students are ultimately responsible for their own learning, the roles we assume as instructors are critical in guiding students’ thinking and behavior. We can take on a variety of roles in our teaching (e.g., synthesizer, moderator, challenger, commentator). These roles should be chosen in service of the learning objectives and in support of the instructional activities. For example, if the objective is for students to be able to analyze arguments from a case or written text, the most productive instructor role might be to frame, guide and moderate a discussion. If the objective is to help students learn to defend their positions or creative choices as they present their work, our role might be to challenge them to explain their decisions and consider alternative perspectives. Such roles may be constant or variable across the semester depending on the learning objectives. Effective teaching involves progressively refining our courses based on reflection and feedback. Teaching requires adapting. We need to continually reflect on our teaching and be ready to make changes when appropriate (e.g., something is not working, we want to try something new, the student population has changed, or there are emerging issues in our fields). Knowing what and how to change requires us to examine relevant information on our own teaching effectiveness. Much of this information already exists (e.g., student work, previous semesters’ course evaluations, dynamics of class participation), or we may need to seek additional feedback with help from the university teaching center (e.g., interpreting early course evaluations, conducting focus groups, designing pre- and posttests). Based on such data, we might modify the learning objectives, content, structure, or format of a course, or otherwise adjust our teaching. Small, purposeful changes driven by feedback and our priorities are most likely to be manageable and effective.
