Week 6...

This week was focused primarily on working on the group presentation for Unit 1. Within our group of three we had previously agreed to divide the assessment criteria up equally between us. I will be presenting assessment criteria 1.4 (Explain why it is so important to identify and meet individual learner needs), 2.1 (Explain ways to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment) and 2.2 (Explain why it is important to promote appropriate behaviour and respect for others).

Already I am beginning to think of experiences from my work which I will be able to use to illustrate the points I will be making. I like this part of the course, as it is requiring me to reflect on my career as a trainer and be analytical about my experiences. I do feel that reflection allows a teacher to consider ways to improve the learning experience, and anything that encourages me to be more conscious of my work can only be a good thing.

That said, I am not entirely convinced about the method of presentation or this unit. Certainly, being able to stand in front of the group and deliver the presentation provides invaluable experience, particularly for those in the group who have not had such experience before for whom such an activity could be challenging. However, we have been instructed that the powerpoint part of the presentation should avoid bullet points and rather be written in a more long-form style. In my area of work, extensive presentations are often referred to as "death by powerpoint" as such a dry method of teaching usually means that learners switch off. Having a visual cue can be helpful, but surely a written report (much like that required for the microteach) would be more effective? Further, would I not be required to demonstrate that I have understood the other assessment criteria as well, or is it assumed that as a group we have shared the development of the presentation?

More questions than answers at this point.

Week 5...

Hmm. I don't really feel as though there was an awful lot learned in this lesson. It has been a long time (fifteen years) since I was in formal education so I recognise that things may have changed, and that in an adult course such as this we, as learners, are expected to do much of our own research. However I am finding that the current teaching style adopted by our tutor - of delivering the subject material in a lecture-style - sits at odds with what I believe are my personal learning styles (primarily kinaesthetic / secondarily visual).

When researching the course I gathered the impression that this was basic introduction to teaching, with the assumption that learners my have no prior teaching experience, though I now recognise this may have been my own folly - much of the material seems quite advanced to me!

Already in this course there has been much talk about learning styles and differentiation, which I have learned a little about when I have been trained in various employment roles I have held, though when delivering training myself these considerations have largely been made for me by the training designer. I feel that some demonstration of these considerations would help me. Okay, so we're talking about teaching people who learn best visually, so why don't we use some more visual aids. There's a big electronic whiteboard and projector - a fantastic resource - in this room, though so far it has only been utilised to display a few bits of information (academic resources and the like).

Being a primarily kinaesthetic learner I feel that some more practical exercises would help me in assimilating the course information; rather than just have the tutor tell us about a teaching theory or practice and maybe providing a vague personal experience, perhaps we could discuss as a group experiences each of us may have had, or maybe complete an exercise on how different people react differently to the same stimuli.

I don't wish to come across as negative about the course and I have found, much like the weather, my feelings about this course can change week to week. I just hope that I can bring my mind around to the way this course is being delivered (though isn't that against the point..?).

Perhaps I should discuss this with my peers and gauge whether it needs raising to our tutor...