Course Fee: $90
Course Numbers: EED x701, SED x701
Standard Course Time: 15 hours
Semester Credits: One (1) academic credit at the post-baccalaureate level (available for an additional fee)
Credit Issued by: Cal Poly Humboldt (refer to our University Credit page for credit pricing and details)
Subject Area: Review of Teaching Fundamentals
Author: Zoe Edelen, MAT
Although this review of teaching fundamentals course is taught as stand alone class, we believe that the best teaching practices involve the seamless integration of all pedagogical practices. This and other courses serve as a review of the most essential teaching components, which, when integrated together, create the backdrop for the larger professional development for practicing teachers.
This course has been designed to help you reflect upon your own teaching methods and possibly offer some new ideas for you to add to your teaching palate. We hope to make this course informative as well as engaging. Your time is valuable and we want to offer practical tools for you to use in the classroom. I remember so many classes in graduate school that looked great on paper but offered no tools for me to use back in the classroom. This course is different. You will walk away with practical tools to help focus your lessons and improve student learning. All you need is an open mind, a writing journal, and a classroom in which to test out some new ideas.
This course is broken into major parts called modules. Each module contains content sections. Within each section, we cover one or more of the outlined learning objectives for the module. At the end of each module, there is a quiz. Some modules include a project. The breakdown for modules within this course is as follows:
Learning Objectives:
Project 1: Learning from Past Experiences
Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.
Learning Objectives:
Project 2: Peer Observation
Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.
Learning Objectives:
Project 3: The Classroom Experience
Project 4: Learning Activities
Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.
Multiple choice questions taken from each module.
Learning statements should be in a narrative format – as opposed to an outline format. Depending on individual writing styles Learning statements should be 2-3 pages. The learning statement can vary according to individual style. Your learning statement should answer the broad question of "what did you learn?". To help get you thinking, here are some suggested questions:
Use the information that you have gathered from section two regarding designing groupwork to help you frame your own groupwork project. In the end, you will have designed a unique groupwork project that you can try out in your classroom. See what happens! You may even want to videotape it to see how to further improve the lesson the next time.
Remember that it may not go perfectly the first time, but if you reflect on what happened (good and bad) then the groupwork is bound to improve!
Take some time to share the dynamics of the groupwork. Describe in detail what happened, and how you felt about the experience. You may use the following questions to guide your thoughts.
Submit your reflection for this project by clicking on the "Submit Reflection" link in the Module Projects tile located in the Course Dashboard for this course.
If you are not currently teaching (ie. Summer break, you are a substitute teacher, etc.), each class offers you the ability to complete coursework independent of a classroom assignment.