Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Learners and Learning from Coursera

The Foundations of Teaching for Learning programme is for anyone who is teaching, or who would like to teach, in any subject and any context - be it at school, at home or in the workplace. With dynamic lessons taught by established and respected professionals from across the Commonwealth, this eight course programme will see you develop and strengthen your skills in teaching, professionalism, assessment, and more. As you carry on through the programme, you will find yourself strengthening not only your skills, but your connection with colleagues across the globe. A professional development opportunity not to be missed.

The teacher’s work becomes meaningful when it is informed by research and theories of learning, and their relationship to actual practice. This course provides an opportunity for you to identify and understand students’ expectations and prior learning.

Enhance your course by joining the Commonwealth teaching community on our website, Facebook and Twitter.

What's inside

Syllabus

The lives of children

How much, as teachers or parents, do we understand about the lives of children and what affects their learning? How is their identity shaped, who shapes it, and in what circumstances? How many different ‘selves’ do children inhabit and how does their ‘self’ emerge in different contexts? How are boys and girls affected differently by their upbringing and the expectations we hold of them? And how do these issues play out in the multi-cultural school and classroom? We will consider these important questions in the materials this week.

How children learn

We know a lot about children’s learning, but there is a lot that we still have to learn. How important is self-confidence and self-esteem? What do we understand by ‘agency’, the confidence to take initiative, to learn for yourself and with others? In what ways do schools and teachers often discourage agency, and how may learning be fostered in the classroom and in out-of-school contexts? How can teachers take account of so many different learning needs and ‘styles’ and differentiate teaching for different individuals and groups? And how can teachers involve children in shaping rules and roles in the classroom? These are the issues discussed over the course of these four lectures.

Engaging with students

The theme for this week is 'engaging with students'. We begin with the language of the classroom, the crucial issue of questioning how and for what purpose children are rewarded, and the use of paired and group work to engage students more actively in the lesson. We start with the question - How would you describe the nature of social interactions within: Your own classroom? Your own school? Your own country? This is a vital starting point as everything else hangs on relationships and, as discussed at the end of week two, a shared understanding of rules and roles lays the groundwork for a collaborative classroom ethos.

The power of the peer group

The four lectures this week are all related to the theme of peer groups. We look at the positive and negative effects of peer groups, including how smoking drugs and alcohol problems can affect the classroom and the school, the concerning issue of bullying, and the problems that emerge when we label students in particular ways. I encourage you to write a narrative in which you bring together a reflection on your own classroom, the relationships that peers have within it and how this impacts on your teaching. At the end of this week we are offering you the second interview between myself and Professor John MacBeath, where will discuss some of the issues that arose during weeks three and four. Also, this week, as well as the quiz, you should be starting to finalise the second peer assessment essay.

Learning that travels

This week we consider how learning happens as it travels out of the classroom. We consider ways in which students learn at home, including the thorny problem of homework, and the important understanding of how transitions, from one school to another or from one place to another, can impact on our learning. We consider how we might use indicators to make judgements about how well our students are learning and how we can make adjustments in the school to maximise the use of indicators.

Four key thinkers

Who are the great thinkers that have shaped our understanding of education and schooling? Whose insights have benefited our thinking and practice often without even knowing it? In this sixth week of the course we will discuss four key thinkers (from Nigeria, the U.S, and Russia). They are Pai Obanya, David Perkins, Abraham Maslow and Lev Vygotsky.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides educators with a basis for teaching students from all backgrounds

Strengthens skills of educators through improving their teaching practices

Covers topics such as the psychology of students, engaging with students, and the use of peer groups in learning

Provides opportunities for professional development and networking

Examines theories such as those of Pai Obanya, David Perkins, Abraham Maslow, and Lev Vygotsky

Facilitated by highly recognized professors and professionals

Reviews summary

Course well-received

According to students, this course is well-received. Learners say it is engaging and enjoyable. One student said it was the most enjoyable course in a series.

Students largely had positive things to say about this course.

"was able reflect on my attitudes to homework in particular, the most enjoyable course in-the series so far."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Learners and Learning with these activities:

Volunteer in a classroom or tutoring program

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Volunteering in a classroom or tutoring program will give you hands-on experience working with students.

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Find a volunteer opportunity
Contact the organization and express your interest
Attend a training session

Compile your notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams from the course

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Compiling your materials will help you to organize your learning and identify areas where you need to focus your studies.

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Gather your notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams
Organize the materials into a binder or folder
Review the materials regularly

Watch a tutorial on how to use a specific teaching tool or technology

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Watching a tutorial will help you to learn how to use a new tool or technology that can help you to be a more effective teacher.

Browse courses on Educational Technology

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Identify a teaching tool or technology that you want to learn more about
Find a tutorial on how to use the tool or technology
Watch the tutorial

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Create a lesson plan for children on a topic of your choice

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Creating a lesson plan will help you to think through the learning objectives, activities, and assessments that you will use in your lessons.

Browse courses on Lesson Planning

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Identify the learning objectives for the lesson
Select activities that will help students to achieve the objectives
Create an assessment to measure student learning

Practice your questioning skills

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Practicing your questioning skills will help you to ask more effective questions in the classroom.

Browse courses on Questioning

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Read about different types of questions
Practice asking questions to yourself
Ask questions to students in a real-world classroom setting

Review the book 'How Children Learn' by John Holt

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Reading this book will provide you with a deeper understanding of how children learn, which will help you to be a more effective teacher.

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Read the book
Take notes on the key points
Reflect on how you can apply the principles in your own teaching

Create a portfolio of your work as a teacher

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Creating a portfolio will help you to reflect on your teaching skills and identify areas for improvement.

Browse courses on Portfolio Development

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Collect evidence of your teaching skills
Organize the evidence into a portfolio
Reflect on your teaching skills and identify areas for improvement

Career center

Learners who complete Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Learners and Learning will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Teacher

As a teacher, you will have the opportunity to use your understanding of how children learn to create engaging and effective lesson plans. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful teacher, including classroom management, lesson planning, and assessment.

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Instructional Designer

Instructional designers use their knowledge of how people learn to create effective learning materials. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful instructional designer, including needs assessment, curriculum development, and evaluation.

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Educational Consultant

Educational consultants work with schools and other organizations to improve teaching and learning. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful educational consultant, including needs assessment, program evaluation, and strategic planning.

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Curriculum Developer

Curriculum developers design and develop educational programs and materials. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful curriculum developer, including needs assessment, curriculum design, and evaluation.

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Educational Researcher

Educational researchers study how people learn and how to improve teaching and learning. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful educational researcher, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.

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School Administrator

School administrators oversee the operation of schools and other educational institutions. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful school administrator, including leadership, management, and budgeting.

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Education Nonprofit Manager

Education nonprofit managers oversee the operation of nonprofit organizations that provide educational services. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful education nonprofit manager, including leadership, management, and fundraising.

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Education Policy Analyst

Education policy analysts analyze and evaluate education policies and programs. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful education policy analyst, including research, analysis, and writing.

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Higher Education Administrator

Higher education administrators oversee the operation of colleges and universities. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful higher education administrator, including leadership, management, and budgeting.

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Corporate Trainer

Corporate trainers design and deliver training programs for employees. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful corporate trainer, including needs assessment, curriculum development, and delivery.

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Learning and Development Specialist

Learning and development specialists design and deliver training and development programs for employees. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful learning and development specialist, including needs assessment, curriculum development, and delivery.

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Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers oversee the human resources department of an organization. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful human resources manager, including leadership, management, and employee relations.

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Organizational Development Consultant

Organizational development consultants help organizations improve their performance. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful organizational development consultant, including needs assessment, strategic planning, and change management.

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Project Manager

Project managers plan, execute, and close projects. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful project manager, including project planning, risk management, and stakeholder management.

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Business Analyst

Business analysts identify and solve business problems. This course can help you develop the skills you need to be a successful business analyst, including problem solving, analysis, and communication.

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