Learning assignments
If you are going to proceed the course "Teaching assistant as a learning instructor (2 ECTS)", please follow these instuctions and make the assignments! After the enrolment and the first teaching session, participants are divided to home groups (3-6 members) by the teaching staff.
Home groups in spring 2017
Learning assignment #1: Learning at the university (e.g. motivation, approaches to learning)
The assignment consists of five parts:
1. Introducing yourself briefly in the discussion forum (name, where/what teaching, etc.). Suggest also the meeting date of item #4
2. Reading the article (Biggs and Tang: Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Chapter 2, "Teaching according to how students learn")
3. Posting at least 2 comments or questions of the article in the discussion forum. The forum is visible for the assistants taken the course.
4. Having a learning circle (lukupiiri) of it in a group, and writing a group summary in the discussion forum.
5. Writing and submitting individually a learning diary of this process by Monday 27.3.2017 (before Teaching session #2).
The reading task in Learning Assignment #1 is Chapter 2, "Teaching according to how students learn", p. 16-33.
The e-book is available by Aalto Library (max 6 simultaneous Aalto users). You may even download parts of that as PDF and print up to 100 pages, e.g., Chapter 2. Paper copies are available by request.
The visibility of the discussion forum is restricted to home group members and instructors.
- FIRST POST(S): Introduce yourself to others in the group by sending a greeting message. Decide and publish the date and place of your group meeting, e.g., using Doodle
- BEFORE the actual meeting, every participant writes here at least 2 comments or questions you find interesting according to the article.
- LEARNING CIRCLE: You can start by presenting comments or questions of the posts. Discuss on the topic. In the end of the session, a group sends a summary into forum.
Learning assignment #2: Interaction and feedback on teaching situation
The assignment consists of three parts:
1. Reading the article (Hemminki, Leppänen, Valovirta: Get inspired / Innostu ja onnistu, Section 3)
2. Observing 1-3 teaching situation(s), preferably your group member
3. Having a group meeting and writing a group summary in the discussion forum.
The reading task in Learning Assignment #2 is Section 3 "Kuinka luon oppimista tukevat puitteet?" of the book "Innostu ja onnistu opetuksessa". There's also an English version available.
The reading task in Learning Assignment #2 is Section 3 "How do I create an environment that supports learning?" of the book "Get Inspired!". There's also a Finnish version available.
The visibility of the discussion forum is restricted to home group members and instructors.
- OBSERVATIONS OF TEACHING SITUATION(S): Visit 1-3 different teaching situations where you act as an observator. Write down briefly your observations about the environment from the learning perspective (pre-reading: Innostu ja onnistu / Get inspired!). Which aspects did you find to support students' learning process. You can add reflections and insights. Please, be specific, positive and give constructive feedback.
- GROUP MEETING: You can start by presenting observations. Discuss on the topic. In the end of the session, a group sends a summary into forum.
- FileForm: teaching observation & constructive feedback FileWord 2007 document
You may observe and reflect on a teaching situation with your own words, or use the following form.
Additional material
"Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding" is a 19-minute award-winning short-film about teaching at university and higher-level educational institutions. It is based on the "Constructive Alignment" theory developed by Prof. John Biggs. The film delivers a foundation for understanding what a teacher needs to do in order to make sure all types of students actually learn what the teacher intends.
Part 1/3: Meet Susan and Robert, deep and surface learning, and three levels what students are, what teachers are, and what students do.
Part 2/3: Active learning as a tool for deep understanding. SOLO taxonomy.
Part 3/3: Constructive alignment