Topic outline

  • 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

    • Not available unless: You belong to a group in Home groups
      Page icon
      Home groups A, B, C, and D in spring 2017 Page

    • 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).

    • URL icon
      Biggs, J., Tang, C. 2011: Teaching for Quality Learning at the University URL

      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.

    • Forum icon
      Learning Circle Forum

      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.
    • Assignment icon
      Learning diary (DL 27.3.2017, click for instructions) Assignment

    • 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.

    • URL icon
      Hemminki, Leppänen, Valovirta (2013): Innostu ja onnistu opetuksessa (fi) URL

      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.

    • URL icon
      Hemminki, Leppänen, Valovirta: Get Inspired! (en) URL

      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.

    • Forum icon
      Teaching situations Forum

      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.
    • File icon
      Form: teaching observation & constructive feedback File DOCX

      You may observe and reflect on a teaching situation with your own words, or use the following form.

    • Additional material

    • URL icon
      "Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding" (1/3, 8 mins) URL

      "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.

    • URL icon
      "Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding" (2/3, 6 mins) URL

      Part 2/3: Active learning as a tool for deep understanding. SOLO taxonomy.

    • URL icon
      "Teaching Teaching & Understanding Understanding" (3/3, 4 mins) URL

      Part 3/3: Constructive alignment

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