Understanding Teaching And Learning

This textbook gives you guidance and insights into the knowledge, values and commitments necessary to succeed in the primary classroom, supported by links to theory and research literature and realistic scenarios you may encounter as a new teacher. Fully updated throughout, key features of this second edition include: · A new chapter on inclusive education · Newly expanded coverage of digital learning, engaging with educational research and the role of the primary teacher · New ‘View from Practice’ examples · Cross-referenced links to the Teachers’ Standards in England and the GTCS Professional Standards in Scotland and where they are covered within the book This is essential reading for professional studies modules on primary initial teacher education courses, including university-based (PGCE, PGDE, BA QTS, BEd), school-based (SCITT, School Direct) and employment-based routes into teaching.

Students become experts and innovators through Concept-Based teaching Innovators don’t invent without a deep understanding of how the world works. With this foundation, they apply conceptual understanding to solve new problems. We want our students to not only retain ideas, but relate them to other things they encounter, using each new situation to add nuance and sophistication to their thinking. To do this, they need conceptual understanding. This book serves as a road map for Concept-Based teaching. Discover how to help students uncover conceptual relationships and transfer them to new situations. Specifically, teachers will learn: Strategies for introducing conceptual learning to students Four lesson frameworks to help students uncover conceptual relationships How to assess conceptual understanding, and How to differentiate concept-based instruction Look no further. For deep learning and innovative thinking, this book is the place to start. "The authors tear down the false dichotomies of traditional vs innovative education and provide a practical toolkit for developing creativity and applying knowledge through Concept-Based learning. Every practitioner needs this book to juxtapose what worked well in the 20th Century with what is essential in the 21st Century and beyond." Michael McDowell, Superintendent Ross School District, Ross, CA "While most good educators recognise the incredible value of teaching conceptually, it is challenging. The authors have created accessible, practical baby steps for every teacher to use." Dr. Vincent Chan, principal Fairview International School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In Powerful Learning, Linda Darling-Hammond and animpressive list of co-authors offer a clear, comprehensive, andengaging exploration of the most effective classroom practices.They review, in practical terms, teaching strategies that generatemeaningful K–2 student understanding, and occur both withinthe classroom walls and beyond. The book includes rich stories, aswell as online videos of innovative classrooms and schools, thatshow how students who are taught well are able to think critically,employ flexible problem-solving, and apply learned skills andknowledge to new situations.

Harness natural curiosity for conceptual understanding Nurture young learners' innate curiosity about the world and bring intellectual rigor throughout the developmental stages of childhood. Concept-based teaching helps students uncover conceptual relationships and transfer them to new problems. Readers of this must-have road map for implementing concept-based teaching in elementary classrooms will learn - Why conceptual learning is a natural fit for children - Strategies for introducing conceptual learning - Instructional strategies to help students uncover and transfer concepts - How to write lessons, assess understanding, and differentiate in a concept-based classroom - How concept-based teaching aligns with best practices and initiatives

How can university teachers improve the quality of student learning? Prosser and Trigwell argue that the answer lies in determining how students perceive their unique learning situations. In doing so they draw upon the considerable body of educational research into student learning in higher education which has been developed and published over the past three decades; and they enable university teachers to research and improve their own teaching. This book outlines the key principles underlying successful teaching and learning in higher education, and is a key resource for all university teachers.

What is meant by pedagogy? How does our conception of pedagogy inform good teaching and learning? Pedagogy is a complex concept of which student and practising teachers need to have an understanding, yet there remain many ambiguities about what the term means, and how it informs learning in the classroom. Understanding Pedagogy examines pedagogy in a holistic way, supporting a more critical and reflective understanding of teaching and learning. It considers pedagogy as a concept that covers not just teaching approaches and pupil-teacher relationships but one which also embraces and informs educational theory, personal learning styles, assessment, and relationships inside and outside the classroom. A detailed consideration of what it means to be a professional in the contemporary climate, Understanding Pedagogy challenges student and practising teachers to reappraise their understanding and practice through effectively linking theory and practice. Key issues explored include the importance of understanding a learning styles profile, the application of cognitive neuroscience to teaching, personalised learning, assessment and feedback, and what we mean by critical reflection. Using the Personal Learning Styles Pedagogy, the authors make explicit the integration of theory and practice and the many decisions and selections that teachers make, their implications for what is being taught and learnt, how learners are positioned in the pedagogical process, and ultimately, how learning can be improved. Understanding Pedagogy will be essential reading for student and practising teachers, as well those on Education Studies courses and undertaking masters level courses, involved in the endeavour of understanding what constitutes effective teaching and learning.

An Introduction to Distance Education is a comprehensive look at the field today, outlining current theories, practices and goals. The book reviews the influence of past distance education theory and practice, along with current changes. It outlines the practical skills and information that are essential to effective distance education design, delivery and navigation. This volume brings together seminal contributors who have and who are currently researching and shaping our understanding and practice of distance education. A discussion of past and present practices in higher and distance education leads to an understanding of accessible education and the appropriate use of Web 2.0 technology. Utilizing a student-guided approach, each chapter offers pedagogical features to engage and support the teaching and learning process, including: questions for reflection, review and discussion: students can use these questions as triggers for further thoughts related to the topic. Instructors can use these questions for classroom and online discussion key quotations: strategically placed throughout the text, these points act as a springboard for further reflection and classroom discussion concept definitions: central concepts discussed in the text are defined or students at the end of each chapter. A perfect textbook for educational technology Doctorate, Masters and Certificate programs, students will find An Introduction to Distance Education offers a solid foundation from which to explore and develop new approaches to designing and implementing online courses.

What is understanding and how does it differ from knowledge? How can we determine the big ideas worth understanding? Why is understanding an important teaching goal, and how do we know when students have attained it? How can we create a rigorous and engaging curriculum that focuses on understanding and leads to improved student performance in today's high-stakes, standards-based environment? Authors Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe answer these and many other questions in this second edition of Understanding by Design. Drawing on feedback from thousands of educators around the world who have used the UbD framework since its introduction in 1998, the authors have greatly revised and expanded their original work to guide educators across the K-16 spectrum in the design of curriculum, assessment, and instruction. With an improved UbD Template at its core, the book explains the rationale of backward design and explores in greater depth the meaning of such key ideas as essential questions and transfer tasks. Readers will learn why the familiar coverage- and activity-based approaches to curriculum design fall short, and how a focus on the six facets of understanding can enrich student learning. With an expanded array of practical strategies, tools, and examples from all subject areas, the book demonstrates how the research-based principles of Understanding by Design apply to district frameworks as well as to individual units of curriculum. Combining provocative ideas, thoughtful analysis, and tested approaches, this new edition of Understanding by Design offers teacher-designers a clear path to the creation of curriculum that ensures better learning and a more stimulating experience for students and teachers alike.