Reflection on Pedagogical Practice 1

We do not teach, we “facilitate”.  This is a relatively new term when we consider many teaching institutions in the westernised world go back over one hundred years.  It is also a term that I needed to “grow into” over a period of time.  Teachers often fall into the traditional, lecture based style of teaching.  Learners in a classroom are heavily affected by the person dictating from the whiteboard, and it is the tutor’s duty to ensure as many routes as possible are taken to ensure learners are exposed to multiple learning processes (Huxham et al, 2012), and that learners leave a programme of training with the ability to participate in knowledge communities (Northedge, 2003).

As part of this module I taught a short breakout session which was observed by Griffith College.  Feedback from the observer was positive, she felt the session engaged the learners in constructive, critical thinking.  When designing the break out session, I was trying to address a number of outcomes; peer to peer interaction, the ability to self-evaluate, conditioning for summative assessment and flagging areas needing attention– hoping to realise Huxham et al’s (2012) theory!  Learning should be an uplifting experience and assessment should take many forms, allowing learners to express themselves without the fear of being graded (Boud et al, 1999).

A successful learning environment depends heavily on strong group dynamics, supported by the tutor.  Learners should be encouraged to take responsibility at an early stage.  Going forward, it will be interesting applying theories of pedagogical practice in the real world of teaching.  This module has to an extent endorsed my current teaching beliefs, while also challenging my current approach to training and education.  We must set time aside to reflect on how a course, module or class went – did it meet learner expectations, was it flexible enough to support varying learning styles, was it enjoyable!(Burdett, 2007).  Facilitate and reflect are two words I will be using quite a lot in the future!

References
Boud, D., Cohen, R. & Sampson, J. (1999).  Peer Learning & Assessment.  Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 24(4), 413-26.
Burdett, J. (2007).  Degrees of Separation – Balancing Intervention and Independence in Group Work Assignments.  Australian Educational Researcher, 34(1), 55-71.
Huxham, M., Campbell, F. & Westwood, J. (2012).  Oral versus written assessments: a test of student performance and attitudes.  Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 37(1), 125-13
Northedge, A., 2003. Rethinking Teaching in the Context of Diversity. Teaching in Higher Education 8, 17–32.

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Self-Evaluation and Reflection - Pedagogical Practice 1 Assignment - Strength & Conditioning Award 

Preparation & Delivery

Resistance training module unit 20527 has learning outcomes that are clearly documented with supporting material provided in a learner workbook.  It is advised that practical evidence be gathered in a real or realistic working environment.  Peer led practical assessments address formative guidelines and provide valuable feedback to both learner and tutor regarding class understanding, making it an important tool in preparing learners for the workplace (Biggs & Tang, 2007, Burdett, 2007).

Fail to prepare - prepare to fail; first impressions last; you never get a second chance to make a first impression – these very popular quotes are often used when speaking to learners regarding planning personal training sessions with clients.  As educators, we too should practice what we preach.  Regarding the assignment in question, the facility must support the programme, which is the case with our training venue and tutors.  No issues arose regarding equipment, paperwork and presentation materials on the assessment day.  Prior to the practical break-out session, learners recapped on resistance training instruction guidelines via power-point and the floor was opened to questions.  Learners then broke into groups of 3 -  instructor, client and observer – with the observer completing a Resistance Training Peer Assessment Feedback Sheet for peer feedback.  The initial presentation went well but some issues arose when allocating learner duties and exercises to each group.  In future, groups will be pre-assigned titles/tasks at least 24 hours prior to the break-out session to avoid confusion on formative assessment day.

Peer Feedback & Learner Engagement

The observer commented that the learner peer assessment exercise worked well and felt learners engaged enthusiastically.  She also felt the practical break out tasks enabled the learners to critically evaluate each other in a constructive way.  As mentioned earlier in this report, the peer assessment practical session was designed as a shorter version of the tutor summative assessment which occurs in the final month of training, giving the learner the opportunity to condition themselves for summative assessment.  On questioning, learners found the break out session engaging, supporting Huxham et al’s (2012) theory.

This module does not allow marks to be awarded through peer assessment.  This I feel is beneficial for this programme as it allows learners to explore different ways of teaching without the fear of being “graded”, a concern highlighted by Boud et al (2009) and Burdett (2007).  The observer advised the continued use of practical break-out sessions to complement theory classes, and  to encourage learners to bring their own personal experiences to the session.  I have personally found that holding peer assessed break-out sessions on a regular basis not only makes learning more realistic, it also helps flag areas needing attention and assists learner retention rates (Huxham et al, 2012).

Overall, the literature reviewed supported the formative assessment presented, students were engaged in the process and feedback was positive from the observer - the session as a whole can be deemed beneficial to the learning process.

References:

Biggs, J.B. & Tang, C.S. (2007).  Teaching for quality learning at university what the student does.  Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill/Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.

Boud, D., Cohen, R. & Sampson, J. (1999).  Peer Learning & Assessment.  Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 24(4), 413-26.

Burdett, J. (2007).  Degrees of Separation – Balancing Intervention and Independence in Group Work Assignments.  Australian Educational Researcher, 34(1), 55-71.

Huxham, M., Campbell, F. & Westwood, J. (2012).  Oral versus written assessments: a test of student performance and attitudes.  Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 37(1), 125-13.