IDCF1088 – Planning for Instruction (Sullivan, M., August 2014)

Text: Finding Our Way, A Guide For Adult Educators (Cranton, P., 2003)

This course is designed to introduce new instructors to the concept of connecting course competencies to instructional methods for adult learners. I took this course prior to having stepped foot into a classroom so the learning was all theory-based. There were various topics covered including establishing rapport with students, how to be an authentic teacher, designing learning activities with various learning styles and providing meaningful experiences. All of these concepts were brought together when preparing for teaching using a lesson plan, which outlined an introduction (opening), activities, objectives, and a closing. I didn’t realize how important it is to have an opening and a closing to a class; it helps set the tone for the class and closes it on a good note. In particular, I open my classrooms on a regular basis with general talk with students about what’s going on in their lives.

 

IDCF1089 – Facilitating Learning (Rawlinson, E., August 2014)

Text: Finding Our Way, A Guide For Adult Educators (Cranton, P., 2003)

This course is designed to introduce new instructors to various instructional and motivational strategies to create a respectful and collaborative learning environment. In particular, this course touched on facilitating discussion among students, getting and giving feedback, using a variety of teaching tools and techniques in the classroom and how to effectively use group work to facilitate learning. One thing that I am well known for using is giving lots of feedback. (I was an editor in a previous life so it comes naturally.) In several of the courses I teach, I have semester-long report or research projects. Throughout the semester students submit their reports that are completed up until a certain point. The reports are not graded but I provide significant feedback to students so that they can incorporate the feedback and improve for their final submission. This has worked to a certain extent well, for those groups who choose to incorporate the feedback, and not so well for those who choose not to use the feedback. However, it also provides justification for the final mark in the course.

 

IDCF1090 – Managing the Learning Environment (Sullivan, M., January – March 2015)

Text: Finding Our Way, A Guide For Adult Educators (Cranton, P., 2003)

This course is designed to help instructor deal with classroom conditions that may be challenging. There were many opportunities for students to share examples of a difficult situation and to discuss how they could have better dealt with it. In addition, instructors were asked to observe their own classroom to assess the climate, their own mood and if there were environmental factors that were influencing student behaviour. This course was extremely valuable in making me aware of my mood and the “feeling” in the room when teaching. As a result of this course, I learned many different techniques that can be incorporated into the classroom to create variety. One strategy that I implemented in the classroom was a teach-the-teacher activity where I had each student teach me (and the other students) about a particular topic, which I knew would be completely boring if I had to teach all the topics myself.

 

IDCF1091 – Assessing and Evaluating Learning (Seymore, P., April – June 2015) 

Text: The Art of Evaluation, A Resource for Educators and Trainers (Fenwick, T.J., Parsons, J. 2009)

This course is all about formative assessing and summative evaluating of student learning. The goal of the course is to provide instructors with tools and resources to help learners improved and gain skills. In this course, so far, we have learned about the difference between summative and formative, as well as applied a Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT). I have used one of these techniques in my classroom which provided me with invaluable feedback and it was a way for students to provide feedback on what they really liked and didn’t like in the course in a non-threatening way.

 

PERS1210 – Learning Portfolio Presentation (Rawlinson, E., May – July 2015) 

This course allowed me to demonstrate the depth and quality of my teaching experience through the creation of an e-portfolio. This website is a display of that work. 

 

ANDR1002 Professional Practices (Rawlinson, E., July 2015) 

In this course I will develop a Career Management Action Plan (CMAP). This plan will document what commitments I will make to my students to demonstrate how I will put into action the vision, mission and mandate of the NBCC. I have learned through various self-assessments and reflection that I have many strengths that are conducive to teaching. I am also cognisant of areas for improvement so that I can be recognized as an innovative efficient instructor that puts student needs first. The process of developing this document has helped me put on paper thoughts about where I see my NBCC career going and an action plan on how to get there.