Introduction 0.3 - How to use this resource
The OER4Schools Professional Learning Resource
Important information about how to use this resource
The nature of our resource is a practical invitation to try out some interactive teaching. We envisage that in using this resource, you are running a programme at your school. The programme is main mode of delivery would be as weekly, or bi-weekly workshops, for all teachers at the school, over the course of one or two years. However, you can use the programme in other ways, such as running a few sessions, dipping in and out of this programme.
The programme is intended to be used by teachers, and would typically be facilitated by one or two teachers at the school, working with a larger group of teachers. While you could use the programme individually, and would hopefully find some inspiration from it, we recommend that you use the programme at least in a pair of teachers, so that you are both able to give and receive feedback.
If you are facilitating the programme (working with a group of teachers) we recommend that you facilitate the programme as a pair of facilitators. This is advantageous as you can prepare sessions together, take turns in the workshop, as well as give and receive feedback on how the sessions went.
Different types of materials
There are also background notes, that are useful to teachers and educators for background reading. They are usually found on separate pages or at the end of units, and are meant to provide additional background information that workshop participants can read in their own time.
There are also background notes!
In the facilitators’ version, additional notes for facilitators appearthis and is for an educator to use, for example when facilitating aworkshop or working with a class of students. It is interspersed withthe “teacher” text, to provide additional guidance on how to use theresource.
In the facilitators’ version, additional notes for facilitators appear like this!
Being aware of the overarching goals
What are the issues with primary education in your country? Why are people invited to the OER4schools programme?
What are teachers’ expectations? What are they expecting to learning? How will they attend? Some people will be concerned with big picture, others with detail.
Being aware of the overarching educational principles
OER4Schools/Principles of interactive teaching
Key interactive pedagogy for the workshop. The interactive pedagogy in the workshop is closely aligned with interactive pedagogy in the classroom (c.f. here). The following ideas are key principles.
Reflection as part of Planning-Doing-Reflecting. Often we just plan and then do something without reflecting on how the "doing" went. In the context of this programme, we often call this "Plan-Teach-Reflect": We plan a classroom activity, we teach this activity, but we don't reflect. Ideally, we reflect at each stage: during the planning, during the teaching, and then after the teaching.
Questioning as a tool for reflection. If we are not used to reflection, we often do not know how to reflect. Questions are a really important tool to help you reflect.
A key “interactive” principle is for the “students” to start from what they know, and then to extend that knowledge.
A key principle is taking responsibility for your own teaching and learning. This means that as a facilitator, you take responsibility for providing a successful workshop, teachers take responsibility for their learning during the workshop and their teaching practice in schools, while school students take responsibility for learning, as well as supporting each other in that process.
Jointly building an understanding of interactive teaching: For instance, at the end of Session 1, ask participants: What does interactive teaching offer you? You might return to the principles of interactive teaching as a group after a few sessions and classroom trials to see which ones are / are not being addressed.
Modelling: Some expectations about what a workshop should be like. Modelling activities in the workshop on activities planned for the classroom. (Modelling participation and interactivity at all levels.)
A key “interactive” principle is for the “students” to start from what they know, and then to extend that knowledge. We apply this to the workshop by asking the teachers about their own experience of interactive teaching.
Taking a non-judgemental stance. The facilitator should make very clear that they will not judge the views put forward, but simply make notes of the views put forward.
The programme draws on ideas from Leadership for Learning and the Index for Inclusion.
Planning activities with the sessions
Important to plan activities within the session (especially initially) rather than having this as a follow-up activity.
Resources you will need (including ICT)
As key aspect of the programme is preparation, which includes having the right resources to hand.
Mini-blackboards (or "mini-whiteboards" or "showboards") are used throughout this programme. Have a look at some of the sessions, to see how these are used, and make sure that you have some available. The mini-blackboards used in the pilot schools for this programme were made locally at relatively low cost.
You should also collect useful things, such as plastic bottles, and other items that can be used for interactive teaching. You will also need items like measuring tapes, and you might need to make some if you do not have any available.
Say something about computers / tablets, and the applications needed.
The following ICT-tools are used throughout this programme (with example activities given in brackets):
- Geogebra(tool) (see e.g. introduction to Geogebra)
- Spreadsheet(tool)
- Word processors(tool)
- Mind-mapping(tool)
- Images(tool) (see e.g. Using images, introduction to slideshows with OpenOffice)
- Typing tutor (see e.g. typing practice with students)
Connecting with overarching goals of the programme
Each session (from unit 2 onwards) has got a section called Connecting with overarching goals of the programme, which reminds participants as follows:
Open space (10 min). It's now time for the "open space", that gives you an opportunity to discuss issues that have arisen, and to relate those to the broader context of the programme. Do not just gloss over this section, but make time to raise issues, and probe the progress that you are making. You could use this space to:
- Remind yourselves of the of the Most Significant Change Technique, and e.g. collect more of your stories.
- Discuss your assessment portfolios: Is there anything that you are unsure about? Is it going well? What could be done better?
- Check on the work with the classroom assistants: Is this going well? Are there any tensions? Any observations or tips you can share?
- Reviewing individual ICT practise (such as typing practise).
- If you are preparing a presentation for other teachers, you could work on the presentation (about what you have been learning, stories emerging from MSC).
- Remind those who are doing audio diaries, to upload them.
- You could discuss any other issues that have arisen.
You will find notes and summaries of various techniques and concepts on our reference page, and you might want to refer to those for clarification during this activity if needed.
Classroom assistants
This is something that needs to be negotiated with your school well in advance of running the programme. It depends on whether you are running the programme between a few interested teachers (in which case you can make more contained arrangements with other grades), or whether you are running the programme across the whole school (in which case you will need very systematic arrangements).
You should read OER4Schools/Classroom assistants.
