Effective Pedagogy

Effective Pedagogy

Milisa Sammaciccia Ismail, MEd.

19 December 2011

“Effective teaching strategies begin with realizing that there are multiple pathways to learning. Frequent and

careful assessment aligned with observation determines the direction

taken for optimal learning. Respect for all learners takes place. Varying teaching styles within a student-centered environment maximizes

educational effectiveness.”

- Mary Rose (2008)

Three Phases of College Instruction

Pre-Engagement Phase• Instructor prepares for teaching-learning interaction with

their students• Elements include:

– Needs assessment– Diagnostic activities– Development of instructional objectives– Instructional module development (p. 21)

Engagement Phase• Instructor engages students in teaching-learning• Elements include:

– Situational assessment– Module implementation– Formative evaluation– Crises intervention (p. 21)

Three Phases of College Instruction

Continued… Post-Engagement Phase

• Success is assessed after the completion of the teaching-learning effort.

• Elements include:– Summative evaluation– Student remediation– Methodological revisions (p. 21-22)

Pre-Engagement Phase

This phase is a critical aspect in the development of the teaching-learning process. During this phase instructors:

Develop objectives Develop expectations & goals Prepare the syllabus, course map and grading

rubrics Select a textbook(s) Select supporting resource material Select assessments

Countdown To Course Start

Svinicki & McKeachie (2011) suggest the following timeline prior to the course start (pre-engagement phase):

Three Months Before• Write goals, objectives and desired outcomes.

– Objectives should be specific and measurable– Objectives should retain focus on the student– “An effective learning objective will explain expectations for

student behavior, performance, or understanding” (Mandernach, 2003, para. 5).

• Select the textbook(s) and supplies needed.– Should fit the objectives outlined but the instructor– Winnow the possibilities down to two to five [books]. – Read a few chapters to understand the level of difficulty.– Select three to four key concepts to examine. Are they well

explained? Are they interesting?– Be wary of curb appeal that distract from content.


Continued… Two Months Before• Draft the syllabus. It should contain the following elements:

– Expectations and policies– Scheduled assignments & due dates– Assessments (pre-assessment, formative, summative)– Special rules

• Svinicki & McKeachie (2011) suggest the following acronym for syllabus construction:– S = specific– M = measurable– A = agreed (clearly understood)– R = related, with a clear structure and links between assignments– T = time frame (p. 17)


Continued… One Month Before• Develop class session plans

– Lecture: outline the content to engage students in the lesson.– Planning: advance planning allows for realignment in the

event of deviating slightly off schedule.– Testing: plan for tests (p. 17-18)

• Select teaching method– “The most successful teachers vary their methods to suit

objectives” (p. 18). For example:» Lecture» Discussion» Cooperative Learning» Role playing techniques


Continued… Two Weeks Before• Check resources

– Library policies to reserve books– Computer resources available– Photocopying of exams and/or course material– Technology available

One Week Before• Send students a welcoming email introducing ourselves to the

students (if available)

Engagement PhaseDuring this phase, the instructor engages the students in the teaching-learning effort. Generally instructors:

Instruct, lecture, discuss and interact with their students. Provide support for any additional reinforcement, resources or

guidance. Conduct assessments such as:

• Pre-Assessment – to assess prior knowledge;• Formative Assessment(s) – to determine the level of

knowledge acquisition and allow for realignment, as necessary;

• Summative Assessment – to determine the final level of content acquisition and evaluate overall learning for future course adjustments.

During this phase, instruction and activities can be adjusted accordingly to ensure the objectives and goals are being met and to realign deviation off established pathways.

Post-Engagement Phase

During this phase, the instructor assesses the overall effectiveness of the teaching-learning effort that has been completed and will make any necessary adjustments to ensure the success of future courses that are within the same scope.

Summative assessments are analyzed for strengths and weaknesses of instruction and student learning.

Analysis of the pre-engagement and engagement phases are conducted to measure the level of success in the teaching-learning effort.

• Adjustments are made for subsequent courses based on this analysis.

Phases of College Instruction

Pre-Engagement Engagement Post-Engagement

Needs Assessment

DiagnosticsStudent learning readinessInstructor teaching readiness

Instructional Objectives & Task AnalysisDomains Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Test Development/SelectionValidity, reliabilityTypes of tests Teacher-made vs. published Norm vs. criterion-referencedObjectives-related test propertiesAssessment research design

Pre-Testing & Grouping

Situational Assessment & Final Module AdjustmentsPhysical environmentMaterialsStudentsInstitutional support

Module ImplementationExecutionSocial-cognitive processes Modeling Encouragement Facilitation Rewards

Formative Evaluation & Corrective ActivityTargets Student performance Instructor performance Institutional supportAssessment methods Observations Tests & quizzes Consultations Critical incident reports

Summative EvaluationTargets Student performance Instructor performance School support MethodologySources Administrators Students InstructorsAssessment Observations Tests Questionnaires Consultations Critical incident reports

RemediationStudent performanceInstructor performanceInstitutional supportMethodology procedures Pre-engagement Engagement Post-engagement

Phases of College Instruction Continued…

Pre-Engagement Engagement Post-Engagement

Instructional Module Development & Debugging

Module structure Lower Level: Delivery Introduction Demonstration/description Questions and answers Student enactment Feedback and corrective action Summary Higher Level: Collaboration Seminar and topic survey Instructor-student dialogue and course project

Conceptualization

• Pre-Engagement Phase A great deal of thought and planning goes into the pre-

engagement phase of instruction. This is the period of development where the instructor makes important decisions that will resonate throughout the course ahead.

Conceptually, this phase can be divided up into two facets:• Investigation of the needs to be addressed in the effort;• Investigation of student & instructor characteristics relevant

to the instructional goals;– Preparation of the instructional modules to be

implemented to reach the goals.

Conceptualization Continued…

• Engagement Phase Conceptually, the engagement phase can be comprised of three

facets:• Appraisal of the situation in which the instruction is about to

take place;• Engagement of the students during the learning process/es;• A formative evaluation of the engagement effort.

• Post-Engagement Phase Conceptually, the post-engagement phase is the point in which the

pre-engagement and engagement process are examined. It is at this point that summative evaluations are conducted, remediation(s) and, methodological revisions occur.

Relevance to the Teaching-Learning

Effort• Pre-Engagement Phase The relevance of this phase is significant. The pre-engagement

phase will have a profound affect on the ease of instruction and, the level of learning and engagement on behalf of the students. If the learning materials such as: the textbook, syllabus, objectives, goals, expectations and lessons are not developed wholly and effectively, it will undoubtedly have a negative affect on teaching and learning overall. Increased and unnecessary stress and anxiety will be elevated by a lack of preparation at this phase.

• Engagement Phase The relevance of the teaching-learning effort during the

engagement phase will have a dramatic impact on the overall effectiveness of:

• The course design;• The level in which the goals and objectives were met; and,• Overall learning outcomes.

Relevance to Teaching-Learning Effort Continued…

• Post-Engagement Phase The relevance of the post-engagement phase is critical to

understanding the success of the completed course and identifying areas of strength and weakness in the pre-engagement and engagement phases and processes. Acquisition and analysis of the this information is vital to any future courses that.

Adult Education Perspective on

ActivitiesBy definition, adult education is concerned with the instruction of adults.

• Pre-Engagement Phase During this phase, adult education is concerned with the

development of the curriculum, syllabus, objectives and goals as they relate to adult learners.

• Is the syllabus designed to accentuate previous learning?• Are the objectives and goals conducive to adult learners?

• Engagement Phase During this phase, adult education is concerned with the delivery

of instruction and assessment(s) as they relate to adult learners.• Is the method of delivery advantageous to adult learners?• Are the activities and projects planned for adult learners?• Are the learners able to utilize previous knowledge to build

upon and deepen the content knowledge?

Adult Education Perspective on

Activities• Post-Engagement Phase

During this phase, adult education is concerned with the overall effectiveness and outcomes of the pre-engagement and engagement phases.

• How effective was the overall design, development, implementation, execution, acquisition and experience for the adult learners?

Educational Psychology

Perspective on Activities

By definition, educational psychology is concerned with exploring, through scientific research, the psychological, social and systemic dynamics involved in the three following phases of college instruction.

• Pre-Engagement Phase Student readiness Instructor readiness Validity and reliability of test development/selection

• Engagement Phase Physical environment Instructional support Social-cognitive process of module implementation

• Post-Engagement Phase Methodology Assessment methods Remediation

Further Research Needed

• Pre-Engagement Phase Pre-assessments Grouping Structure and development of lesson units or modules

• Engagement Phase Instruction delivery effectiveness and methodology Effectiveness are materials Effectiveness of extended resources Formative and summative assessments

• Post-Engagement Phase Student performance Instructor performance Methodology Remediation methods

“While the improvement of instruction can occur through training, coaching, critical friends groups, study groups,

and other reflective processes, one of the most obvious and direct ways to improve teaching is to have teachers

continuously work with others to improve the quality of their lessons and

examine student work to determine whether those lessons are assisting all students to achieve at high levels” (p.

97).

- Dennis Sparks (2002)

RESOURCESMandernach, B. (2003). Writing quality learning objectives. Retrieved from

http://www.park.edu/cetl2/quicktips/writinglearningobj.html

Martinez-Pons, M. (2001). The psychology of teaching & learning: A three-step

approach. (1st ed.). New York, NY: Continuum.

Martinez-Pons, M. (2003). Overview of a pedagogy of college instruction. The

continuum guide to successful teaching in higher education (pp. 10-23). New

York, NY: Continuum.

Rose, M. (2008). Differentiation. Teacher Scholastic, 1(3). Retrieved from

http://www.eht.k12.nj.us/~jonesj/differentiated%20instruction/Newsletter%203

%20proofed.pdf

Sparks, D. (2002). Designing powerful professional development for teachers and

principals. Retrieved from http://www.learningforward.org/news/sparksbook/

sparksbook.pdf

Svinicki, M., & McKeachie, W.J. (2011). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies,

research, and theory for college and university teachers. Belmont, CA.:

Wadsworth.