Teaching and Learning: Approaches and Methods



Teaching and Learning:

Approaches and Methods

The psychology of adult learning and the provision of effective learning experiences for experienced professionals are areas of expertise at UCL. Learning activities are structured so as to build on and utilise participant’s prior knowledge of psychology and professional experience in education. Theory, research and practice are integrated in the provision of learning experiences which are structured around commonly encountered client concerns. These provide meaningful foci for the group in sharing existing knowledge and expertise, practising the application of problem and systems strategies, assimilating new psychological theory and research, evaluating the appropriateness of a range of assessment techniques in testing relevant hypotheses and considering intervention and provision likely to be effective in addressing identified needs. The importance of context at each stage in the process is particularly emphasised through the use of interactionist frameworks.

The UCL programme gives special emphasis to preparing psychologists for work in multiracial and multilingual settings. This includes helping them to recognise assumptions and practices that may be culturally biased and to develop appropriate strategies for working in these contexts.

Methods of learning include workshops, seminars, lectures, small group tutorials, individual study, paired and small group problem solving, written assignments, presentations to the group, observation with feedback from tutors, role play and microskills sessions using video analysis. Subsequently the awareness, knowledge and skills developed in these learning activities are extended and applied through supervised practice in LEA placements.

The course explicitly draws on a concept of learning as involving a cyclical interaction between the learner’s own previous knowledge and experience, and the new ideas being presented. Binstead (1982) has identified three types of learning cycles – Reflection (the mode of learning that occurs for example when a learner is gathering thoughts before doing a piece of writing or considering a situation and perceiving it from different perspectives) – Discovery (the mode of learning that may happen when a learner is doing an active task and receiving feedback) – Reception (the mode of learning that is operating when a learner is, for example, listing to a lecture or reading.)

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Binstead’s research indicates that effective learning which includes generalisation to everyday work is more likely to occur when two or more cycles are linked into a learning design. This research informs the way in which we structure our teaching.

Binstead, D. (1982) Design for learning in management training and development: A View. Learning & Management Training, 4, (8), 1-31.

University College London            MSc Educational Psychology

Outline for 2005-2006

September

|1/9, 2/9 & 5/9 |Introductory Course at UCL for all Educational Psychologists in Training. |

|6/9 - 16/9 |Work on initial course assignments. |

September / December

|19/9 - 11/11 |Sessions at UCL (approx. 4 days per week) & Independent Study (approx. 1 day per week). 6 Thursdays in October |

| |and November Primary School Placement (in an inner London Primary school). |

|14/11 - 16/12 |Mondays & Tuesdays - First LEA placement. Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays - Sessions at UCL (5 days per |

| |fortnight) & independent study (1 day per fortnight). |

You will not be required to attend sessions at College or on Placement from 19/12 - 3/1 inclusive.

January - April

|4/1 - 17/3 |Mondays/Tuesdays – First LEA Placement (plus 12/1, 13/1, 9/3, 10/3). |

| |Wednesdays – Team Research Project. |

| |Thursdays/Fridays - Sessions at UCL (3 days/fortnight) & Independent Study |

| |(1 day/fortnight). |

|20/3 – 7/4 |Sessions at UCL, Team Research Project and Independent Study. |

You will not normally be required to attend sessions at College or on Placement from 10/4 – 21/4 inclusive.

April - July

|3/4 | |Deadline for submission of Placement File (Part 1). |

|24/4, 25/4, 26/4 |Written MSc Examinations. |

|25/5 | |Deadline for submission of Research Project Evaluation. |

|2/5 - 17/6 |Second LEA placement (Fulltime). |

|25/5 | |Day in College during Second Placement. |

|21/6 | |Deadline for submission of Placement File (Part 2). |

|Early July | |National Residential Course for Educational Psychologists in Training (2-3 days). |

|22/6 - 11/7 |Sessions at UCL. Vivas and Board of Examiners Meeting (10/7/05). |

|12/7 - 14/7 |National EPiT Conference. |

|17/7 - 31/8 |Independent study and tutorials as advised by Professional Development Tutor. |

UK Educational Psychologists in Training will not normally be required to attend sessions at College after July 14th. Additional Tutorials will be scheduled by arrangement with Overseas Educational Psychologists in Training.

Attendance and Professional Behaviour on the Programme

You will normally need to be at College or on placement from 9.00 - 5.00 each day. The Outline for the year indicates the dates between which attendance at College or on placement will not be required. You will need to allocate some time during these periods for working on assignments and undertaking revision. However, you should ensure that you take a full week off during College closure periods at Christmas and Easter and so return rested and refreshed for the new term. In training as an educational psychologist your interest and enthusiasm, combined with the pressure of course demands can lead to a level of overwork and excessive tiredness which is counter productive. There will never be time to read every reference! Good work prioritization, time management and the maintenance of a balanced approach to life are important aspects which will be addressed with the group early in the course and regularly reviewed with you by your professional development tutor.

Please do not assume that attendance at College will not be required during Study Days. It may be necessary to re-schedule sessions from time to time; for example, tutor illness may lead to timetabled sessions being swapped for Study Days at short notice. However, we will give you as much notice as possible of any changes so that you can plan your time effectively.

You are expected to attend all timetabled sessions at College and on placement. If you find that you are unable to attend (e.g., through illness) please telephone and leave a message with the Team Assistants on the Educational Psychology Office Ansaphone (020 7679 5307). If it is a placement day you must also notify the psychology service office and ensure that arrangements are made for cancelling any school visits or parent appointments. If your absence extends to 1 week or more you should bring a medical certificate to College upon your return. If you wish to request leave of absence on a particular day, for example, because you are attending a job interview or hospital appointment, you must give a note in advance about this to the Course Director. Any absence will be logged and it should be noted that reference requests always ask for the number of days missed for particular reasons to be reported. Those funded by the Employers Organisation should note that individual absence rate notification is required. If 10 per cent or more of the placement days are missed you will be required to undertake an extended period on placement. This may extend into the time when attendance at College or on Placement is not normally required.

At College we will start and finish all sessions on time. On placement it is important to establish at what time you are expected to arrive and leave. You need to ensure that you are in good time for all teaching sessions and appointments. It is recognised that major transport and other problems may affect us all from time to time, however good our planning and organisation. Please make sure that you tell the tutor at the end of the session of any such reasons for late arrival. Managing time well on this challenging course is essential. It is also a necessary skill for your future work as an educational psychologist.

If you are experiencing illness or any other problem that may interfere with your ability to complete course requirements, please tell your Professional Development Tutor at the earliest opportunity. If it is a medical problem, ask your doctor for a letter indicating its likely effects upon your ability to study/carry out work on placement. Please note that any application for an extension to the date for submission of any formally examined work must be made in advance and in writing, with supporting documentation, as appropriate, to the Chair of the Board of Examiners (Prof. Norah Frederickson).

The Appendices to this Programme Handbook ‘Guidelines for Effective Practice’ offer guidance on professional behaviour in a variety of MSc programme contexts. Group members are involved early in the year in developing ground rules for ensuring that everyone can feel valued in contributing and supported in benefiting from the range of learning opportunities available. All students at UCL need to be familiar with the expectations and requirements contained in key documents such as the College policies on sexual and racial harassment (see page 34) and the Guide to non-discriminatory language which is reproduced over the next page.

Finally, all educational psychologists in training are bound by the British Psychological Society’s Code of Professional Conduct, which is provided to each individual at the start of the programme.

GUIDE TO NON-DISCRIMINATORY LANGUAGE

Scope and Purpose of this Guide

This guidance supports UCL’s commitment to equal opportunities and is for use by everyone who produces teaching and learning materials or any written material such as letters, memos, minutes and reports, in the course of their work. Language reflects the values of our society and its use can perpetuate prejudice and discrimination. It is important therefore that we use language that is inclusive and that we are sensitive to the risk of patronising, offending or excluding colleagues or students through our use of language. In the setting of examinations, it is particularly important to avoid any ethnic, gender, religious or inappropriate cultural bias in questions. This guide has been endorsed by the Academic Committee, which hopes that its principles will be reflected in UCL communications, both internal and external.

 

Cultural Diversity

UCL is a multi-cultural environment, and its staff and students have a wide variety of traditions, cultures and values. It is important therefore that the words we use respect the identity of the person or people with whom we are communicating or to whom we are referring. Terms such as ‘coloured’, ‘non-white’ or ‘non-European’ for example are problematic in that they define race from a white or European perspective.

The two most common pitfalls in producing culturally inclusive teaching and learning materials are omission and stereotyping. By the inclusion of particular material, an author defines what is important and this can have an influence on the reader’s view of the subject. In case studies, training and teaching materials, it is important wherever possible to reflect the diversity of contemporary society by including people of different ethnic groups and cultures in a range of different roles, characteristics and lifestyles. A broader perspective on a topic can often improve the material for all users and those from an ethnic minority are able to better identify with it, as their own heritage and culture are shown to be valued.

Racial stereotyping, the attribution of particular characteristics to all members of a particular ethnic group, carries the danger that those from minority ethnic groups are viewed by those in the majority, as different from the ‘norm’ and therefore deviant in some way. Avoid making assumptions or stereotyping from people’s ethnic origin, religious or linguistic background.

The term ‘ethnicity’ is used to refer to the sense of identity which derives from shared cultural characteristics such as language, religion, history or geographical location. Everyone belongs to an ethnic group, whether they are in the majority or minority. The term ‘ethnic’ to describe someone’s racial origin is therefore meaningless.

The term ‘black people’ refers to people of African, Afro/African-American or Afro-Caribbean origin. Opinion is divided amongst British Asians about whether they consider themselves as ‘black’ and for this group the term should be considered a matter of self-definition. The term ‘black’ also does not adequately cover other groups from the Middle East, North Africa or people from mixed origins. Generally, it is best to avoid over-generalisation and, where it is appropriate, to refer to an individual’s country of origin if you know it. It is important to use the term ‘immigrant’ appropriately - in the UK it is often used inaccurately of British Nationals born in this country.

Disability

It is important to avoid characterising people with disabilities as a homogeneous, needy or victimised group. Expressions that define people in terms of their disability, such as ‘epileptics’, should be avoided in favour of ‘people with epilepsy’ which helps to put their disability into perspective. It is helpful to use positive images of disabled people in case studies etc. in order to illustrate that disability is incidental to the activity being undertaken.

Bear in mind the needs of people with disabilities in the design of written material. In producing typed text consider the size and shape of the typeface to ensure that the maximum number of readers can see it clearly without assistance. For example disability organisations suggest that a font size no

smaller than point 12 should be used routinely, with a type face that is round and simple (such as the ‘Arial’ font used in this guide) This will help those with poor eyesight to read the text, as smaller and more elaborate fonts are more difficult to read. Glossy paper and coloured print also make reading more difficult for everyone.

These are just a few examples; if you would like advice on the production of material which will be accessible to people with sensory disabilities (braille, tape recording, the use of sign language interpreters etc.), the Disability Co-ordinator will be happy to help.

Gender

The English language has traditionally tended to assume the world to be male unless specified otherwise and therefore it is important to be sensitive to ways in which the use of gender neutral words can actively promote equality. Using ‘he’ to refer to an unspecified person is now generally considered unacceptable and it is preferable to use ‘(s)he’, ‘she/he’ or ‘he or she’ and vice versa. A disclaimer that ‘he should be taken to include she’ looks like the token gesture that it is.

Gender has traditionally been associated with the words for particular roles for example ‘foreman’, ‘housewife’ and ‘chairman’. The test is always to ask yourself whether you would describe someone of the other sex in the same way. Women are also often referred to in terms of the title conferred by their marital status - Miss or Mrs. As you will often not know a woman’s marital status, it is safer to use the title Ms, which may not always be their preferred title, but will not be inaccurate.

Roughly half of the people in paid work in Britain are now women and a minority of households now take the form of a traditional nuclear family. It is important to reflect this in case studies and teaching materials and you should consider showing women in jobs, hobbies and roles traditionally ascribed to men and vice versa. Use ‘partner’ instead of spouse routinely, to avoid assuming that anyone is part of a traditional family.

Sexuality

As equal members of society. lesbians and gay men should be described in terms that do not demean them, sensationalise their lives or imply deviance. The term ‘homosexual’ is generally not now used, as it has medical and derogatory connotations and is often considered only to refer to men. Avoid in case studies and teaching materials negative stereotyping that perpetuates the myths that lesbians and gay men are less likely to be in stable relationships or are less suited to be parents.

The following illustrates some examples of terms that are best avoided in order to ensure that your language does not offend. It is obviously not exhaustive.

Here are some examples of alternative phraseology that you might find useful.

|Avoid |Do use |

|affliction, handicap |impairment, condition, disorder, difficulty |

|best man for the job |best person for the job |

|Chairman/Chairwomen |Chair, Chairperson, Convenor, Presiding Offficer (In the context of UCL committees, the term ŒChair¹ |

| |should be used exclusively) |

|Christian name |first name, given name, forename, personal name |

|cleaning lady |cleaner |

|craftsman |craftsperson |

|forefathers |ancestors, forebears |

|gentleman’s agreement |unwritten agreement, agreement based on trust |

|half-caste |mixed race |

|housewife |homemaker, shopper , consumer - depending on the context |

|layman |layperson |

|man hour |working hour |

|man or mankind |humanity, human kind, human race |

|manning |staffing |

|manpower |human resources, HR, employees, workforce, labour force |

|mental age of |severe or profound learning difficulties |

|mental handicap |learning difficulty, learning disability |

|dyslexic |person with dyslexia |

|spastic |person with cerebral palsy |

|tax man |tax collector or inspector |

|the disabled |disabled people or people with disabilities |

|victim of, crippled by |person who has, person with |

|wheelchair bound |wheelchair user |

|workmanlike |efficient, proficient, skilful, thorough |

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