Professional development of academics as teachers

Professional development of academics as teachers (Feixas, M, 2010)

Dimensions	Professor as Senior Learner	Professor with a main focus on Content Teaching	Professor with a main focus on Students’ Learning
TEACHERS CONCERNS
Concerns	–          Master content –          Control anxiety, insecurity –          Surviving daily teaching –          Opinion and impression brought about in students –          Not being able to meet the expected requirements and responsibilities of a university teacher –          Socializing into the university department	–          Master teaching abilities –          Transmit content and present material in a comprehensive and motivating manner –          Create interest in the subject –          Time restrictions, not being able to cover all the programme –          Students not acquiring the main concepts of the course, not finishing the course in a well-documented manner	–          Focus on results, on teaching impact –          Turn students into independent learners –          Let them learn how to learn on their own –          Find the most appropriate teaching model for their students to learn –          Know what and how the students are learning; how to contribute to their learning –          Adapting the teaching style to reach the different students’ learning styles –          Satisfy students educational needs in a more personalized manner –          Know the impact of one’s own teaching on the students’ learning
CONCEPTIONS ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING
Conceptions about Teaching	–          Teaching seen as the transmission of information and of the main concepts of the programme	–          Teaching seen as the transmission of the teacher’s knowledge	–          Teaching seen as helping students to change and to develop their own conceptions about the subject matter
Conceptions about Learning	–          Learning seen as the acquisition of knowledge	–          Learning seen as the acquisition of teachers’ own knowledge	–          Learning seen as the restructuring of the students’ knowledge, as a conceptual development.
CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
Planning	–          Content of the programme and didactic strategies used are suggested by a supervisor or mentor –          Exhaustive planning of each session and of the necessary material –          Avoids explaining what he/she does not understand or is poorly developed –          Rarely takes into consideration students’ previous knowledge	–          Instructional decisions are made based on his/her interests and understanding of what is convenient for the students –          Course structured in a way that students know what they need to study to pass it –          Students know little about the course to be taught –          Teachers’ professional experience is essential to help students contextualize the course content	–          Content and teaching and learning strategies are discussed and can be negotiated –          Flexible planning, based on the particular interests of the majority of students –          Instructional decisions are taken from the groups’ interests –          Analysis of the students’ previous knowledge and experiences –          Students’ experiences are as important as teachers’ experiences
Teaching and Learning Strategies	–          Use of teaching and learning strategies employed by his/her previous teachers that were deemed to be outstanding –          Sceptical in terms of deciding on classroom dynamics that are not familiar –          Use of resources to make sessions more innovative	–          Repertoire is mainly  based on lectures –          Aims to cover what can be found in a textbook –          Students’ questions are a sign of interest and are used to prove the mastery of the content –          Little experimentation with new methods and materials if those used are already working	–          Having to work through different strategies may imply not covering all the material –          Relinquishes time of the session to discuss changes of conceptions and to question their ideas –          Use of learning to learn strategies –          Chooses the most appropriate didactic material addressed to students’ learning needs –          Students’ questions as a opportunity to find out what students are doing, thinking or where difficulties lie
Assessment	–          Suggested assessment system or received system by former teachers –          Do not reflect too much on whether it is the most appropriate for the students and the course	–          Assessment aims to find out whether students have understood and acquired main concepts –          Mainly summative assessment and based on a final exam	–          Assessment as an opportunity for the students to reveal whether a change of conception in the comprehension of the subject’s conception has occurred –          Mainly formative, willing to know how the learning process is taking place
DISCOURSE LEVEL
Discourse	–          Technical vocabulary is rudimentary –          Discourse is colloquial and informal. –          Simplistic explanations.	–          Precise and fluent discourse. Use of chosen examples, anecdotes, metaphors and references to professional and personal experience	–          Academic discourse which connects with that of the group of students. –          Use of examples and references tailored to students’ learning concerns and/or difficulties
RELATIONSHIP WITH STUDENTS
Relationship with students	–          Compromised with students, sometimes  vulnerable. –          Intense and personal. Student as friend, victim or enemy –          Close relationship due to an identification with students’ demands –          Student seen as the evaluator of teacher’s own effectiveness –          Students’ evaluation reflects teacher’s inexperience	–          Distant and analytical relationship. –          Students as receptive; take notes of everything –          Few contributions and little participation	–          Interpersonal relationship is an important resource from which to work to achieve good learning in the subject. –          Students as unique subjects. Professional compromise, based on sincerity, dynamism and intersubjectivity. –          Getting to know the student is important, but it is more important to know how to interact with each other. Interpersonal relationship as a resource to work and get students to learn