TESSA materials have too purposes TESSA materials have too purposes. They help teachers provide better learning experiences for students and therefore support student learning. However, in the process of trying out different classroom activities we recognise that teachers will learn. The aim of this work was to understand more about the materials – how they support student learning and teacher learning, and the implications of this for using the materials in teacher education programmes. Introducing TESSA

Workshop aims To articulate what it means to be ‘learner-centred’ To become familiar with the TESSA materials To consider how they might be integrated into teacher education progammes, in particular, as a way of modelling pedagogy

Activity 1 What needs to change in African classrooms in order to successfully implement the new curriculum? Focus on teachers’ practices and the students’ experience of school. What should there be more of? What should there be less of? Write your idea on a post-it note

The teachers and teacher-educators should as much as possible, use methods that promote active learners’ participation and interaction. They should use methods that encourage learners to reflect, think and do rather than reproduce from rote learning. In this regard, teachers and teacher-educators are strongly advised to use the Learner-Centred Approach in the teaching and learning process. (Extract from Zambian Curriculum Framework, 2012)

Activity 2 Indicate whether you think each of these statements about ‘learner-centred education’ are true (T) or false (F) ‘Learner-centred’ means that the pupils are in charge ‘Learner-centred’ means taking account of the needs of all pupils ‘Learner-centred’ means taking account of what pupils already know If you are teaching in a learner-centred way, you do not need to plan your lessons In a learner-centred lesson there will always be a lot of noise. A learner-centred teacher believes that all children can learn If pupils are working in groups then the lesson must be learner centred Learner-centred approaches are not possible with large classes Good learner-centred lessons require a lot of planning Learner-centred lessons always require a lot of resources Learner-centred means not telling pupils when they are wrong A learner-centred teacher encourages pupils to talk about their ideas 1. F, 2. T, 3. T, 4. F, 5. F, 6. T, 7. F (The activity has to be appropriate, the focus has to be on learning – being in a group doesn’t guarantee learning unless it is properly organised.) 8. F (pair work can be done with 500 in a lecture theatre), 9. T, 10. F, 11. F, 12. T.

Learner-centred teachers Take account of the needs of all pupils Take account of what pupils already know Believe that all pupils can learn given the right support Plan their lessons carefully but are flexible if required Encourage pupils to talk about their ideas Relate learning to everyday life Adopt a variety of approaches

TESSA – Resources and a programme of activities Collaboratively produced resources for teachers Versioned for 10 African countries A network of teacher educators working together to improve teaching

collaboration discussion consultation observation TESSA materials were produced collaboratively by people drawing on their own experience, knowledge and expertise. They grew out of a deep understanding of practice in the context of the different countries. But what does the literature say? What does effective student learning look like? What does effective teacher learning look like? Drawing on a range of comtemporary research around LC education and pedagogy and teacher learning, I have identified a set of charactieristics that these sort of materials should have. I then analysed TESSA Sec Sci in the light of these principles. This analysis has provided some insights which could support the effective implementation of the materials. So – looking first at Student learning. consultation observation

Context Shortages of qualified teachers Teacher training programmes too theoretical Teacher-centred approaches dominate Student achievement is low Policy aspirations not being realised 15 years on from the MDG, greater demand for secondary education. Shortages of secondary teachers with increasing numbers of primary teachers working in the secondary sector. Teacher training programmes that are theoretical, very little teaching practice, separation of methods teaching from subject teaching. Lack of PCK. Teacher-centred approaches still dominate in school. This is a photograph of a pre-service teacher I observed recently. He dictated notes on the leaf for 40 minutes. No leaves were produced, very few questions were asked – all closed. The notes were in the textbook. This is what we need to change

TESSA materials Promote student learning Promote teacher learning Engage students Show teachers how to put theory into practice Creating a demand for professional development from teachers All are Open Educational Resources (OER) TESSA materials are designed to disrupt. They open up possibilities for the teacher. By trying activities in their classrooms, they will learn. There is evidence that TESSA primary has created a demand – what this means is that students like Kevin realise that they have a great deal to learn and start to wonder how they can learn it. Eg Indian teacher – ‘I was the greatest teacher – very confident. I now realise I am the worst teacher, but I am getting better’.

Activity 3 Learning about angles The facilitator pretends to be the teacher; the participants pretend to be pupils. (the activity is describes in the notes section) Activity: Embodying angles (http://www.tess-india.edu.in/learning-resource-756?section=4) Part 1: Using hands Ask your students to show the following angles using their two hands joined at the wrist: an angle of 90 degrees an angle of 0 degrees an angle of 180 degrees an angle of 45 degrees an angle of 135 degrees a straight angle an obtuse angle a right angle an acute angle. Different examples are possible for the obtuse and acute angle. Discussing the validity of these different examples offers a good opportunity to talk about definitions and possible variations within these definitions. It is also an appropriate time to introduce (or reinforce) the shorthand notation of the degree symbol – for example, 90° for a right angle.   Part 2: Using one arm Repeat the questions from Part 1, now asking the students to use one arm, with their armpit acting as the centre of rotation of the angle. To depict the angle of 0°, the arm would hang down, and be held against the side of the body. Point out that an angle is not a static position, but that the word ‘angle’ describes the amount of a turn – that is, an angle is a measurement of a turn or rotation. Try asking them to show 45 degrees and 135 degrees. This makes the point that and angle is a rotation and it is important to define where you measure it from.

Reflecting on Activity 3 What did you learn? How do teachers usually teach children about different types of angles? How did the activity support peer assessment? How did the activity support assessment for learning? How did the activity support all learners? This simple activity is very powerful in demonstrating activie learning. Some participants will not remember the words ‘acute’ and ‘obtuse’ (and you will probably notice who they are) but will get support by copying colleagues: this demonstrates the power of peer-support. Everyone is involved. Once you start using arms, most people will automatically ‘measure’ from the arm pointing down. If you ask your co-facilitator to start with the arm in a vertical position, to demonstrate 45 degrees, you can demonstrate quite powerfully that it matters where you measure the angle from.

TESSA units All the units have the same structure Learning outcomes for teachers Learning episode 1 Case Study 1 Activity 1 Learning episode 2 Case study 2 Activity 2 Learning episode 3 Case study 3 Key Activity Resources (up to 6)

www.tessafrica.net How many Key Resources are there? What is the name of the teacher in Literacy, Module 3, Section 3, Case Study 2? What is the title of Life Skills, Module 3, Section 2? Use Working With Teachers handbook to find the name of the TESSA Executive Chair. When and where was the Teaching Practice Supervisors’ Toolkit written? How many Science (secondary) Biology units are there? What scientific principle is covered in Physics, section 4, activity 3? Website quiz. Using the website to find the answers to the questions. This will help people to become familiar with what is available.

Activity 4 Working in pairs, look at TESSA Literacy, M3, S3, Case Study 3 in detail. What would you expect the teacher to have learnt from this case study? (concepts? skills? procedures?) How could you use the activity (or a similar one) with student teachers? Use Literacy, M3, S3, Case Study 3 for this activity

Literacy, M3, S3, Case Study 3 What can a teacher learn from this case study? How to get students to make books to increase the resources available Advantages of working collaboratively How to organise group work – give every person a specific task An example of peer assessment How to support all learners How to encourage thinking (this is a sequencing exercise) This also highlights the transferability of learning between the units. Teaching thinking skills is hard. But this case study uses a sequencing exercise to encourage pupils to think. The idea of ‘sequencing’ can be used in history, geography, maths, science etc.

Feedback What is your response to this unit?

Break Write any questions you have about TESSA on a post-it

What needs to change? How can the use of TESSA address some of these challenges?

TESSA resources Subject Resources – Literacy, Numeracy, Life Skills, Science, Social Studies (3 modules, 5 section) – total: 75 units Key Resources Handbooks for teacher educators and teachers Toolkits – Teaching Practice Supervisors Toolkit, Inclusion Toolkit Audio Resources

Integrating TESSA into courses Teacher training courses have certain elements Subject knowledge development Pedagogical knowledge Educational studies Professional studies Teaching practice and micro-teaching

Overlap between TESSA OER and components of a teacher education curriculum Area A: Education Studies Area B: Subject methodology Area C: Professional studies Area D: Subject content This slide demonstrates that TESSA units can be integrated into teacher education programmes. Area E:: Teaching Practice / School internship TESSA OER

Activity 5 In a group of 3, find a TESSA resource on the website – a whole unit, a case study, a key resource, a handbook that you could use in your teaching Explain how you would use it. Be prepared to tell us the resource you have chosen how you would use it

Activity 6 How student-centred are you? What do you need to change in order to become more student-centred? Think about: - What you focus on in planning - How you take account of students prior knowledge - How you communicate with your students - Your attitude to your students - How students learn - Your role as an educator

The student-centred educator Teacher-centred e.g. Planning - focuses on covering the curriculum, own needs Communicates one way from teacher to students– telling Does not know students’ needs or care about them’ does not value students’ ideas and dismisses them Not interested in students’ existing knowledge, experience and attitudes Views learning as transmitting information and students absorbing it Views learner as passive receiver Sees their role as a provider of information and deliverer of the curriculum Values knowledge and achievement Student-centred e.g. Planning- focuses on the students’ needs and selecting appropriate activity that will engage them Communication is 2-way – teacher listens to students Adjust teaching to meet different needs; values students’ ideas and takes account of them Wants to find out about students’ existing knowledge, experiences and attitudes Views learning as an active process and the learner as active constructor Sees their role as a facilitator of learning Values students as individuals, their learning and enjoyment of learning

TESS-India TESS-India is a sister project, with a greater range of resources. www.tess-india.edu.in www.edx.org (google chrome) ‘Enhancing Teacher Education through OER’

Key message Teachers and student teachers need to experience the approaches they are expected to use in their teaching. It is not sufficient to read about them or assess their skills and understanding through written tests. Teacher educators modelling the approaches in their own work is powerful; this has implications for teacher educators and the culture of the college. TESSA OER can provide the support for this change.

Questionnaire Please complete the questionnaire and return it to the facilitator Use this slide if you have an evaluation questionnaire.