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**Standard 2** The teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and provides instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development.  **Pedagogical change from first semester to fourth semester.**
 * Teachers know how children grow.**
 * __Evidence 1: __**

 Throughout my tenure at Fox Valley Technical College, I have come to realize that students change a lot while they are here. Contrary to popular belief, very few of our incoming students are “adult learners”. The majority of technical college “freshmen” are 18 or 19 years old and fresh out of high school. They hardly think like an adult, behave like an adult, or learn like an adult. However, by the time they are at the end of their programs, they have made significant changes… some more than others.  Post-secondary instruction must be responsive to, and reflective of the changes that are affecting the majority of students in attendance. First semester classes shouldn’t be taught the same as fourth semester classes as the audiences are significantly different. This can be seen by the differences in assignments and classroom materials used in my classes. The two classes we will look at are Automotive Brakes Systems and Automatic Transmissions. Brakes is taught in the first semester and Automatic Transmissions in the fourth semester of the two-year Associate Degree program.  In Automotive Brakes Systems, you can see by the layout in Blackboard, that I use a style where I guide the student through each step of the course with very little ambiguity or self direction. I assign a reading guide for the chapters assigned and I have the students submit their answers in a wiki. http://automotivebrakesystems.wikispaces.com/Section+1+Reading+Guide They do this for homework, we discuss in class, and I lecture from a very detailed power point.
 * __ Rationale 1: __**

 In Automatic Transmissions, the students are largely responsible for their own inquiry and learning. I guide them and answer questions, but there is far less detailed lecture and much more self study. From this screen capture of Bb, you can see how the course work is arranged differently. The power point for the lecture is more of a discussion guide. And most of the assignments are to provoke self-study and research rather than the instructor spewing facts and technical jargon at the students.

__** KSD: **__

 2.K.3 The teacher is aware of expected developmental progressions and ranges of individual variation within each domain (physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive), can identify levels of readiness in learning, and understands how development in any one domain may affect performance in others.

 Classes in the earlier portions of the two-year program are much more instructor focused and rigid in design than classes offered near or at the end of the two-year program. Normal student growth and progression lends itself well to this format and students have to make the adjustment from being “provided” with the information and answers to being able to find the answers for themselves. Surprisingly, this seems to work well regardless of student age.

 2.S.3 The teacher assesses students’ thinking and experiences as a basis for instructional activities (i.e., encouraging discussion, listening and responding to group interaction, and eliciting samples of student thinking orally and in writing).

 Critical thinking and good discussion/group interaction habits need to be fostered and developed. Much more discussion takes place near the end of student’s second year of program studies. Study guides and the use of a class wiki during the first semester classes helps in the formation of those positive habits.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;"> 2.D.1 The teacher appreciates individual variation at each developmental level and shows respect for the diverse talents of all learners, and is committed to help them develop self-confidence and competence.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;"> In all courses there in some component where students can make choices about how to express themselves. In Automotive Brakes, they post answers and definitions on a wiki. By the time they get to Automatic Transmissions, they turn in written research answers. Both of these allow the students a good deal of latitude.

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