Corporate Training for FSTE 2014 Summer Module 2

Corporate Training for FSTE (2014 Summer) Module 2: Understanding Students of the Selffinancing Tertiary Education Sector in Hong Kong 1

Warming-up Say “Hi”! Share with 4 to 5 people your name, the institution you are teaching and your course area(s) 2

Getting to know you ^^ In about one minute, Please tell us your name or how you would like to be called (e. g. , your nickname) Tell us ONE thing that is quite interesting/special about yourself 3

You wanna know about me? 4

Question for your reflection: What tactics have I employed at the beginning of the class to connect with you, the learners? 5

3 Foci of Session 1: Q: What do you expect to learn today? (CILO!!) 1. The characteristics and learning styles of different clusters of sub-degree students 2. Difficulties faced by the sub-degree students in their learning—Etiologies & Solutions 3. Different Types of Learners—Which Type are You? 6

(I) Group Discussion In small groups, think of as many adjectives /descriptions as you can to describe the learning styles or characteristics of your students Examples: Creative Weak in languages 7

<Debriefing> 8

(II) Is this a Common Phenomenon in Your Classroom? ? 9

Usual Responses by Laypersons or even Teachers: (which don’t help at all!) 川漢背13歲殘障子日行29公里上學 <明報> 22/2/2014 10

What could be the problem(s) behind our students’ difficulties in learning ? 11

So What can We Do? Change the mode of learning & assessment (e. g. , group work, project work, role-play, presentation, video-making, collage) Be more encouraging ourselves as teachers Be more accepting of where our students are Let them experience a sense of achievement (how to? ) 12

(III) What Type of Learner are you? A Psychological Test Complete the quiz given to you to find out what type of learner you are! 13

<Debriefing> You are of different types when it comes to learning Your students are the same so “one size cannot fit all!” Try to differentiate your learning-and-teaching tasks 14

Which strategy do you use most often? 15

Bloom’s (1956) Taxonomy of Instructional Objectives 16

Sharing Effective T&L Approaches In a group, share ONE teaching & learning activity you have used that you think is effective for students’ learning your students find interesting/useful/inspiring : ) 17

Session 2: The Two Foci: 1. Ways to build rapport with the students to strengthen their motivation to learn 2. Effective classroom management strategies that can improve your teaching and students’ learning 18

Activity 1: How to begin a class in a more affectionate way? Can you suggest 3 ways how you can begin a lecture to enhance students’ interest / human touch in the classroom? 1. Asking students what their day is like 2. …… 3. …… Tip: Respond to students’ feelings if you can 19

<Debriefing> Advantages of showing your care to your students in the classroom? 1. You show them you are a human, with flesh and blood and feelings more understanding about your expectation / difficulties in teaching them 2. You demonstrate to them how to care about other people 3. You know more about your students as individuals, not just ‘objects’ better relationship better learning and teaching A brief note on “CARE”…… “You can pretend to care, but you can’t pretend to be there” ~ by Professor Sidney Chung Sheung-chi 20

Activity 2: How well do you connect with your students? Refer to the handout “Teachers’ use of school connectedness strategies based on feeling positively connected to students” ü Check those strategies you have been using ü Check those strategies you hope you will be using Source: Vidourek, R. A. , King, K. A. , Bernard, A. L. , Murnan, J. , & Nabors, L. (2011). Teachers' Strategies to Positively Connect Students to School. American Journal of Health Education, March/April 2011, Vol. 42 (2) 21

Activity 3: Effective Classroom Management Strategies to help students learn effectively (A case-study approach) Form yourselves in small groups of 3 to 4 people. Imagine you are facing the situation described on the paper Role-play the situation and the solution (5 min) The scenario you encountered The student’s behavior Teacher’s (your) response What you wish could be done to handle it better as you look back now 22

Summing-up some effective strategies…. ü Get to know the nature of the problem bothering the student(s) concerned § § § Personal? Interpersonal? Family? Ability? Motivation? Financial? Illness? (physical/psychological? ) ü Show you genuinely care ü Admit you may not be able to solve all the problems by yourself / at one time ü Tell the student(s) they can turn to you for support/advice 23