We tried out taking notes when
analysing lecturers´ activities for beginning a course. The noticing process,
consisting of several steps (notice; describe; point out
significant issues; explain them; find theories for supporting or arguing with different opinions; collect the observation conclusions of colleagues and at last, select own conclusions for efficient teaching in the future) possibly has the
following influence on our mind: We´ll recognise the different steps of
noticing for getting information from outside, select and supplement that to
our own teaching skills.
As lecturers we go thorough this process constantly
and mostly intuitively. We have developed a good professional intuition about
efficient teaching tools, if we have had opportunity to work as a lecturer and
our students inevitably have been our test persons. As beginners we tend to copy
our lecturers from our study time, hoping we have understood, why they acted
like this back then.
(More on teacher noticing http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/docs/publications/178680101849b7e6b255bed.pdf
- as one of the resources)
It would help us as lecturers,
if we recognise the professional techniques and methods consciously as well.
With conscious noticing I can learn and collect useful tools of self-expression
from others (actors, talented speakers, charismatic public figures, experienced
professors) for the teaching purposes: to influence my audience to improve
their professional quality within minimum time. During noticing we tend to
point out aspects we are influenced by most. So we deal with those particular
methods, techniques and tricks and take them into our “toolbox”.
Using noticing steps I add my analysing
mind to my intuition, so I perceive the teaching situation intuitively (my
heart) and know why it is adequate (my head). Therefore my confidence rises.
That influences the audience positively again.
Using the noticing method, we
get used to focusing our attention on our and others’ most efficient teaching
techniques. How the method of noticing, concluding and trying out works, I can
see in the results and the reflection of my audience.
During our task (the first 5
minutes of a course) I noticed different aspects that have an influence to the
teaching-learning process:
·
eye contact with the audience
·
inviting and friendly body language, posture and gesture
·
keeping up conversation with the audience
·
rate and loudness of speech, related to self-confidence
·
dynamic increase of self-confidence
·
synchronisation of oral and visual information
·
balancing the focus between the subject, the audience and the role of
teacher
·
give a positive reflection to the reaction of the audience
The
introduction to a new course (when the lecturer first meets the students) includes
different steps:
- - Greeting words e.g.
Welcome
to everybody! Hello, my name is […].
- - Invitation to take part of the course e.g.
I am
glad to see so many of you. It is very nice to see you all. I see some familiar
faces. And here you are in […]
- - Outline of the topics:
We
are going to talk about […].
- - Course outlines:
o
name of the course
o
programme and schedule
o
contents
o
structure
o
outcomes
o
requirements, and credits
o
assessment method and criteria
- - CV of the lecturer
- - Contact of the lecturer (e-mail etc)
- - Introduction of students
- - Students´ questions
- - Lecturer-students interaction about the subject
There
are several course beginning strategies. The focus can be in the information
about the course or in the interaction with the auditorium first. An analysis enables
the teacher to choose the optimal order of priorities in the teaching-learning
process.
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