Teaching Aptitude and Teaching Concept for the UGC exams

  Teaching Concept—Study material 

1. Teaching Process

Teaching is a complex process that brings the socially desirable behavior within the pupil. It is a methodology of the teacher by which the teacher transmits a set of skills to their pupil (know-how, interpersonal) in the educational trust/school/institution. 

The process by which students absorb this knowledge is tightly tied to teaching [1]

2. Experts' opinions about the teaching [2]

1. “What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.” —Paulo Freire, 20th-century education philosopher and founder of the critical pedagogy movement

2. “Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching, and whoever learns teaches in the act of learning.” —Paulo Freire

3. “The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and give energy to the character.” —Dorothea Dix, 19th-century mental health activist

4. “Adolescents need freedom to choose, but not so much freedom that they cannot, in fact, make a choice.” —Erik Erikson, 20th-century child development expert

5. “There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding.” —Erik Erikson

6. “Children cannot be fooled by empty praise and condescending encouragement. They may have to accept artificial bolstering of their self-esteem in lieu of something better, but what I call their accruing ego identity gains real strength only from wholehearted and consistent recognition of real accomplishment, that is, achievement that has meaning in their culture.” —Erik Erikson

3. Objectives of the teaching process

The main objectives are as under-

1. To make desired changes in the learners.

2. To shape behavior and conduct 

3. Knowledge Acquisition

4. Improvement in the learning ability of the students

5. Developing the belief

6. Providing a social and efficient member in society 

4. Characteristics of good teaching 

1. Teaching is a sort of interaction between a teacher and pupils that fosters learning and gives useful knowledge.

2.  Development is valued.
3. It is both art and science, and it advances knowledge. 

4.  It can be formal or informal.
5. It is cooperative and amiable, and it plans the lessons.
6. It is sociable, active, and compassionate.
7. It has a remedial, diagnostic, and progressive aspect.
8. The method is participatory.
9. It has certain responsibilities.
10. It is an assortment of different activities, including conditioning, instruction, and training.
11. It may be evaluated and studied, and it can offer suggestions for enhancement as well.
12. It assists students in adapting to society and its surroundings. [3]

Teaching Nature

1. Social, Dynamic, and Humane:

Humane teaching strategies concentrate on identifying and meeting each student's unique needs in the classroom, establishing a safe, welcoming space that encourages constructive social interactions and takes care of any difficulties they may encounter. 

Teachers have a significant influence on how the classroom works. 

They should give each student individualized attention, establish a safe environment, encourage constructive social interactions, deal with social difficulties, incorporate social-emotional learning, employ a variety of teaching techniques, encourage critical thinking and problem-solving, and engage with the community.

 By putting these strategies into practice, teachers can establish a classroom climate that fosters students' social and emotional growth in addition to academic learning, making learning more enjoyable and significant for everyone.

2. Art and Science 

 It is the science of knowing the students' capabilities and the art of improving their skills.

3. Diverse application 

Teaching is a social activity that emphasizes knowledge and communication between teachers and students via ongoing encounters. It is intentional and goal-oriented, and it takes place in both formal educational settings and everyday situations. The needs, pace, background, and cognitive capacities of the students are all taken into account by the flexible and adaptive teaching methods. Teaching is guided by pedagogical principles, which include organizational psychology, motivation, instructional design, and educational sociology. Cultural and sociopolitical elements also affect education. With its emphasis on learner-centered, holistic education, NEP 2020 in India is changing the nature of education. In addition to imparting knowledge, teaching is a transforming, interpersonal activity that affects students' social, emotional, and cognitive development.

5. Teaching methods

A teaching approach is a collection of ideas and strategies that educators employ to help students learn. The subject matter to be taught, the students' varying levels of knowledge, and the limitations imposed by the learning environment all play a role in determining these tactics.[4] A given teaching approach must consider the learner, the subject matter, and the kind of learning it is intended to promote in order to be effective and appropriate. [5]

Teaching Approaches: Teacher-Centered and Student-Centered

Teacher-Centered Model:
• Teachers are the main authority figures, passing knowledge through lectures and direct instruction.
• Teaching and assessment are separate entities, with student learning measured through objectively scored tests and assessments.

Student-Centered Model:
• Teachers and students play an equal active role in the learning process.
• Teachers coach and facilitate student learning.
• Assessments, including group projects, portfolios, and class participation, measure student learning.
• Teaching and assessments are connected, with continuous measurement of student learning during teacher instruction.

Lecture Method

In schools, the lecture technique is typically regarded as the main teaching approach; however, it is only one of many.[Reference needed] Given the bigger class sizes, the lecture technique is both economical and convenient for the school. For this reason, lecturing is the norm for most college courses, even though there may be hundreds of students present at once. It allows lecturers to speak to the greatest number of people at once in the broadest possible way while still delivering the information that they believe is most crucial, as per the lesson plan. [6]

Peer Instruction

Peer instruction is a teaching strategy created by Eric Mazur to enhance lectures. Both pre-class and in-class workflows are covered. Concept tests are conceptual questions that are used to break up instructor presentations in the in-class workflow. These are intended to highlight typical misconceptions that students have about the subject matter, spark student discussion, and, if necessary, include reteaching. [7]

Explanation 

Both student and teacher explanations continue to be among the most popular teaching strategies in classroom practice, despite their lack of research. The use of analogies to develop conceptual comprehension is one of the numerous subcategories of explaining. [8] The "thinking together" approach is one way that teachers relate their students' concepts to scientific models. Additionally, there are more learner explanations and narrative styles that use examples and require students to explain the concept they need to understand, so that the teacher can provide accurate feedback on how well they did it.

Demonstration

The demonstration method is an instructional approach in which a teacher walks students through a task or explains a concept step-by-step. To improve understanding and retention, the instructor frequently uses visual aids, real-world examples, and hands-on activities. It helps students develop their critical thinking and observational skills while bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. 

Collaboration

Students who collaborate in the classroom actively engage in the learning process by exchanging ideas and hearing what others have to say. It can be applied to group projects and conversations and encourages students to think less biasedly. Teachers can evaluate their students' leadership, presentation, and teamwork skills through collaboration. There are several ways to have collaborative conversations, including fishbowl discussions. Teaching pupils norms like listening and argumentation is essential to effective collaboration. Teachers should prepare for conversations, which might take up much of a course, and assign students specific responsibilities. Building trust, generating group connections, taking criticism into consideration, addressing real-world situations, and employing various tactics are all examples of collaborative learning tips.

Discussion in the Classroom

One collaborative teaching strategy that enables students to engage and voice their opinions is classroom discussion. These conversations, which are led by a teacher or student, can foster critical thinking, improve comprehension, and provide context for academic material. They can be aided by presenting queries and bringing attention to divergent opinions. Because of the personalities and academic motivation of the students, teaching tactics have a considerable impact on learning strategies in first-year higher education. Students can express their opinions on a range of topics through interactive learning. Because teachers address the problem with the entire class, more students can assist those who are being victimized, making class discussions an effective way to prevent and intervene against bullying.

Debriefing

After an event, sharing and analyzing information is part of the conversational process known as debriefing, which has several uses. It enables students to evaluate their own learning, consider their experiences, and come to terms with them. Since kids can move on to the next phase once they have been integrated, teachers shouldn't be too hard on them when they relapse in conduct.

Classroom Action Research (wikipedia)

Classroom Action Research is a method used to identify the best teaching methods and models to enhance student learning. It is essential for teachers to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and to adapt their teaching methods to complement their strengths and counteract their weaknesses. Teachers can use research methods to challenge students to construct new meanings and knowledge, and in schools, these methods are simplified to allow students to access them at their own level.

Learning Process

To be continued...

Reference

[1] Musial, Manuel; Pradere, Fabienne; Tricot, André (2012). How to design a teaching course. Brussels: De Boeck. ISBN 978-2-8041-6936-7.

[2] https://quillbot.com/blog/wishes-and-expressions/quotes-for-teachers/. 

[3] https://anujjindal.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Teaching-Nature-Objective-Characteristics-Basic-Requirements-pdf

[4] "Teaching Methods." www.buffalo.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-13.

[5] Westwood, P. (2008). What teachers need to know about Teaching methods. Camberwell, Vic, ACER Press

[6] Charlton BG (January 2006). "Lectures are such an effective teaching method because they exploit evolved human psychology to improve learning"

[7] "Peer Instruction | mazur". mazur.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-17.