Key definitions in teaching
Aspect of professionalism
What does it mean? How does it make you more professional? How can you make sure you develop your understanding of it?
Professional standards
Professional standards in teaching are emphasized by the values and practises that have set and all teachers should observe these standards. Teachers have to value the equality of our learners and also respect the individuals. Teachers have professional values to observe and by being professional teachers can then bring experience, to develop learner’s goals and aspirations. What teachers in the lifelong learning need to understand? Issues like equality, diversity and inclusion plus ways to reflect, evaluate on one’s own practise and follow the codes of practice.
QTLS
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) is equivalence of qualified teacher status (QTS). From 1 April 2012 all Institute for Learning (IfL) members with (QTLS) will be recognised as qualified teachers and will be able to work in schools. What needs to be ask are what are the particular responsibilities and limitations associated with teachers in the lifelong learning sector. The role involves a design of usual behaviour associated with a position. Understanding the regulations that were laid out in parliament which came into force on 1 April 2012. The (IfL) overarching professional standards have now been transfers to education & training foundation. “The regulations laid also amend the Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012, and came into force in September 2012. The amendment gives schools greater flexibility to choose the standards against which they wish to assess the performance of QTLS holders. QTLS teachers, unlike other teachers, don’t have to be assessed against the Teachers’ Standards”. (Institute for Learning, 2013)
Curriculum developments
A curriculum development is how teachers and schools know what is going to be taught in the school over an annual period. All school will have official documents stating their curriculum. Curriculum is a focal point as well as an essential part of the development of the school. In structuring your curriculum there are many thing to consider, “The curriculum framework for social work education consists of the outcome statements for qualifying education in relation to the Professional Capabilities framework (which are cross-referenced to the HPC Standards of Proficiency1 and the QAA Benchmarking Statement2), with accompanying guidance on a range of issues. In constructing a curriculum to meet these, social work qualifying programmes will also need to pay careful attention to the ‘process curriculum’: that is ‘how’ the content is taught.”
All programmes should consider the ways in which they can:
o Positively shape professional identity
o Develop students’ confidence, self-efficacy and emotional resilience in the
social work role
o Develop skills of active learning and critical thinking
o Develop research mindedness and literacy
o Develop decision making and professional judgment
o Develop students’ ability to transfer knowledge from one setting or user group
to another
o Develop students’ abilities to identify their own learning needs and
professional development
o Lay the foundation for social workers’ future active use of professional
supervision
o Enable students to learn from and get support from their peers as a basis for
team work
o Enable students to learn from and with service users and carers
o Model anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice
o Enable students to manage personal and professional boundaries
o Encourage understanding and development of their own social work values
o Encourage critical reflection on performance
o Promote continuing professional learning in order to meeting changing and
future needs and contexts
((edref4) , 2010)
Updating skills and knowledge
It is important to assess and reflect your practise at all time. As a professional tutor you are continually learning and to improve your professionalism training is essential. Developing in the lifelong learning sector you need to understand the swift changes in schools and updating skills is critical to the coming together of strong content and knowledge. Linking individual learning development with the improvement and needs of the school and sharing expertise and experience.
Higher qualifications
You need to have a higher qualification than what you are teaching. If you have a degree and then complete your master degree this can support you into a high claim and will help you further your career.
1.2 Reflect on ways in which professional practice promotes equality of opportunity and values diversity
Based on an observed lesson, write a reflective account about how effectively your practice promotes equality of opportunity and values diversity. In your account you must consider:
How promoting equality and diversity protects learners from harm.
Actions that you take to value learners.
The information that you provide to learners and how this is provided
Your communication strategies and own behaviour in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
How working with other agencies and professionals supports your inclusive practice.
Unit 7, LO3.2 also contributes to this assessment criterion
1.3 Explain the contribution of learning to personal development, community development and economic growth
You need to complete the following table and explain how each aspect of learning contributes to the listed areas
Aspect of learning
Explain how each aspect of learning can relate to each of these areas:
Personal development
Community development
Economic growth
Raising standards
1) Focus on English and maths
2) Cross-curricular approach
1) Community cohesion
2) Partnerships, engagement with the local community
1) Jobs
2) Home ownership
3)
Social inclusion and engaging underrepresented groups
1) Citizenship test
2) reading and writing, speaking and listening
3) Support provided to the most disadvantaged
residents educate and train to find work, with the aim of improving opportunities in business and
social enterprises.
1) Community centres
2) Working collaboratively
3) When raising education and skill levels the economy and residents are skilled and can be supported to find opportunities and reach their potential. Encouraging
employer investment in skills, and prepare people for the jobs of the future.
More recently, there has been a growing recognition that participation in adult learning can also have positive effects on a range of wider social outcomes. Contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural,
built and historic environment; and, as part of this will help to improve diversity.
Local employment needs
The growing in the involvement in adult learning has constructive consequence on social outcomes.
Encouraging
investment
Engaging with local communities
Links with businesses
1.4 Analyse the impact of own professional values on learning and teaching
Complete the following table. You need to discuss the following
What these things are (describe them)
How they could affect (impact) on you own professionalism as a teacher
Improving professional qualifications
Engaging with other professional bodies
Promoting quality in teaching and learning
Establishing and sharing best practice
Engaging in CPD activities
LO2 – Understand policies and regulatory requirements relating to the lifelong learning sector
2.1 Analyse the implications for and impact of government policies on practice in the lifelong learning sector
Complete the table below, discussing the implication of each policy and how they have impacted on the sector.
Government Policy
Implications and impact
Widening participation
Disability discrimination act
Minimum core requirements
Targets and benchmarking
Apprenticeships
2.2 Analyse ways in which government policies and the requirements of regulatory bodies impact on practice in own specialist area
Complete the table below. This is similar to the previous one, but you must focus on your own specialist area.
Government policy/regulatory body requirement
Impact on your specialist area
Inspection
Awarding body requirements
Standardisation and verification
Organisation policy and procedures
.
Use of technology
.
Flexibility of provision
LO2.3 – Explain the roles of regulatory and funding bodies in the lifelong learning sector
Write a report which fully covers the following topics in detail:
1) Funding and regulation. Explain the roles and purposes of key agencies responsible for funding and regulation (e.g. Sector Skills Councils, LSIS, SFA, HEFC, OFSTED, EU funding). Analyse how these agencies have an impact on how the sector is run.
2) Quality improvement. Explain the roles and purposes of key agencies responsible for quality improvement (e.g. QAA, OFSTED, LSIS, IFL, Awarding Organisations, Matrix, ISO, etc.) and how these agencies have an impact on quality and quality improvement in the sector
3) The inspection process. Analyse how the inspection process (Ofsted and the Common Inspection Framework) has an impact on practice is the sector.
LO3 – Be able to contribute to quality improvement and quality assurance systems and Procedures
3.1 – Review own role and contribution in quality improvement and quality assurance in the organisation
Complete this table by discussing how you are involved and contribute to these quality procedures.
Quality procedure
How YOU are involved with it and contribute to it
Benchmarks
.
Evaluation of own practice
Teamwork
Course reviews
Internal verification
LO 3.2 – Examine the role of assessment and evaluation in the quality cycle
This is covered in Unit 5, 1.3, 2.1 and 4.1
LO 3.3 – Produce accurate assessment data and records
This is covered in Unit 5, 2.2, 2.3
3.4 – Assess the validity and reliability of data relating to own learners
Attach a copies learner tracking sheets, course reviews, evaluations, etc. then comment on the following:
How was the data obtained?
How is it kept up to date? Is it up to date?
e.g. VARCS od data
How can you be sure it is accurate? What might reduce its accuracy
e.g. VARCS of data
Is it repeatable?
Is it moderated, verified or standardised?
How could its accuracy be improved?
Other comments on the accuracy and reliability of this data, e.g. size of sample, qualitative vs quantitative, subjective / objective, etc.
3.5 – Communicate assessment information to those with an interest in learner achievement
This is covered in Unit 5 – 2.3
3.6 – Evaluate a learning programme in accordance with the quality systems and procedures in the organisation
3.7 – Communicate the result of evaluation of a learning program.
To cover these two criteria you will need to conduct, or take part in, a course review and produce a report that can be shared with others responsible for quality assurance and continuous quality improvement within your organisation. The report should contain quantitative, e.g. success, achievement and retention data along with qualitative data, e.g. student surveys, etc. You may need to add brief explanations for why you have met, exceeded or failed to meet National Benchmark Data, client expectations, funding agency requirements, etc.
LO4 – Understand how to develop learners’ wider skills in own specialist area
4.1 Analyse how the development of wider skills can improve learner motivation, confidence and achievement
Complete the following table by analysing how the listed methods may be able to improve learner motivation, confidence and achievement
Wider skill:
Improving
How it can help improve:
Motivation
Confidence
Achievement
Language and communication
Reading and writing
Numeracy skills
IT skills
Employability
Tolerance of others
Independent working
Goal setting and action planning
4.2 Evaluate ways to provide opportunities for learners to develop wider skills
Explain the good (positive) and not so good (negative) points about the following methods that could be used to help learners develop wider skills:
Method
Positive points
Negative points
Discussion
Pair or team work
Presentations
Project work
Blended learning
Peer teaching
Self assessment
Directed study
Linking learning with work based activities
Work experience
Online learning
Coaching or mentoring
LO5 – Be able to evaluate and improve your own wider professional practice
5.1 Analyse the effectiveness of own wider professional practice
5.2 Reflect on strengths and areas for improvement in own wider professional practice
Evaluate your own wider professional practice by completing this table:
Area
Tick the one which describes you best
Say WHY you do or don’t need to improve
No improvement needed
Some improvement needed
Lots of improvement needed
Awareness of current legislation
Understanding of social economic factors
Codes of practice
Professional standards
CPD
Promoting wider curriculum
Promoting E&D
Engaging with students
Sharing best practice
Using feedback to improve
Contributing to QA
5.3 Engage in professional development opportunities to improve own wider professional practice
For each area listed above where you either need some or lots of improvement complete this table of CPD activities:
Area
CPD activity I will undertake to improve
By when?
