CODE | LLI5002 | ||||||||||||||||
TITLE | Field Placement 2 | ||||||||||||||||
UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 10 | ||||||||||||||||
DEPARTMENT | Leadership for Learning and Innovation | ||||||||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | The study-unit runs throughout the 2 semesters. This will see the students engaged in campus and off-campus experiences (including work in schools/classrooms and other institutions within the community) related to the work being carried out at the university. This helps to ensure that students engage with theory and practice at all times. Field Placement is made up of three compulsory components: a. Field placement regarding Pedagogical Context Knowledge/Subject Methodology. b. Field placement regarding Context Knowledge. c. Block Practicum (this entails the 5-week period of time dedicated to school/class contact during which student-teachers are carrying out teaching duties). The TP phase offers student teachers the opportunity to apply the ideas shared and developed, tried and tested during the Field Placement Curriculum (i.e. the 4 ECTS mentioned above) and through the other PCK components. Whilst the Practicum is deemed a formative experience in the MTL Year 1, this Year 2 practicum is more summative in nature. This means that during each teaching practice session students are meant to develop/nurture particular competencies, skills and attitudes, whilst at the same time consolidating what has been learnt throughout the MTL. Study-Unit Aims: The experiences which the student teachers will engage in will help enhance their capabilities to cope with authentic teaching situations; help them acquire insights regarding the practical and social contexts of teaching; help them to consolidate and increase the coherence of their theoretical knowledge and link it to the school practice. The ultimate aim of this study-unit is to strengthen the student teacher’s knowledge and understanding of the complex and multifaceted settings and reality of the school and other educational settings. The unit aims to: - Familiarise student teachers with the different facets of school life through direct engagement with issues related to teaching and learning within schools as part of a vibrant community; - Provide a basic understanding of the various professional requirements which affect a teacher's life; - Review current beliefs about teaching and learning; - Reflect and engage with the challenges facing class and subject teachers through varied encounters (e.g. project work, class teaching, seminars); - Assist students to develop an overview of the structure and scope of the various curricula, programmes being enacted in the early years, primary and secondary school settings; - Assist students to develop the ability to link theoretical insights with practice in schools and other institutions/settings; - Nurture the skills, values and attributes needed to be a teacher; - Explore and develop the 21st century skills that prospective teachers need; - Provide students with an opportunity to participate in a direct way in school activities and initiatives; - Assist students in interacting with students, school personnel and other stakeholders within different communities of practice. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Within a context of a school/class situation, develop a theoretical and practical understanding of major issues that educators are facing today; - Engage with other student teachers to discuss how teachers handle curricular and pedagogical issues with reference to learning theories; - Identify ways of handling class/school issues after addressing them with teacher mentors and other school personnel; - Explain and report on the various professional requirements which affect a teacher's life in schools; - Draw a list of the requirements expected of a class/subject teacher after carrying out observation sessions in schools; - Analyse and report on the way schools handle issues of inclusion, diversity and multiculturalism through discussions and presentations; - Demonstrate and evaluate the principles of shared governance, solidarity and participation through engagement in a community context (e.g. NGO, creche, local council); - Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their own particular teaching and learning styles through video recordings and discussions with university lecturers, teacher mentors and other student teachers; - Discuss and debates the relevance and impact of school policies, national documents and practices with other student teachers, school mentors and university lecturers; - Critically appraise the above in the light of the principles, beliefs and practices behind ITE. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Engage as reflective observers and reflective practitioners drawing on the theoretical insights in order to make pedagogical sense of the of the varieties of experiences that arise and are constructed within early years, primary and secondary school settings; - Reflect personally and with others on how issues encountered during teaching practice impact on one's role; - Develop the various components of a Teaching Practice File (e.g. Scheme/s of Work, Lesson Planning, Class Profile, Student Profile, etc); - Put into practice and evaluate the teaching skills needed to be effective as a Year/subject teacher; - Demonstrate how different settings can have a direct impact on pupil development; - Develop sensitivity towards issues of diversity (such as gender, culture and sexual orientation) through observation, analysis of documents and engaging with tasks in different settings; - Engage with the roles and responsibilities of student teachers as presented in the Guidelines for Mentors, Student Teachers and Examiners. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Brookhart, S.M. (2014). How to Design Questions and Tasks to Assess Student Thinking. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. - Brookhart, S.M. (2008). How to give Effective Feedback to your Students. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. - Capel, S., Leask, M. & Turner, T. (2009). Learning to Teach in the Secondary School: A companion to school experience. London: Routledge. - Marzano, R.J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching: a comprehensive framework for effective instruction. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. - McTighe, J. & Wiggins, G. (2013). Essential Questions: opening doors to student understanding. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. - Kerry, T. (2003). Effective Classroom Teacher: Developing the Skills You Need in Today's Classroom. UK: Prentice Hall. - Reeves, A.R. (2011). Where Great Teaching Begins: planning for student thinking and learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. - Swennen, A. & van der Klink, M. (eds.) (2010). Becoming a Teacher Educator: Theory and Practice for Teacher Educators. Dordrecht: Springer. |
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ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-unit: LLI5001 This study-unit is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. Please note that a pass in all assessment components is obligatory for an overall pass mark to be awarded. |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Placement and Practicum | ||||||||||||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Clint Gerald Attard Karl Attard Moira Azzopardi Barbieri Michael Buhagiar Stephen Camilleri Mario Cardona Deborah A. Chetcuti Brian Chircop Louise Chircop Alessia Cilia Portelli George Cremona Mario Cutajar Isabelle Depasquale Ruben Benjamin Dimech Marie Therese Farrugia AUDREY R GALEA Dominic Garcia Suzanne Gatt Jesmond Grixti Marie Josephine Mallia Alice Micallef Dirk Muscat Carmel Navarro Lesley Nixon Mario Pace Randolph Peresso Paul Anthony Rapa Ivan Riolo Anna Scicluna Doreen Spiteri Jane Spiteri Mario Testa Roger Tirazona Diane Vassallo John Paul Vella Yosanne Vella Deborah Williams Charmaine Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |