| CODE | EDS4304 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Constructs of Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Context | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Education Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study unit is organized into four parts. The first part will introduce students to the role of memory and forgetting in the secondary school context. The use of memory aids and study skills will be considered in improving and retaining meaningful learning, as well as preparation for examinations. It seeks to identify and explore ways of improving teaching techniques and strategies. In the second part the focus will be on intelligence and creativity and how they come to bear on secondary school learning. The third part of the study unit will focus on learner diversity and the factors that impinge on it, including reasons for school failure. Issues dealing with learners at risk and exceptionality will also be considered. The last section will deal with issues of school and classroom organization. Topics such as streaming and comprehensive systems, inclusive and exclusive arrangements, seating arrangements, and co-education will be covered from the perspective of their impact on the learner and on learning. Detailed Course Description: 1. Gagne's Conditions of Learning and their applications to education (five categories and nine phases of learning). Brain hemispheres and learning (laterality, speech and language centres); Memory (storage, coding and retrieval, rehearsal and attention, factors affecting attention, characteristics of working memory/short term memory, the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad / episodic buffer, long term memory storage processes, rote and meaningful learning). Ausubel's model of learning (concept mapping and concept teaching, factors affecting learning, facilitating storage and retrieval, effective learning and study strategies). Positive expository instruction (problem solving). Anxiety and learning, challenge and competition, encouragement and attribution Learning and performance goals (attribution theory; perceived control and personal causation). Teacher-student interaction and attribution theory. Motivation, anxiety, stress and performance. Attribution and causality (gender nd ethnic differences). Teaching and learning in the next decade 2. Learner diversity in intelligence - conceptualizing ‘intelligence’ (intuitive and theoretical notions; traditional and recent conceptions). Theories of intelligence (psychometric; cognitive; cognitive-contextual; biological). The measurement of intelligence (what is being measured? how is it measured? measured intelligence and the normal distribution). The role nature and nurture (the nature-nurture debate; various perspectives; kinship and foster child studies; distributed intelligence). Group differences in intelligence (the nature of group differences; ethnic differences; gender differences). Intelligence and success at school (aptitude and achievement; the predictive validity of measured intelligence; intelligence and scholastic achievement; intelligence and the teacher expectancy effect). The gifted and talented learner (what is giftedness?; identifying gifted and talented pupils; addressing their needs). Organizing the learning context - age and ability grouping (grouping by month of birth, streaming, banding, setting, mixed ability grouping; setting (between-class grouping by ability); co-education and single-sex schools; organizing learning activities (individual work; pair and group work); types of learning and tutoring (competitive and cooperative learning; peer and cross-age tutoring; segregated or inclusive settings [inclusion, integration, segregation and exclusion]; who benefits from inclusion?) How and why learners fail (fear, anxiety and underachievement; the effects of physical illness; the effects of child abuse). Reading list: Recommended Texts: - Eggen, P. & Kauchak (2007). Educational Psychology – Windows on Classrooms (7th ed.). NJ: Pearson, Merrill, Prentice Hall. Recommended Readings - Sternberg, R. & Williams, W. (2010). Educational Psychology (2nd ed.). NJ. Allyn & Bacon. to be added - Ormrod, J. (2007). Human Learning (5th ed.). NJ: Pearson, Merrill, Prentice Hall. - Gredler, M.E. (2005). Learning and Instruction: Theory into Practice (5th ed.). NJ: Pearson, Merrill, Prentice Hall. |
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| RULES/CONDITIONS | Before TAKING THIS UNIT YOU MUST TAKE EDS3211 | ||||||||
| ADDITIONAL NOTES | In the case of a resit session, the method of assessment may remain the same or may consist of 8 - 10 objective questions. | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Louis John Camilleri |
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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 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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