Tier I – Teaching Practice modules
Lesson Design and Factors Affecting Student Learning (Lesson Design)
This module introduces strategies that teachers can use to plan lessons via Backward Design, and helps teachers deliver their lessons as their ‘favorite teachers’ would. During Lesson Design, teachers are introduced to Assessment for Learning strategies to complement their current traditional teaching methods. This module is a prerequisite for each of the other Tier I modules, as all three other modules refer to or build upon this “base” module.
Active Student Engagement
This module introduces strategies that teachers can use to make lessons engaging and active for students, and makes the case for the beneficial impact of participatory and interactive learning on student understanding and interest. A significant focus is put on an extensive suite of Formative Assessment strategies and new ways of teaching that involve and inspire students.
Critical Thinking Skills
The module introduces strategies to get students to do higher order thinking to have deeper connection with lessons. It addresses the problems of memorizing and regurgitation head on, and introduces metacognition and other student-centered strategies to help teachers embed strategies to help students learn through enquiry, irrespective of subject discipline.
Using Prior Knowledge
This module teaches strategies on, and the importance of, creatively unearthing information that students already know about a topic from a variety of sources, and building lessons around that knowledge. It takes into account previous academic, cultural, environment, and internet-sourced knowledge to make learning goals and content more easily accessible to students.
