Observation Training for Lower Secondary Schools (KPD/E-OB1)

8 credits
Lecturer: Mgr. Bc. Martina Matějíček Rozsypalová, Ph.D.
Lessons (Lectures + Exercises + Seminars): 0 + 2 + 0 [hours/week]
Semester: winter/summer
Credit test preceding examination: None
Registration for examination: written
Teaching methods: observation, reflection tasks, discussion.
Examination methods: 1. analysis of portfolio; 2. written examination.
Status of the course in the study program: the course is a part of the study programme Specialization – Pedagogy, plan Universal Pedagogy and Psychology (Bachelor degree programme) and of the programme Teaching for Primary Schools – Level 2, plan Universal Pedagogy and Psychology (Master degree programme). The course is provided by the Department of Education and Adult Education.

Annotation:

After the introductory seminar, where they get to know the organisation and requests, students go through 10 teaching units of observation at lower secondary schools. There they have got an opportunity to meet the theory and educational reality and to become familiar with it. Also they get a closer look at the occupation of the teacher at the Czech Republic. Each lesson is focused on a particular problem, that is being observed. During the observation students make notes and then collect them into a portfolio.

Requests:

Students reflect the observed educational reality in connection with the knowledge of theory in written form. These reflections become a part of a portfolio, that may contain also some samples of pupils´ work, photos etc. The students participate at the discussion about the observed teaching units, too. The written test will cover below mentioned topics.

Topics:

Methodology - what it means to teach.
Communication and interaction.
Aims and objectives of the education.
Exercises, tasks, problems - their types and cognitive demandingness.
Teaching methods.
Types of organisation and teaching aids.
Evaluation in the Czech schools.
Teacher´s and pupil´s key skills.

Skills:

to be able to make the feedback and to evaluate the lesson
to develop communicative skills (argumentation)
to be able to create objectives of teaching units correctly
to be able to compare educational reality in the Czech primary school with educational reality in their native country

Literature:

ARENDS, R. I. Learning to teach. New York : McGraw-Hill, 1991.
CLAXTON, G. Teaching to learn. London : Cassell, 1990.
FISCHER, P. Teaching Children to Thing. Cheltenham : Stanley Thornes, 1995.
HUOT, J. The Development of Thinking Skills. The Learning Resource. 1998.
MALACH, J. Základy didaktiky. Ostrava : PdF OU, 2002.
PETTY, G. Teaching today: a practical guide. Cheltenham
POSNER, G. J. Analyzing the Curriculum. New York : Mc-Graw Hill, 1992.
SPANLING, C. L. Motivation in the Classroom. New York : McGraw-Hall, 1992.
ULJENS, M. School Didactics and Learning. Hove : Psychology Press, 1997.