Equality and Equity in Teaching and GuidanceLaajuus (5 cr)

Objective

The purpose of the study unit 

In this study unit, you will familiarise yourself with the diversity of students’ learning and studying: the student’s individual needs for support, the significance of culture and language, and the nature of gender sensitive guidance. You will also familiarise yourself with the collaboration networks for guidance and support at an educational institution. In this study unit, you will grow your capabilities as a developer of accessible learning and teaching together with a variety of actors.

Study unit competences

In this study unit, you will promote and develop your interpersonal skills and reflection skills.

The objective for interpersonal skills is to be able to strengthen learners’ competence. You will be able to support learners’ competence for continuous learning, such as self-regulation and reflection skills, and the ownership of their own learning process. You will also have the ability to take into account learner diversity and learners’ personal starting points and goals when planning and carrying out learning sessions and guiding learning. Your approach is dialogical and ethical in a way that supports the well-being of learners.

The objective for reflective skills is to be able to recognise and assess one’s pedagogical assumptions, and work methods as facilitators of learning. You will be able to realistically assess your own learning and competence and set yourself new goals as a facilitator of learning.

Learning objectives

You will be able to assess your own perspectives as a teacher for diverse learners and support the learning of all learners. You will be aware of learners’ individual experience, support needs and backgrounds, and you will understand their significance in the learning process. You will also understand the significance of cultural and gender sensitivity in a teacher’s work. 

Content

Special needs support and guidance as part of a teacher’s competence. Questions of equality, accessibility and inclusion. Culturally sensitive, linguistically aware, and gender sensitive guidance and teaching.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The criteria for assessing the approved level are as follows:

Interpersonal skills
- You will understand the significance of student diversity in your own teaching work and the activities of student groups.   
- You will be aware of students’ possible needs for special support . 
- You will understand the importance of cultural and gender sensitivity in teaching and guidance work.  

Reflection skills
- You will identify and assess, from the perspective of promoting student equality and inclusion, the basic concepts, values and attitudes that influence your teaching and you own ways of thinking and operating models.  
- You will set new objectives for yourself as a teacher engaging with student diversity.