Facilitating LearningLaajuus (14 cr)

Objective

The purpose of the course

This course supports the development of your expertise in facilitating of learning combining theoretical knowledge with practical tools and exercises. We also discuss the importance and formation of teacher’s identity and agency, how to support their development as a facilitator of learning. You will gain skills and competences on how to facilitate learning in varying learning environments, e.g. in digital environments and working-life contexts.

Course competences

During this course you will develop facilitating learning skills, learning environment skills, interaction skills, agency skills and reflection skills.

Facilitating learning skills consists of:
Teachers’ theoretical and philosophical understanding of learning.
Ability to plan, implement and assess meaningful learning processes.
Take into consideration the diversity of learners.

Learning environment skills refers to:
Teachers’ ability to develop varied, motivating and accessible learning environments.
Ability to utilise different digital resources to support learning.

Interaction skills refers to:
Teachers’ capacity to work in different interactive relationships and partner networks in an ethically sound manner.

Reflection skills means
Teachers’ ability to recognise and critically assess their values, attitudes, ethical principles and work methods as a facilitator of learning.

Agency skills refers to
Teachers’ proactive approach to set aims for their own professional development.
An ability to make appropriate and pedagogically sound decisions related to their work.
An ability to participate in a joint knowledge building working in partner networks to develop teachers’ and their organisation’s practices.

The learning objectives

You become familiar with learning as a phenomena. You are able to plan, implement and evaluate meaningful and theoretically and ethically sound learning processes in different learning environments. You can interact the way that promotes learning in a variety of situations. You become familiar with the different learning environments of vocational education and training. You are able to reflect upon your own actions as a facilitator of learning.

Content

Familiarisation with different learning environments and learning as a phenomena. Planning, implementing and assessing learning processes. Observing and analysing peer students’ facilitation of learning, as well as giving and receiving feedback of learning facilitation. Assessing and reflecting upon own teacher competences.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The criteria for assessing the approved level are as follows:

Facilitating learning skills:
- You are aware of the theoretical and philosophical starting points for learning and you able to analyse and justify your own theory-in-use of facilitating learning.
- You can plan meaningful learning processes that are based on set learning objectives
- You take the diversity and personal goals of learners into account when planning, facilitating and assessing learning.
- You able to facilitate learning of your students and assess their skills and competences in a way that supports learning.

Learning environment skills:
- You are familiar with different professional learning environments and you are able to operate in them the way that promotes learning.
- You can develop and renew safe learning environments in cooperation with other relevant parties.

Interaction skills:
- You are able to work constructively, inspiringly and ethically in different interactive situations with students and other stakeholders.

Reflection skills:
- You can identify and assess the ethical basis of your own actions and thinking.
- You able to assess you own facilitation of learning skills and set new goals for the development of facilitation competence.

Agency skills:
- You make decisions on the facilitation of learning process and the development of learning environments based on professional pedagogy and other relevant information.
- You have an investigative, curious and positive but critical approach to novelties and changes in curricula, learning facilitation and the development of learning environments.