Principles and Practices of Effective Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century

Effective Teaching and Learning

By; Erwin O. Mogusu, St. Pauls’ Gekano boys high school

omogusu@gmail.com +254724401612

Abstract

This paper explores ways of reducing the gap between the pedagogical intentions of an instructor and the outcomes as realized through the skills and knowledge that the learners acquire from the instructional encounters. If the gap is reduced, then there is effective teaching and learning. We first have to agree that we cannot teach the 21^st century learners as we did to their grandparents. Today’s learners are faced with unique challenges as well as great potentials due to the changing environment. The relationship between what is now possible in the teaching and learning, what various educational stakeholders expect and what is educationally effective is not yet clear. However, it should be noted that there is no single principle or practice that is effective in the teaching and learning in all situations. Therefore, this paper only outlines best practices in teaching and learning in various places around the globe with an aim of not only forming a useful tool for teachers and school managers, but also to act as a lesson for policy makers in regard to what works around the world. One of the best practices is visualization which helps the learners to visualize and have a practical experience on how their schooling applies in the real world. Cooperative learning, where learners are encouraged to work together in groups, promotes the learners’ self-confidence, communication skills as well as their critical and creative thinking. Inquiry-based learning, entails an instructor posing a thought-provoking question to inspire the learners to think for themselves and become more independent learners. Differentiation is where the teacher will allocate different tasks to different learners, based on the learners’ ability to ensure that no learner is left behind. Technology in the classroom helps the teacher to ensure that all the learners are actively engaged in the lesson. Behavior management strategy is key for the teacher to earn the learners respect and ensure that the learners have an equal chance of attaining their full potential. Professional development gives a teacher an opportunity to remain up to date on her mastery of content, and hence her confidence in class. A teacher needs to give feedback to her learner for them to adjust accordingly and likewise the teacher should provide an opportunity to receive feedback from the learners for her to adjust the learning process and materials among other variable factors. Parent/Community engagement will ensure that parents and community members develop and support a shared focus on attaining the goals that contribute to improving the learners’ performance. Lastly, the teacher should involve herself in the curriculum design to ensure that the curriculum is best for the learners according to her. All the practices in one way or the other will promote the 21^st century skill which include; Communication skills, collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Effective Teaching and Learning

For effective learning to take place there has to be effective teaching which requires principles for effectiveness. These principles refer to the objectives of education in general and of teaching in particular. Thus the outcomes of effective teaching and learning will go beyond the cognitive development of the learners to include other important social, behavioral and affective current and future oriented purposes and goals of education. These might comprise developing learners to become good citizens, promoting their physical, emotional and economic well-being and instilling skills and attitudes that inspire lifelong learning.

According to Kyriacou, (1997), effective teaching is that the students achieve the learning ‘intended by the teacher’. A more descriptive definition takes into account the fact that the learners have a role to play in the teaching and learning process. According to (Biggs, 2003, Kember and MacNaughton, 2007, Pring, 2001, Ramsden, 1992), learning is a two-way process which is determined through the interactions between teachers and learners and is therefore an active pursuit.

A classroom is a dynamic setting, bringing together learners of diverse backgrounds with different abilities and personalities. Effective teaching therefore demands implementation of creative and innovative principles and practices in order to satisfy the individual needs of every learner in the classroom.

Whether one has been teaching for two months or two decades, it can be difficult to identify which teaching approaches will work best with particular learners. For any teacher, there is no teaching approach that fits all solutions, here are some of principles and practices for effective teaching and learning.

Visualization

A human being has got five senses. Research indicates that a learner will understand a concept better when he uses more than one sense to learn. For instance, a teacher who shows learners a video accompanied by an audio, enables the learners to learn the concept through the sense of hearing and seeing. In addition, a teacher can conduct practical, guide students in projects and organize for field trips for the learners to observe the real-world applications of what they have learnt. Some of the apparatus for practical work and students’ projects can be costly, however creative teachers can improvise using locally available materials.

 Cooperative learning

Encouraging learners to work in groups will go a long way in promoting their self-confidence, communication skills and critical thinking. According to Ono and Ferreira (2010), participation in learning groups improves the learners’ outcomes. The teacher should guide the learners in the formation of the groups so as to mix students with different abilities and personalities.

Inquiry-based instruction

Pose thought-provoking questions to inspire the learners to think for themselves and become more independent learners. A thought provoking question at the start of the lesson acts as a hook to arise and maintain the learners’ curiosity for the lesson.

 Also encourage students to ask questions and clarifications. Before a teacher responds to a leaner’s question she should first give other learners an opportunity to respond to the question. Research show that inquiry-focused protocol significantly improves learners’ achievement (Gallimore, Ermeling, Saunder & Goldenberg, 2009). The teacher should be cautious not to over burden the learners with challenging questions which might lead to learners developing a notion that the subject is difficulty for them hence switch off.

Differentiation

Teaching can be conducted by allocating tasks on learners’ abilities to ensure that no one gets left behind. The learners with higher academic capabilities get stretched while those who are struggling get the appropriate support.

 Technology in the classroom

Integrating technology in a classroom is a great way to actively engage learners. ICT plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of learning as envisaged in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number four (Confait, 2015).

Interactive smartboards, projectors and mobile devices can be used to display images and videos, which assists learners to visualize abstract academic concepts. Learning can become more interactive when technology is used to engage learners during a lesson as well as instantly research their ideas, which develops autonomy.

Digital literacy is one of the 21^st century skills. All teachers in the 21^st century are expected to integrate ICT in their teaching and learning. There is no standard procedure on how or when to use ICT in teaching and learning. It is the prerogative of the teacher to judge on how best to integrate ICT in her lesson to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Behavior management

A teacher should develop an atmosphere for mutual respect with her students. She should ensure that the noisy levels in the classroom is manageable for productive teaching and learning to take place. The teacher should be firm but fair in disciplining her students.

The students look up to the teacher as their role model and therefore a teacher should live to the highest standards of integrity, good morals and even the dressing styles. This will encourage the students to exhibit good citizenship as they grow to adulthood.

Professional development

In addition to mastery of content, effective teaching and learning is accompanied by a teacher understanding on how learners learn and the emerging issues in the education sector. This can be achieved if the teacher gets engaged in regular professional development programs.

Professional development programs will also create an opportunity for the teacher to get out of the classroom and work alongside other teachers to share her experiences and learner from their experiences too. A teacher who is updated will be confident in her delivery of content to her learners.

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) is now being embraced in both developed and developing countries. For example, in Kenya TPD is spearheaded by Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) supported by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), (CEMASTEA, 2018).

African Digital Schools Initiative (ADSI), is a four-year project by Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GESCI)  which has taken 800 Kenyan teachers through technology literacy, knowledge creation and knowledge deepening with the aim of improving the teaching and learning process in Kenya using ICT.

Feedback

Feedback is an important comportment of learning. It enables the teacher and the learner to reflect on the teaching and learning process. A teacher will give learners an opportunity to give feedback on the lesson. The feedback can be through question answer method or the questions that the learners ask at the end of the lesson. The teacher reflects on the lesson with a view to identify what worked well what did not work well. Reflection is an active process of exploration and discovery which often leads to unexpected outcomes (Boud, Keogh & Walker, 1985). The feedback we get from our mistakes can be the most specific, pointed and powerful feedback we will ever get (Wofford, 2012). According to CEMASTEA (2018), one way to gain maximum benefit from mistakes is to examine them and find a way of correcting them. This can lead to a teacher adjusting her choice of teaching materials and teaching approaches for the better.

The teacher should also give learners feedback for them to adjust accordingly. The learners feel motivated when they have done better and their effort being noticed as evidenced by the teacher’s comments.

Parent/Community Involvement

For effective teaching and learning, it is important for the teacher to understand the background of her learner. This will give the teacher a broader view of the learner’s challenges and strengths during the process of guidance and counselling.

The teacher, the learner and the parents should also jointly come up with targets to be achieved within a specified time. This will enable each party to play her role towards a common goal of improving the learner’s outcomes.

Curriculum design

A teacher should be involved in the design of a curriculum which she is expected to implement. An effective teacher should be ready to attend trainings for new curriculum implementation and contribute positively towards the betterment of the curriculum. During the teaching process the teacher should identify gaps in the teaching and learning materials and work towards filling the gaps like publishing of books, developing teaching aids among others.

Conclusion

The late Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, said that education is one of the most powerful tool that you can use to change society. UNESCO (2017), outlines that the learning outcomes are essentially evidence of having acquired competencies as a result of proper learning. The competencies attest to the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process. UNESCO (2017), adds that a country should identify sets of competencies that the learners are expected to acquire as learning outcomes if they are to effectively contribute to the nation’s development agenda. Consequently, countries are now introducing competency-based education.

Kenya one the countries rolling out Competency-based curriculum, through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has identified the following core competencies to be achieved by every learner in basic education, (KICD, 2017).

·         Communication and collaboration

·         Self-efficacy

·         Critical thinking and problem solving

·         Creativity and imagination

·         Citizenship

·         Digital literacy

·         Learning to learn

The competencies will enable Kenya to thrive in the 21^st century. The principles and practices discussed in this paper are geared towards promoting these 21^st century skills and competencies as enlisted by KICD.

References

Biggs, J. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education. Maidenhead: SRHE.

Boud, D., Koegh, R. and Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Routledge Falmer, London: UK.

CEMASTEA (2018). Lesson study: A practical guide for implementation. JKF; Nairobi: Kenya

Confait, S. (2015). Beginning teachers’ challenges in their pursuit of effective teaching practices. Wellington: Cogent Education. Accessed at:   http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2014.991179

Gallimore, R., Ermeling, A., Saunders, M. and Goldenberg, C. (2009). Moving the learning of teaching closer to practice: Teacher education implications of school-based inquiry teams. The elementary School Journal, 109(5), 537-553.

Kember, D. and McNaughton, C. (2007). Enhancing university teaching. Lessons from research into award winning teachers. Abingdon: Routledge.

KICD (2017). Basic Education Curriculum Framework. KICD; Nairobi: Kenya

Kyriacou, C. (1997). Effective Teaching in Schools. Stanley Thornes; London.

Ono, Y. and Ferreira, J. (2010). A case study of continuing teacher processional development through Lesson Study in South Africa. South African Journal of Education, 30, 59-74.

Pring, R. (2001). Education as a moral practice. Journal of Moral Education. Vol. 30, no. 2, pp.101-112.

Ramsden, P. (1992). Learning to teach in in higher education. Routledge; London.

UNESCO (2017). Competencies. Accessed at: http://www.ibe.unesco.org/sites/default/files/resources/02_future_competences_and_the_future_of_curriculum_30oct.v2.pdf

Wofford, M. (2012). 7 Habits for Leadership Success. Accessed at: http://www.tlnt.com/7-habits-for-leadership-success-from-dr-stephen-covey

Additional information

Author information
Erwin onyambu Mogusu

- Holds a bachelor of education science (Mathematics and Physics) of Egerton University.
- A classroom teacher at St. Pauls’ Gekano boys High school in Nyamira county, Kenya.
- A KCSE national examiner for physics paper two.
- A post-graduate student at Kenyatta University undertaking master of science (electronics and instrumentation) in the department of physics.
- Has undertaken a short course in the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in the republic of South Korea, sponsored by the MOE, Kenya and the Gangwon province of education, South Korea.

- He is the school based coordinator for AFRICAN DIGITAL SCHOOLS INITIATIVE- ADSI project.
Funding
Funding. The author received no direct funding for this research. The research was done with an intention of being presented at the teachers conference organized by TSC, Kenya on 14th and 15th of June 2019.
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