Course Design

The modules in this micro-credential are designed following the 4A‘s approach.

Activate prior knowledge – includes tasks that help participants make connections to existing schemata

Acquire new knowledge – presents foundational readings and tasks that introduce target concepts

Apply new knowledge – tasks to connect new knowledge to current practice

Assess the knowledge – formative assessment applications and summative assessment suggestions for individuals seeking a micro credential

Module 4 Delivery

Objective:

Create an activity with clear purpose, expectations, and specific scaffolds that support students’ active participation.

Outcomes:

1. Identify strategies that support successful oral presentations.
2. Structure groupwork to maximize participation and accountability.
3. Create an FAQ sheet for students with academic strategies to support student success.

Framing the Training

Asset-Based Pedagogy

If you did not complete Module 1, we recommend that you start this unit by framing it with the section  from Module 1 that is intended to introduce or review concepts of Asset-Based Pedagogies. These concepts underpin the information in this module, so we encourage participants to complete this section first.

In order to decide if you should direct participants to this section, you can ask yourself the following questions:

1. Are participants familiar with the concepts of deficit approaches, difference approaches, and asset-based approaches?
2. Are participants familiar with the concepts of Culturally Relevant and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy?

If participants are not familiar, or only somewhat familiar with these concepts, we advise that this section be completed before progressing to other parts of the module.

Learner Diversity and Group Work

Facilitating Group Work for Learner Success

Activate

What: Reflecting on current practices for group work.

How: Self-evaluation handout

S4-Group Work Self-Assessment [Word] S4-Group Work Self-Assessment [PDF]

Acquire

What: Knowledge of the particular challenges of cross-cultural group work

How: Read about different cultural approaches to communication and decision-making and strategies to overcome differences in a group setting.

What: Strategies to help facilitate success in group projects.

How: Read about the benefits of group contracts.

Apply

How: Reflect on a current group assessment used in a course and answer the following questions:

1. What is currently working well with the group assessment?

2. What challenges have you had with the group assessment?

3. What is one idea for this section on group work that you will incorporate the next time you assign the group assessment?

Considerations and Strategies for Oral Presentations

Activate

What: Reflect on causes of anxiety for your students around giving oral presentations.

How: Personal notes and sharing

Acquire:

What: Sources of anxiety around public speaking.

How: Reading report of paper.

What: Considerations for creating a linguistic and culturally inclusive space

How: Through reading and reflection, develop further awareness of cultural inclusivity, your attitudes towards language usage in your course, the role that teachers play in fostering linguistic diversity tolerance. Determine what you consider acceptable English, with the understanding that communication needs to be clear but there is variety in World Englishes that should be considered. Read about the responsibility of the class during presentations.

How: Watch a video about the concept of strong accents.

Apply

What: Connect what you have learned about what makes students anxious and considerations of ‘standardized’ English with your learners.

How: Survey some of your learners to determine what makes them anxious and where they plan to use their education once graduated.

Tips and Strategies Supporting Learners’ Oral Presentations

Acquire

What:   Design and assign appropriate oral presentations taking into consideration the possible different kinds of presentations, the clarity of the instructions, and the mechanics of making presentations.

How: Read about and consider alternate options to the formal oral presentation, the amount of detail needed in the instructions and the actual mechanics of putting together the presentation. Links are included for student referral or teacher development. Determining Oral Presentation Types [Word] S4 Determining Oral Presentation Types [PDF]

Apply

What: Application of strategies that can be used to improve oral presentation anxiety for all students.

How: Evaluate the types of oral presentations currently used against outcomes and what was learned. Annotate oral presentation instructions with possible improvements in relation to equity and inclusiveness.

Additional Supports for Learners

FAQs and Additional Supports

Activate

What: Reflect on personal experiences in a learning institution and what information was or was not shared.

How: Personal notes

Acquire

What: Identify strategies to help support learners within an institution.

How: Read about creating an effective FAQ page for students.

Apply

How: Modify or create an FAQ page for learners.

Assess

What: For participants completing this module as part of a micro-credential badge, assign a summative assessment that incorporates the concepts covered in the module.

How:  SP4  Summative Assessment & Rubric

SPELL 2 Assessment: SPELL-4-Fnl-Assessment [Word]  SPELL-4-Fnl-Assessment [PDF]