PRA048 Practice

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Post-Graduate Certificate in Education for Vocational Teachers

Teaching language

Norwegian.

Prerequisites

None.

Course contents

This is the students' first practice period, consisting of 20 days in upper secondary school in the autumn and 10 days at lower secondary level in the spring.

The goals for this practice period are to provide students with knowledge and experience in the management of learning processes and in the management of learning and development work in an individual and a group perspective.

During the practice period, students will observe, plan, implement and assess their own teaching, receive guidance, participate in various meetings and carry out other tasks at the practice schools.

The academic responsibility for the practice period lies with the practice schools and the academic communities in pedagogy and vocational didactics at the UiA. Students may not do teaching practice at their own workplace.

Learning outcomes

The students' learning outcomes are grouped according to the six areas of competence specified in the National Guidelines for Post-Graduate Certificate in Education for Years 8 - 13

Upon completion of the practice period, students should have competence in the following areas:

1. Competence in pedagogy and vocational didactics implies that students:

• are able to plan and carry out instruction in cooperation with their teaching practice supervisor

• are able to formulate learning objectives for individual pupils and groups of pupils in accordance with the general curriculum

• are conscious of the significance of multiculturalism for the learning environment

• are able to assess and document pupil learning and development

• try various forms of learning-focused feedback to enable pupils/apprentices to reflect on their own learning

• are aware of and try to use the didactic relation model when planning, carrying out and assessing instruction

• reflect on their own instruction

• try to use digital tools in their own work and in the pupils' learning efforts

2. Adaptive and developmental competence implies that students:

• demonstrate openness, ability and willingness to receive feedback regarding their own teaching and behaviour

• are active during the guidance phase

• are able to take the perspective of others

• use teaching experience to improve their own practice

• reflect on and demonstrate willingness and ability to change their practice based on guidance

3. Subject competence implies that students:

• are able to identify the five basic skills in all subjects:

  • oral expression skills

  • reading skills

  • writing skills

  • numeracy skills

  • skills in the use of digital tools

• present the academic content in a correct, varied manner and try to adapt it to individual pupils and groups of pupils

• through academic insight, involvement and communication skills, motivate for learning, professional pride and professional identity

• are familiar with applicable legislation and steering documents relevant to the practice of their profession

• try to use some relevant academic methods, tools, processes, techniques and forms of expression

• focus on HSE measures

4. Relational, interaction and communication competence implies that students:

• use their knowledge of youth culture and youth development in order to create a constructive, inclusive learning environment

• communicate and collaborate in a friendly and safe manner with individual pupils and groups of pupils

• build good relations to pupils/apprentices and other relevant partners

5. Professional ethics competence implies that students:

• are punctual and well prepared for instruction and guidance

• contribute to solving cooperation problems and bullying (including on social websites) between pupils, and help pupils whose well-being in school is compromised

• appear as good role models and maintain this role as both professionals and educators in accordance with values and norms laid down in the professional ethics platform

6. Management competence implies that students:

• work to stand out as clear leaders for the learning work, and towards defining clear boundaries for individual pupils and groups of pupils

• work to provide pupils with clear messages regarding goals, content, working methods, frameworks and assessment for individual instruction sessions

• practice addressing and handling conflict situations

Teaching methods

The teaching practice must be supervised and have a total duration of 30 days. The main emphasis will be on individual practice in upper secondary school, but the students can also practice in pairs or small groups. For teaching practice in lower secondary school, the whole period can be completed in pairs or groups.

Each student will work 40 hours per week on average during the practice period. Of this, 8 - 12 teaching hours per week will be allocated to individual instruction during the practice period. As a main rule, the student will receive an additional 3 - 4 hours of guidance per week. The teaching practice is compulsory and requires 100% attendance. It is not permitted to take compensatory time off or to work during the practice period.

The teaching practice may take place anywhere in the Agder region. Students may not do teaching practice at their own workplace during the first year of practice.

Assessment methods and criteria

Upon completion of the teaching practice, an individual written assessment is given with the grade of passed/failed. The assessment is made based on the learning outcome and given criteria for the practice period.

Students must present the assessment report to their teaching practice supervisor at the beginning of a new practice period.