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Teaching and Learning Approaches

Classic Teaching Methods/Approach

Class Session-Lecture

In the beginning of the semester, I normally introduce myself in the class, doing an ice breaking for all students and explaining the teaching plan. This is important as it will make student understand the entire learning process for the entire semester starting from the outline to assessment method.

I always begin each class with a brief reflection on what that had been learned during the previous class session. This is important in order to establish the connection in between one lesson to another. Then, my lecture proceeds with establishing the learning outcome for the particular lecture hours. I believe this is an essential step in setting up student intention (as well as my intention) in following the lecture session with focus.  With a clear objective in each lecture session, students will be motivated to get involved with the activities that have been planned in order to achieve the targeted outcome.  The in class lecture session can be divided into several types of sub activities such as:

  • Lecture that outlined by slide
  • text book revision and review
  • in class activity/exercise
  • revision on take home activity
  • do coding together

My lecture session will be ended by each member reflecting on what had been learned on the day, works that is needed to carry out for further understanding and things to be explored for the next lecture session.

Tutorial

Tutorial question is an additional exercise activity session to guide student in improving their understanding on the theoretical and application content of the subject matter.  Depending on the intended outcome for each of the question but mostly each of the question is made mimicking the format of the final exam question so that student can make themselves more familiar to the exam based question. Tutorial session is always handled in a smaller group in which total number of student in a full lecture is separated into two or three different group depending on the availability of timetable. This is important in order to differentiate in between lecture and tutorial and to make it in line with the requirement of the MQA and EAC. With a smaller group of student per instructor/lecture will help increase the student attention and making a learning more personalise. A separate session is usually conducted to help students on exercises that involve analytical skills.   In contrast, questions that are intended for developing assessing and evaluation skill is usually carried out during lecture session.

Laboratory

Laboratory is the most crucial part of making student understand the content of the subject. It allowing student to experience the practical part of the subject and experiment with the advance tool to either prove the basic concept of the theory, to experience with the application of the knowledge or to learn on how to use the tool itself. Student will be evaluated on their involvement in the experimentation and also the way that they reflecting their understanding in the form report writing.

Class Presentation

Class presentation is a must activity that at least done once per semester. It is usually based upon an assigned topic of discussion or as part of the assignment progress presentation. I am implementing this approach as an effort to build student’s confidence, promote deep understanding in subject matter and enhanced their communication skill.  Through the activities, students are encouraged to give their very best effort in preparing a good material to be presented.  Moreover, during each presentation, class discussion is conducted as a medium for students to raise their concern, give comments and feedback to the presentation.