I. Program Affiliation: Agricultural and Extension Education
Course Number and Title: AGED 3133, Methods of Teaching
Instructor: George Wardlow 575-2035
Labs: Donna Graham and George Wardlow
II. Relationship to the Knowledge Base: Specialty, Pedagogy
This course is designed to provide pre-service teachers of agriculture and those who seek positions as extension educators with the methods and techniques of teaching which are general to all teachers, and with the methods and techniques which are unique to teaching the sciences and technologies of agriculture.
III. Goals:
A. To provide an understanding of principles of learning, particularly among youth and adults interested in the agriculturally-related sciences and technologies.
B. To provide an understanding of various techniques for organizing and presenting instruction.
C. To provide an opportunity to apply principles of learning to various techniques for organizing and presenting instruction through the development and presentation of student prepared lessons.
IV. Competencies:
Upon completion the course, students who have successfully completed it should be able to:
A. List and explain psychological principles which affect learning.
Primary Text:
Newcomb, L.H., McCracken, J.D. & Warmbrod, J.R. (1993). Methods of teaching agriculture. (2nd. Ed.). Danville, Il: Interstate Publishers, Inc.
Secondary Text:
Seevers, B., Graham, D., Gamon, J. & Conklin, N. (1997). Education through cooperative extension. New York: Delmar.
V. Content:
Topic 1
Reading: Newcomb, et al., chapters 1 & 2
Lecture: Course overview
Bases for effective teaching
Psychology of teaching and learning
Principles of teaching and learning
Attributes of effective teachers
Labs: Example teaching activity
Due: "Attributes of my most effective teacher"
Topic 2
Reading: Newcomb, chapters 4 & 5, appendix
Lecture: Approaches to teaching and learning
Teacher - centered approaches
Student - centered approaches
Constructivism
Problem solving
Planning for instruction
Labs: Example microteaching: demonstration
Due: Draft of major units for a course
Topic 3
Reading: Newcomb, pp. 82 - 84, 89 - 91
Lecture: Preparing instructional objectives
Writing problem statements
Generating questions-to-answer
Lab: Developing objectives and activities for a course
Due: Draft: plan for lab activities for a course
Topic 4
Reading: Handouts
Lecture: Parts of a lesson plan
Lab: Sequencing instruction in a lesson
Due: Course objectives
Lesson objectives
Problem statements
Topic 5
Reading: Newcomb, pp. 80 - 82, 85 - 87, chapter 8 & 12
Lecture: Understanding differences among students and teaching to their needs
Motivating students and creating interest in the lesson
Managing student behavior
Lab: Creating interest microteaching
Due: Outline of a lesson plan
Topic 6
Reading: Handouts
Lecture: Effective questioning techniques
Lab: Questioning microteaching
Due: Plan for interest approach
Topic 7
Reading: Newcomb, pp. 101 - 122, 140-147
Lectures: Approaches to instruction in formal settings
Teacher centered teaching
Lecture, question-answer-discussion, steps-and-key-points
Labs: Microteachings:
Lecture and QAD
Steps and key points
Due: Lesson plan to include components: lecture, QAD, S&KP
Topic 8
Reading: Newcomb, chapter 7
Lectures: Approaches to instruction in formal settings (cont.)
Student centered teaching
Activities / labs
Problem-solving
Present-situation-compared-to-an-ideal, advantages-disadvantages, possibilities-factors
Labs: Microteachings:
PSCI, AD, PF
Due: Lesson plan to include components: PSCI, AD, PF
Topic 9
Reading: Seevers, chapter 7
Lectures: Extension methods and instruction in non-school settings
Individual methods
Labs: Microteachings:
Teaching individuals
Due: Plan for teaching individuals
Topic 10
Reading: Seevers, chapter 7
Lectures: Extension methods and instruction in non-school settings
Group and mass contact methods
Labs: Microteachings:
Teaching in the mass market
Due: Plan for teaching in the mass market
Topic 11
Reading: Newcomb, overview chapters 9, 10, 11
Lecture: Sources of content for teaching
Lab (GW): Relationships between the classroom, lab, SAEP and FFA, and make-up microteaching
Lab (DG): Relationships with community groups
Topic 12
Reading: Newcomb, chapter 14
Lecture: Evaluating student performance
Lab: Catch up microteaching
Final Exam: Saturday, December 12, 7:30-9:30am
* Order is subject to change as necessary. Some content may be changed.
VI. Evaluation:
1. Attributes of my most effective teacher. 25 pts.
Consider the most effective teacher you have ever had as a student. Identify this person by their position, and write a short (2-3 page) description of their teaching style, including a list of the specific attributes that made them effective.
Create a plan to teach using a learning activity. 100 pts.
4. Course objectives. 50 pts.
Write at least 10 objectives for an agriculture course, according to Mager's system.
Lesson objectives. 50 pts.
Write at least 10 objectives for a lesson in an agriculture course, according to Mager's system.
Problem statements. 50 pts.
Write at least 10 problem statements for 1 or more lessons for a course.
5. Outline of a lesson plan. 50 pts.
Develop an outline of a lesson plan for a topic of your choosing. It should be in the form presented in class and be as detailed as possible.
6. Interest approach. 50 pts.
Identify a lesson of your choosing and write a detailed interest approach around which to teach the lesson.
7. Write complete lesson plans to include each of these techniques, for a course of your choosing.
Question - answer - discussion format 100 pts.
Steps and key points format 100 pts.
Problem-solving formats (choose one) 100 pts.
Possibilities and factors
Advantages and disadvantages format
Present situation compared to an ideal format
Individualized instruction format 100 pts.
Mass market instruction plan 100 pts.
8. Micro teaching.
Each student will be expected to be prepared each week to participate in the microteaching laboratory. Weekly attendance is essential in these participatory experiences. Students will be graded on the following microteaching exercises (as assigned):
Teach the development of an interest approach for a lesson 50 pts.
Teach a lab/learning activity. 100 pts.
Teach a lesson using question - answer - discussion technique 100 pts.
Teach a lesson using steps and key points technique 100 pts.
Teach a lesson using a problem-solving technique 100 pts.
Possibilities and factors
Advantages and disadvantages
Present situation compared to an ideal
Conduct an individualized instruction session 100 pts.
Present a plan for mass market instruction 100 pts.
9. Quizzes. 100 pts.
There are 2 scheduled quizzes and unscheduled quizzes may be given.
10. Final exam. 200 pts.
A comprehensive final exam will be given.
VII. Grading scale:
Grading procedures are assigned as a percentage of the possible points:
90 to 100 A
80 to <90 B
70 to <80 C
60 to <70 D
<60 F
Late work will be accepted with a 10% penalty per week. No assignments will be accepted after the last day of regularly scheduled classes. Incomplete grades will only be given in accordance with University policy.
The ability to write clearly and effectively is an essential characteristic of an educated person. Great ideas, poorly expressed, are of little benefit to society or to you. Because of the importance of effective writing, ALL Agricultural and Extension Education courses include formal writing assignments. These assignments are graded for grammar, punctuation, organization, clarity of expression, and content. All assignments in this course are subject to this expectation.
VIII. Academic Honesty and Student Responsibilities:
The University of Arkansas Academic Honesty Policy, as stated in the Undergraduate Studies Catalog will be fully adhered to in this course. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of and follow the Policy.
IX. Course Resources (Note: some may be available on the course Internet web site.):
A. Course readings or handouts on learning theory and teaching research, such as the works of:
1. Dewey
2. Bloom
3. Maslow
B. Handouts
C. Additional references as assigned.