Unit 27: Teaching In A Specialist Area
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AssignmentTutorOnline
1.1 Explain key aims of education and training in your own specialist area.
1.2 Analyse philosophical issues relating to education and training in your own specialist area.
2.1 Describe the aims and structure of key qualifications in your own specialist area.
2.2 Describe the aims and structure of leaning programmes on own specialist areas
2.3 Explain how your own approach to planning and preparations for the delivery of a learning programme in your own specialist area enables the aims to be met.
3.1 Analyse the inclusiveness of your own approach to the planning and preparation of a learning program in your own specialist area.
3.2 Explain how your own approach to the planning and preparation of a learning program in your own specialist area takes account of key curriculum issues including the role of new and emerging technologies.
4.1 Analyse ways in which teaching and learning resources, Including new and emerging technologies, meet the individual needs of learners in your own specialist area.
4.2 Analyse the inclusiveness of your own use of teaching and learning resources in a specialised area.
5.1 Liaise with others within a specialist area to develop own practice. 5.2 Review the impact of liaison with other teachers and trainers within own specialist area on their own practice.
6.1 Review the effectiveness of your own knowledge and skills in your specialist area.
6.2 & 6.3 SWOT analysis and action plan.
Conclusion
Bibliography
To : Tarana Khan
From :
Date:.
Subject: Teaching in Film and Media.
Task 1.
1.1 Explain key aims of education and training in your own specialist area.
My specialist area is film and media.
The key areas are academic study of film, how elements of film (lighting, camera, sound etc) can be used to create meaning, as well as a comparison between contemporary and classical filmmaking styles and contexts. There is also one unit in which learners write a script, and another in which they make a film.
The aims are to give the learners a chance to analyse a film critically on a micro level, understand the history and context of how a style or movement was formed, some understanding of the business as well as a chance to create a short piece of content as well.
The aim being to prepare the learner to pursue this further at degree level, or to prepare them for any apprenticeships they may undertake.
1.2 Analyse philosophical issues relating to education and training in your own specialist area.
The main philosophical issues that surround film and media is whether or not formal education is necessary. Technically, no. However, learners are exposed to film that they may have not been otherwise, as well as a chance to experiment. The academic route is also more advised if you’re not extroverted or suffer from any anxiety issues as a lot of networking is required. The subject could offer more hands on units, rather than being more weighted towards academic study. Practically, the other issue is the rate in which technology progresses, it’s hard to secure funding to constantly renew the equipment,the majority of equipment in the college is outdated. The equipment that is modern is also quite basic, so more complicated set-ups aren’t possible.
Other philosophical issues are the methods used for teaching. In the Diploma course, most of the learners work is project based and unique, so 1-2-1 feedback is the most effective. However this means the class aren’t speaking to each other as much as if a group discussion was used, or a more traditional lecture and questioning. There is also the issue where there are occasions where learners are all encountering the same issue, and a more conventional lesson is required, but as the standard format is usually 1-2-1, it’s often too late to change this. This method is also one of the most time consuming ways of running a lesson, and also means that occasionally you will assign work and not have enough time to check if it’s been completed at the end of the lesson.
Similar to this is practical teaching. This is required for some of the software that is used and how to use the equipment practically. However, as projects are unique, you can’t delve in as detailed as possible, as not everything is relevant. When teaching practically, you need to be broad so that there is something relevant for each learner. But the limitation of this is you can’t show them the more intricate factors which can really take their work to the next level, both creatively and assessment wise.
2.1 Describe the aims and structure of key qualifications in your own specialist area.
The media departments offer a range of qualification types, from A-levels to Diploma’s, often with a choice for each subject area (A-level/Diploma). My specialist area’s awarding body assessing on a modular scheme, with one component which is a non-exam assessment. The syllabus requirements from Eduqas are all mandatory in order to pass, and most modules are assessed via an exam at the end of the course.
This course is more weighted towards academic study of film, with an element of practical filmmaking. The aim is to provide a wider context to the history and variety of the film, as well increase learners essay writing, reflective ability and organisational skills.
The Media Studies Diploma offered has more of a weighting towards practical filmmaking and content creation. Learners can pick which area they’d like to focus on (photo-editing, cinematography, editing etc) and expand their knowledge in that area. They are assigned projects based on this and need to complete the set tasks within to pass the unit and the course. The course is awarded by UCL.
2.2 Describe the aims and structure of leaning programmes on own specialist areas
The aim of the a-level is to provide students with a wider range and context of film history, as well as provide them with a basic understanding of film production (how films are produced from initial conception to theatrical release) and how that’s changed over time. The awardings bodies (Equdas) assessment criteria consists of 2 exams, covering 6 films in total, and 2 pieces of coursework; a written script and 5 minute film. This syllabus is presented modularly, with an exam at the end of the 2 years, but with mock assessments throughout. This is a level 3, full time qualification.
The diploma course is awarded by UCL and runs for 3 years equaling a level 3 qualification. Each year is broken down into an average of 6 units (this varies depending on the year), with each year ending in a final major project. The final major project has a component of research, but other than that the main focus of the course is improving practical skills in a range of media’s (film,TV,advertising,documentary etc). Each year the units need to be completed and passed to progress onto the next level/year.
2.3 Explain how your own approach to planning and preparations for the delivery of a learning programme in your own specialist area enables the aims to be met.
The a-level course is delivered primarily through lectures. As such, presentations and relevant clips are the main resources that have to be planned, as well as reviewing any other media that needs to be viewed for the class. As the assessment is carried out at the end of the 2 years, assessment throughout the course is necessary in order to track progress and make sure knowledge has been retained. These are usually set before moving onto the next film, and then at the end of the next unit. Whilst what is required for each film is different, it can roughly be categorized into: the film, 2-4 key scenes, any relevant historical context, any relevant technical context. The mock exam at the end is to show that these areas have been summarised and understood, and in planning, it’s making sure an adequate amount of time is alloted to each area. Once the amount of time is planned out, I will have a look to see if any lessons lend themselves to a different style of teaching to try and keep things interesting. Oftentimes at the beginning of a subject where the learners have little knowledge (such as golden era Hollywood), group tasks aren’t as beneficial as they’ve no knowledge of the subject. Once they’ve got some initial knowledge, assigning group work and research becomes much more beneficial, as well as a break from the standard lecture format.
Task 2.
3.1 Analyse the inclusiveness of your own approach to the planning and preparation of a learning program in your own specialist area.
The inclusiveness of lessons varies, depending on whether or not the Diploma or A-level class is being taught. The diploma course runs longer (2.5 hours instead of 1.5 for A-level) and the course is heavily focused on project work rather than lecture and essay based. As such, students can be given 1-2-1 feedback easier, and there is also more time in order to ensure formative feedback is presented. Due to the nature of the project work, activities such as group discussions are not as relevant. However students are encouraged to Help and scaffold each other where necessary, creating an environment for scaffold learning and rapport between students. For example, one learner is doing a fashion film, and another is creating a clothing range, so they can collaborate together.
The A-level class has more opportunity for traditional inclusive techniques. Alongside worksheets, group discussions are also used. The class is often split into smaller groups of 2-3 students and they’re each given the question to find answers for. After a suitable amount of time, this feeds into the group discussion. Each group inputs ideas and they’re debated, and any ideas that could be useful that haven’t been discussed are raised and considered.
The scheme of work, and lesson plans, need to include some aspects of math, english, ICT and employability factoring that pose different issues. Where possible these need to be explained and expanded on. ICT is quite easy as the diploma course is computer based. The maths and english aspect are much more difficult, but noticeably more important for the diploma students. For both the diploma and a-level there are written assignments, so english is tested and expanded on, but this is much more relevant for the diploma course as many of the learners won’t have achieved high grades in English at GCSE level. This also needs to be considered when writing lessons for the diploma course to ensure everyone is able to follow. The diploma course also has the advantage of all submissions being online, so they are able to spell check everything before submitting.
Catering for different learners and learning styles is more difficult. My learners largely have a similar comprehensive ability so I do not need to plan for drastic gaps in knowledge. However, keywords or terms are printed off and available on their online accounts to review. As my specialist area is film, you don’t get as wide a range of learning styles, as most tend to be visual and kinesthetic learners. The challenge with this becomes finding ways in which to keep them actively engaged whilst watching the films (taking notes etc) so handouts with key pointers and places to take notes help.
Overall my personal teaching could be more inclusive of learning styles and core curriculum values, however there are methods I use in order to ensure values are promoted and maintained.
3.2 Explain how your own approach to the planning and preparation of a learning program in your own specialist area takes account of key curriculum issues including the role of new and emerging technologies.
The curriculum places a strong emphasis on transferable skills, such as employability, maths, english and technology. These need to be considered when preparing lessons. New technologies also have to be considered. The college has a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) in which the lesson resources (presentations, books, clips) can be put up and homework assigned. It can also track and send notifications about upcoming deadlines. The diploma course has much more of an emphasis on technology, as it’s a practical course. The software (the Adobe suite) and hardware (DSLR cameras) need to be taught as part of their course. There are also a huge amount of online tutorials which explore certain techniques, which can be given to the students directly using a VLE. This could be used for blended learning.
Sites such as PADLET and Milanote are also used in the diploma course, as creating moodboards is part of their assignments and both offer a well lain out platform for organising work. They’re also easy to change and adjust and can be accessed from any device, meaning that the mood boards can be worked on at any point from multiple devices. It also means they do not need to resubmit each time they make a change, as these changes are reflected on the board.
For the A-level class, there is less of a precedent for the use of emerging technologies. Apps such as Kahoot are used as a fun way of tracking the progress of learners’ understanding of concepts, but as much of the course revolves around understanding of abstract ideas (such as narrative comparison) which is harder to assess with Kahoot. As the key focus areas for development are critical thinking, class discussions and traditional essay writing are utalised more often.
4.1 Analyse ways in which teaching and learning resources, Including new and emerging technologies, meet the individual needs of learners in your own specialist area.
The VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) is a great resource for tracking the individual progress of learners. Work can be submitted in person, but a copy can also be uploaded to their individual profile. As well as assigning out necessary work, this can also be used as a way of tracking how much has been completed. There are also programs such as Pro Monitor which can keep track of attendance but can send messages to learners with questions but also set SMART targets. The targets are also viewable by other lectures so all can be focused on the learners achievements. Unfortunately there isn’t an automatic way of tracking progress (for instance if they haven’t submitted work by a certain date it’s flagged) and the system isn’t perfect and learners aren’t always on the correct course and work isn’t always distributed. When it comes to formative feedback this system is also very useful as you can quickly pull up all previous feedback.
The diploma students have a virtual portfolio, which they upload onto WIX (a website builder). All their units are uploaded onto this site once complete. The links to these sites are gathered at the start of the year and stored, so can be remotely accessed by any lecturers to track the progress of any learners. A limitation of this method is that whilst it can be viewed, comments or feedback can’t be attached in a convenient way i.e. as a comment. Therefore all feedback has to be sent via an alternate channel, usually in person, which can cause delays or human error. The learners also can log onto their website at any point as amend their projects and provides them with the opportunity to work on it at any point. However there is any issue with inclusiveness, as some students may not have access to the internet outside of the college. The course is also completely reliant on access to such technologies. If there are any internet or software issues (such as the computers need to be updated) this can cause delays and work can be lost. For instance, the college planned to update the current Adobe software, but in doing so would mean that all the learners’ work would be lost, as the new update isn’t backwards compatible.
The a-level students have a much more ‘conventional’ approach to lessons, in which technology is not such a dominant factor, but the films do need to be displayed. The interactive whiteboard is the main tool used in these classes, as they are versatile enough to be used for class discussions and also for viewing of clips. You can also use both features simultaneously, so you can use the screen to draw on. This is especially useful when analysing specific shots as you can annotate and display where things would be off camera (such as lighting placements). The writing can also be saved as a document and sent out to students once the lesson has been completed.
4.2 Analyse the inclusiveness of your own use of teaching and learning resources in a specialised area.
Inclusiveness is something that is always taken into consideration when teaching. I find group discussions (in smaller classes) are a great way to include all learners. Usually a few learners become the most vocal and can overshadow the quieter members of the class. So time needs to be factored in to keep track of these learners, whether it be through 1-2-1 discussions or quick catch-ups nearing the debrief at the end of the lesson. This discussion method builds class relations and provides everyone with an opportunity to voice opinions and understanding. This method keeps learners engaged as it’s on a personal level and the learners level isn’t as much of a concern, as you can cater what you’re saying on a personal level.
The diploma course has access to the Adobe suite (which contains editing software etc) which they can use whilst enrolled on their course, which they can access whilst at home. The documents are also stored on One-Drive, so can be accessed from any machine. This means learners have access to the necessary programs regardless of financial background. This also means they can use the software on any college computer, so if they don’t have access to the required technology, there is also the option for them to come into the college and complete their work. However I do have to factor in that some learners computer skills might be lacking. As there are discussions and we often walkthrough editing techniques and how to do certain functions within the software (such as colour grading).
Worksheets are also an inclusive practice for learners with visual difficulties, or who struggle with recall. Worksheets with keywords and phrases are useful to print off each lesson, so any learners with any difficulties can have a reference point for future lessons, without singling them out. These are also useful when it comes time to revise. Something I’m trying to be more conscious of is how these sheets are worded. In a few instances I’ve realised my definition of the keyword often has words that aren’t necessarily known to all learners, so I’m making more of an effort to ensure the descriptions are as accessible as possible.
I feel that I should employ a wider variety of resources in order to create a more inclusive environment. Ideally I’d have multiple tasks and worksheets for all learners, catered towards their ability. However this may cause classroom divide. However I feel I need to work on my delivery and explanations skills in order to be better understood by less academic learners. Currently, the students with difficulty learning aren’t understanding explanations as well as the more advanced learners.
5.1 Liaise with others within a specialist area to develop own practice.
See the lesson observation report.
5.2 Review the impact of liaison with other teachers and trainers within their own specialist area on their own practice.
Speaking to my mentor helped inform which areas I need to develop further and which were working well. My resource and knowledge range of the subjects is good, and I have a good range of interesting clips surrounding the areas that are taught. Similarly, the rapport built with the learners is good and they feel confident speaking. Some of the more shy learners don’t contribute, so they need to be brought in and given an opportunity to speak. Alternatively, I need to make sure I check in with them to make sure everything has been understood. Another area for development was that of different teaching approaches. As film is a visual medium, it becomes quite easy to lecture and show clips to illustrate points. Whilst having a range of clips helps keep the lesson from becoming dull as quickly, learners need a variety of different tasks in order to keep them engaged. My mentor made an interesting point that oftentimes the less you provide them with the more interested and focused they become. The need to variety in teaching style and assessment style also is important for assessments, as these are graded highly.
Along with those lesson points, we also discussed developing resources and engaging with other teachers. Unfortunately in our department, there isn’t much overlap between the courses (practical and theoretical filmmaking have little crossover curriculum wise) so the resources don’t have much crossover appeal. However, there is a lot of film discussion that can be had and different styles to discuss, so it’s helpful to check in with them and keep up with film trends.
In regards to developing my own resources, presentations need to be a bit more vibrant and interesting (more pictures and colour etc) so that they’re more aesthetically pleasing. They also need to contain more basic information for the learners, such as the learning objectives and the tasks set. There are also a few learners with visual impairments so font sizes need to be factored in and alternate ways of viewing the presentation, such as Microsoft teams. Another suggestion was to have more of an effort to engage the more introverted learners to ensure they’re understanding the topic. Some of the more quiet learners are
The final discussion was good teaching and professional practice. Things like making sure we’re aware of all learner needs (aforementioned learner as well as another learner with a speech impediment, so they won’t contribute during classes) so as to not unintentionally make them uncomfortable and make sure that they’re checked up on in alternate ways. There were also ways to check up on absent learners. Firstly was to check with the class as some learners are in contact with others, so can update the ones who weren’t present and the other was to make sure students who don’t attend are followed up with by the end of the day and sent the appropriate work.
Overall this discussion was helpful in improving my teaching, but also in providing concrete direction and areas to improve. Lots of the points raised (such as the lack of variety in teaching methods) I was aware of, but having someone experienced highlight this was useful as they could also provide methods of improving and the understanding to know that they are effective.
6.1 Review the effectiveness of your own knowledge and skills in your specialist area.
Upon analysis and reflection, the knowledge in my specialist area is solid. Overall, I have a base level of understanding of all the potential queries that learners could ask. However there are certain areas where my skills are more developed than others. As filmmaking is such a broad area, and learners can choose to specialise in so many alternate areas such as filming, editing, lighting, photography it isn’t possible to be an expert in each area, as well as all the different softwares and techniques such as Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects and techniques like studio lighting and on set cinematography.
The areas I’m most effective in are editing, practical filmmaking, Adobe Lightroom and Premiere. One example of the effectiveness was a student who was experimenting with reversing footage. The issue was that when the footage was reversed, the image was cropped, so there was a jarring cut between the footage played normally, then flipping to revered. She was unable to fix this herself, so I showed her how to position match footage using scaling and opacity in order to resolve the issue.
Another area where my professional skills are effective is in my program knowledge of photo editing software. I can use this to effectively teach learners how to manage and organise their workflow, as well as quick shortcuts and tricks to optimise their time spent editing. A lot of learners in the class focus in on one particular image and work through it meticulously, which creates a single great image, but is very time consuming. As many university applications require a portfolio to be submitted, which requires 15 individual pieces of work and often only a few weeks to produce it. This is where workflow organisation becomes important.
Where my skills need updating is within video image manipulation and colour grading. These areas are important and many learners focus on these specialisms (as the London editing job market is focused around those two areas). I can provide basic Helpance, but for anything more complicated I need to refer the students to tutorials or other resources. As it’s such a vast area and ever adapting area it’s unlikely I’ll be able to fully develop this area within my field. However it’s going to be important to update it so I have a more concrete fundamental understanding, but also make sure I’m aware of all the resources available and where to direct learners when needed.
Another area that needs developing, and was highlighted by observations, is the way the information is presented to the learners. The information can be delivered in a way which is too dense with information, which can make it difficult for some learners to comprehend. Making sure all the information is understandable to learners will help ensure all learners are able to follow. For future lessons, I will ensure I have a glossary of keywords and make sure I note in lesson plans to explain any terminology, as well as having more ways to assess learners to ensure they’ve understood. As my experience increases, I will hopefully be able to identify what information won’t be necessary to learners as well, and remove it. This will hopefully make the lessons more focused and concise.
6.2 & 6.3 SWOT analysis and action plan.
Strengths
-Both academic and practical film experience
-Curriculum and set text knowledge are solid, as well as additional context.
-Knowledge of software used in diploma course, as well as troubleshooting techniques
-Awareness of student needs and how to plan in order to complete work on time.
-Understanding of learner’s strengths and limitations
-Patience
Weaknesses
-Practical filmmaking skills aren’t as current as they could be
-Lack of variety of teaching methods
-Lack of knowledge and understanding of specific grading criteria
-Lack of experience with behavioural control within class.
-Speaking and maintaining control in large groups
Opportunities
-To update specialist subject knowledge
-Build a teaching network
-Develop more behavioural and teaching techniques
-Gain a deeper understanding of grading techniques.
-Teach to a larger audience
Threats
-Lack of availability in specialist areas
-Closure of course
-Change of curriculum to an unknown and less established board.
What? When? Achieved?
Attend teaching conference to update teaching network (Learning Technologies 2020) January 20th Achieved
Attend film industry conference to update specialist knowledge (BSC Expo) February 16th In progress.
Subscribe to industry newsletters in order to keep up to date with current technologies (British Society of Cinematographers) December 29th In progress
Observe other teachers to widen experience and look for methods to help engage students and reflect on how these can be implemented. January 30th Achieved
Review the grading criteria for both courses with course organisers and grade 3 example texts January 30th In progress
Further develop post-production skills in weaker areas (video manipulation and colour grading). Complete project using those newly acquired skills. March 1st. Update 1st Feb. In progress
Find out requirements and tips are for learners applying for UCAS and what they need to submit for their portfolio. Find email addresses for lecturers at those establishments. September 2020 In progress
Conclusion
Specialist teaching requires a broad knowledge of that area, as well as a constant awareness of the changes in the industry to make sure learners are properly prepared once they’ve graduated. The aim of the teacher is to bridge the knowledge gap for the learners by having relevant subject knowledge and the resources and techniques to present that information in a way that can be understood and retained. Also being aware of where the learners strengths and weaknesses are and what extra stimulus you can show the learner to expand their knowledge.
Bibliography
Books:
Brookfield, S. (2005) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Bruner, J. (1977) The Process of Education. 3rd edn. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
Gravells, A. and Simpson, S. (2010) Planning and Enabling learning in the Lifelong learning Sector. London: Learning Matters
Gould, J. and Roffey-Barentsen (2016) Achieving your Diploma in Education and Training. 2nd edn. London: Sage
Kelly, A. V. (2009) The Curriculum: Theory and Practice. 6th edn. London: Sage
Petty, G. (2009) Teaching today. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes
Powell, S. and Tummons, J. (2011) Inclusive Practice in Lifelong Learning sector. London: learning Matters
Wallace, S. (2011) Teaching, Tutoring and Training in the Lifelong learning Sector. 4th edn. London: Learning Matters
Warren, L. (2002) Class in a Classroom. Harvard University
William, D. (2011) Embedded Formative Assessment. London: Solution Tree Press
Websites:
https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/professionalism/professional-
