Content choice
I often find some discussion between instructors as to what to cover in a specific class. How do you correlate your own goals with that of the institution and other instructors to create a cohesive learning situation?
First and foremost we must meet the objectives required by the syllabus. I think it also is important to not only give the students the benefit of your own experiences but also from other Instructors as well. It gives them a well rounded education.
I develop lesson plans to allow for individual teaching styles regardless of who is teaching the class. However, the objectives are highlighted so that all instructors teach to the objectives and test to the objectives. I feel this gives everyone the freedom to teach using their individual stlye but still maintains the core values of the lesson and keeps everyone on track.
I agree with you TJ. It can be diffucult to build a cohesive cirriculum with a pot-luck of instructors. I find that good cirriculum planning from the insitution level can be a blessing when it is well thought out and followed by the instructors. Free agents that don't follow the plan have, can, and will undermind the hard work of others in the school.
TJ,
I belive that individual lesson planning, begins with the amount of "instructional freedom" that is given, from the institution. For example, if an instructor is just asked to "meet the learning objectives of the course", then the instructor should use their own, unique instructional methods (based on their own goals) to deliver the material. Collaboration with other instructors should occur, once an instructor has an outline or "plan" of how they will cover course topics.
Tremayne Simpson
