Course Description
This course allows students to gain a critical understanding of different principles, theories, and values that shape ideas of learning and pedagogy, and which inform educational systems and institutions, from early childhood to postsecondary and lifespan learning. Students will explore their own learning experiences, and develop critical perspectives toward educational justice and equity.
Course Content
- Formal and informal learning communities are shaped by the social, political, ideological, and economic contexts in which they emerge.
- Formal and informal learning communities support individuals to become active, participating members of their communities.
- Multiple disciplines inform our understandings of learning as a fundamental human activity.
- Learning is a lifelong, relational activity which occurs across all life domains and environments.
- Individuals are unique in how they learn. Practitioners can improve their practice by understanding the ways in which different learning communities favor or disadvantage certain ways of learning.
- The principles of ethical care and disability justice underly practitioners' actions and interactions in all aspects of inclusive teaching/learning.
- Awareness of and insights into one’s own personal teaching and learning styles and experiences provides a fruitful path for understanding the experiences of others.
- It is important to understand the contributions and limitations of research when describing teaching and learning.
Learning Activities
In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as lecture, group work, case studies, and team-based exercises.
Means of Assessment
Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify and understand formal and informal learning contexts and communities across the lifespan, e.g. early childhood experiences, primary and secondary education, interventions, vocational training and support, citizen education, and postsecondary education;
- Critically describe and apply several theories that apply to formal and informal learning contexts, e.g. cognitive, sociocultural, behariourism, social justice, etc.;
- Describe and critically analyze a variety of factors which influence formal and informal learning contexts;
- Understand teaching and learning as situated, relational, and contextualized activities;
- Describe how diversity and disability impact all aspects of teaching and learning, and;
- Describe various methods used in research on teaching and learning.
Textbook Materials
Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required and textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester.