OVERVIEW |
The Contextual
Teaching and Learning Project at UGA:
|
DEFINITION |
Contextual teaching
and learning:
- helps students
make connections between their learning and "real world"
applications.
- includes teaching
strategies that focus on students as active learners.
- provides students
with opportunities to solve complex "real world"
problems in varied settings.
- connects students'
knowledge and its applications their lives as family members,
citizens, and workers.
- is based on theoretical
concepts derived from research and practice.
|
KEY
ASSUMPTIONS |
- Students learn
more and retain it longer if they can apply or connect their
learning to meaningful contexts in the world outside the classroom.
- Optimal learning
occurs when classroom learning is situated in context, incorporates
authentic activities, and transfers to environments beyond
the classroom, including "real life" applications
in work and community settings.
|
OVERALL PROJECT
GOAL |
Develop and implement
a prteservice teacher education model where students:
- complete courses,
seminars, and other experiences in professional education
and content areas which integrate contextual teaching and
learning concepts into instruction.
- use experiences
in community, workplace, and school contexts to inform teaching
and learning.
- are prepared to
use contextual teaching strategies.
|
COMPONENTS OF THE
PROGRAM MODEL |
- Pre-professional
Courses: Educational Psychology (Learning and Development)
and Educational Foundations are existing required courses
for teacher education and other majors, which are being revised
to include contextual teaching and learning principles.
- Community
Work Experiences: Service Learning is an existing
course involving service projects in various community agencies,
programs, or settings. A new course to be developed by project
faculty will introduce other structured field experience opportunities
(internships in business, industry, or professional work settings)
for teacher education students.
- Seminars:
A new series of seminars i being developed to reflect upon
how field experiences connect education and the world outside
of schools. They will include:
- Disciplinary
knowledge: Basic Principles and Ways of Knowing
- Workplace
and Community Experiences: Connecting Academic Learning
to Out-of-Classroom Contexts
- Contextual
Teaching and Learning in Schools
- Disciplinary
Courses: Required courses in methods of teaching and
subject matter disciplines will be revised to incorporate
contextual teaching and learning examples and concepts so
that students can experience and apply these settings in school
settings.
|
COMMUNITY
& WORKPLACE EXPERIENCES |
Both faculty and
students are provided a variety of experiences:
- Faculty Professional
Development Activities created for this project include:
- Student Internships:
work and community settings
|
PROJECT
PARTICIPANTS |
- Faculty within
College of Education departments including:
|