A008_Roles,_Responsibilities_and_Relationships_in_the_Lifelong_Learning

Elena Hudspith Ptlls February 2013 Assignment 008 Roles, responsibilities and relationships in the lifelong learning There are three learning outcomes to this unit: 1. Understand own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning 2. Understand the relationship between teachers and other professionals in learning 3. Understand own responsibilities for maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment Task A Research report a) a summary of key aspects of legislations, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the role and responsibilities of the teacher. b) an analysis of the boundaries between the teaching role and other professional roles. c) a review of points of referral to meet the needs of learners. ...................................................................................................................................... Essay 1. Introduction As teachers, we are committing to a lifetime of personal and professional learning and development. ‘’Teaching creates knowledge awareness and feelings in the taught and brings about behavioral change.’’ (Dr. A.K. Avasarala 2009). In order to fulfil my position as a teacher, it is necessary that I have an understanding of the roles and responsibilities that are essential elements of successful teaching practice. My role as a trainer requires me to be able to impart my knowledge, in accordance with the standard requirements of the relevant examining bodies. b) an analysis of the boundaries between the teaching role and other professional roles. Outline the teaching cycle and the responsibilities of the teacher at each stage. According to educational theory ( Gravells 2011), there are five stages in the teaching cycle. Identifying Needs and Planning: There are certain things to consider when you do planning according to the learners needs. Points to consider prior to planning your teaching lessons always are Any special needs requirements, Preferred learning styles, Learners’ motivations and Learners’ previous educational experiences; there are Entry requirements and Size of the group, Organisation’s needs as well as Health and safety in teaching premises, and the last but not the least Welfare facilities. All this points needs to be taken to consideration for smooth running of the teaching process. In my professional environment, i.e. dental nursing, each learner must undergo initial assessment of their previous experience and knowledge. This helps us to work out how much support will be needed. There are ranges of additional support available for learners in place that need to be organised as soon as possible in order for the learners to have the positive outcome as it based on the syllabus accepted by the Examination board of dental nursing school, and should compulsory cover all units. Designing All of the information obtained previously from what learners need, has to be taken into consideration when designing the course. In order to teach effectively you must present it to the appropriate level. As many of my learners are work based on day release or weekends as apprenticeships. Everything covered has to be work based. Functional skills are a good example of this. Appropriate resources and scheme of works must be completed at this time and lessons planned in advance according to set standards by Professional regulatory body. The whole syllabus must be covered by observation at work. Deliver Successful delivery of the course work should include Adaptable sessions, Teaching methods, the right Resources and Formative Assessment. Responsibilities: A teacher’s responsibility is to deliver a course, which is appropriate for the learners, takes account of individual needs and which has clear aims and objectives. The activities should be appropriate and varied to appeal to learners with different learning styles. The resources should be well prepared, sufficient for the number of learners and used to support the learning activities. Teachers should differentiate their activities and strategies to ensure all learners can access learning. Learners should be told at the start of each session what the lesson objectives are and how these relate to the overall course outcomes. Sessions or tasks should have an introduction, a main content and a conclusion, which will promote learning and consolidate new skills or knowledge. During their sessions, teachers should support their learners and assess their skills and knowledge through a range of formative assessment tasks. ‘’Teachers have a responsibility to keep their learners safe both physically and emotionally. They need to assess the safety of classroom activities and ensure that none of their learners are being harassed or discriminated against by themselves, the organisation or other learners. Teachers have a responsibility to ensure that they have sufficient current knowledge or skill to deliver the course content and answer any learner questions.’’ (Ref. City & Guilds Theory Assignment requirements 2013) Assessing This is what some may refer to as the ‘actual teaching’. As the course gets underway it must be continually assessed by the teacher and given appropriate feedback to the learner on the same day. The purpose of assessment is to ensure that effective learning has taken place to give learners an opportunity to meet standards determined by the assessment and grading criteria and to achieve the learning outcome set by the awarding body. There are various methods of assessment, which include Interview, Workshop, Written assessment, Observation. Learners should provide evidence that is their own work, appropriate to the work context & sufficient to demonstrate they have the knowledge, skills & understanding required for each assessment criteria within each unit. Evaluate Evaluation is an essential part of the educational process. The focus of evaluation is on local quality improvement and is analogous to clinical audit. I am an Assessor for dental nurses, therefore, I need to require evaluation as part of my quality assurance procedures, but the value of evaluation is much greater than the provision of simple audit information. It provides evidence of how well students' learning objectives are being achieved and whether teaching standards are being maintained. Importantly, it also enables the curriculum to evolve. A dental curriculum should constantly develop in response to the needs of students, institutions, and society. Evaluation can check that the curriculum is evolving in the desired way. It should be viewed positively as contributing to the academic development of an institution and its members. Evaluation should be designed at the start of developing a curriculum, not added as an afterthought. When an educational need has been identified, the first stage is to define the learning outcomes for the curriculum. The goals of the evaluation should be clearly articulated and linked to the outcomes. The Purpose of evaluation can be described as to ensure teaching is meeting students' learning needs, to identify areas where teaching can be improved, to inform the allocation of faculty resources, to provide feedback and encouragement for teacher, to support applications for promotion by teachers, to identify and articulate what is valued by medical schools, to facilitate development of the curriculum. ------------------------------------------------- What should be evaluated Evaluation may cover the process and/or outcome of any aspect of education, including the delivery and content of teaching. Questions about delivery may relate to organization—for example, administrative arrangements, physical environment, and teaching methods. Information may also be sought about the aptitude of the teacher involved. The content may be evaluated for its level (it should not be too easy or too difficult), its relevance to curriculum objectives, and integration with previous learning. Feedback—Students need to know that their opinions are valued, so they should be told of the results of the evaluation and given details of the resulting action. (Jill Morrison, Journal List >BMJ >v.326 (7385); Feb 15, 2003 >PMC1125244) These are relevant to my own role as an assessor /tutor in dental practice. Key aspects of legislations, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the role and responsibilities of the teacher. One of the responsibilities of a tutor is having up to date knowledge of current legislation requirements and codes of practice, including those that are subject related. Key legislations: The Equality Act (2010) recognizes inclusiveness by respecting the right of learners to attend and participate, regardless of the gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation or age. Other relevant legislations include: The Disability Discrimination act (1995), The Sex Discrimination act (1975), The Race , Relation Act (1976), The Equal Pay Act (1970), The human rights acts (1998) and The Health and Safety at work (1974) Act. "Learners are entitled to learn in a safe and healthy environment" (Gravells, 2008, p 17) As an assessor/ dental nurse working in the public health sector i.e. dental surgery, it is beneficial for me to have knowledge of legislations applicable to dental environment, such as The Data Protection Act (1998), which governs the protection of personal data of staff and patients confidentiality, and the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) act, which provides a suitable safe working environment. With Regards to dental nursing I must respect health and safety needs, for example in the handling and storage of dangerous substances. All dental staff must wear uniforms, closed shoes, not wear jewellery and hair must be tied back. All equipment used in the clinic must also be tested. "Health and safety with regards to the use of equipment and training materials is imperative, and there are procedures required by the health and safety at work act (COSHH, RIDDOR). The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) defines the obligations of an employer to ensure that all employees are not put at risk during their work and that all employees should oblige with the Health and Safety regulations imposed by the Employees. Risk assessments should be carried out where necessary. Most of this legislations also applied to my role as an Assessor and has to be presented on a teaching sessions for dental staff (nurses), and make them to understand and comply with all of them for their own safety at work place (dental practice settings). Legislation and Cod of Practice Guidelines Dental Care legislations provide guidance essential to dentists and the whole dental team. Learner should understand how health and safety legislation affects general dental practice, and be able to undertake a risk assessment for your practice. Also I can add to this list – Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, which aim is to protect all persons at work and in particular regulations such as COSHH- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, , RIDDOR –Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences. and other The reforms in brief ‘’In September 2007, the Government introduced new regulations to reform the training, qualifications and development of teachers, tutors, trainers and instructors.’’ The reforms included changes to initial teacher training (ITT) and continuing professional development (CPD), and impact on all those delivering learning within the further education (FE). The reforms are statutory for FE colleges, but other providers who are in receipt of funding from the LSC must also comply with the requirements as part of their contractual obligation. The Government is committed to having a fully qualified workforce by 2010.inform ation. Who do the reforms apply to' Regardless of the kind of learning your organisation provides, if it holds a contract for learning provision with the LSC, the reforms apply. This includes providers who hold direct contracts, or sub-contracts, with the, LSC to deliver learning within the FE sector. It also includes those who hold contracts for franchises with an LSC funded provider. Ifl Code of Practice and if appropriate your own organasation’s codes of practice in regard to your role. The Institute for Learning’s code of Professional Practice came into force on 1 April 2008. The Code was developed by the profession for the profession and it outlines the behaviours expected of members – for the benefit of learners, employers, the profession and the wider community. There are numbers of points to be considered such as Integrity, Respect, Care, Practice, Disclosure and Responsibility. In my own role as a dental nurse’s Assessor we comply with the following Code of Practice Standards set by regulatory body GDC. Standards for dental professionals Our standards guidance is a code of behavior that registrants agree to abide by. Standards for dental professionals (326KB, PDF) There are six principles around which the guidance is built. These should be at the centre of everything you do as a healthcare professional. www.gdc-uk.org Task B Personal account with analysis Provide a written account of actions you have taken or could take, demonstrating how you would: Evaluate your own responsibilities in Lifelong Learning, and your responsibilities in relation to other professionals (250 words) If you are currently teaching write reflectively about your particular responsibilities in relation to the other professionals you work alongside such as your manager and support staff.If you are not yet teaching write reflectively about the responsibilities of your role in terms of the challenges you may face. | At present I am not teaching yet, but I am an Assessor for NVQ level 3 dental nurses. My role is to assess dental nurses in their work places, write a report of observation and provide learner with constructive feedback. ‘’For clinical teachers to be able to seize these opportunities and optimise learning, they need to have the confidence and expertise to ensure that learners actually do learn. Some of this is about understanding the principles of facilitating effective learning and teaching, some of this is about having the practical skills to put the principles into practice and some of this involves putting your own experience into practice.’’ www.Facultylondondeanery.ac.uk Professionalism requires us to maintain appropriate standards and fulfil our responsibilities to learners, institutions and colleagues (Francis and Gould, 2009:10). This is achieved by setting professional and personal boundaries which will enable us to be clear about what our limits are and what our professional role involves. Professional boundaries Professional boundaries could include lack of resources e.g. broken or faulty equipment students expectations knowing what sort of advice can or can not be given lack of support from colleagues and lack of access to resources. Deadlines and time restraints demands from managers unmotivated or reluctant students. These boundaries could have a negative effect on us as teachers as well as other professionals within the organisation. We therefore need to deal with these boundaries by referring to the Institute for Learning's (IfL) Code of Practice (2008) which outlines the behaviours expected of teachers in the Lifelong Sector (see Section 1.1d). Personal boundaries It is important not to given preferential treatment to one or a group of learners and to treat everyone equally. Teachers should not give out personal information or get personally involved with a student e.g. not join social networking sites etc. You should avoid touching students inappropriately or give preferential treatment to some students and not others. It is our responsibility to identify areas outside of the professional boundaries of a teacher, either because of lack of necessary skills or expertise or because it is inappropriate for the teacher to deal with it. This is when external support from other professionals will be required and it is important to identify the appropriate colleague to which to refer the matter. For example a student who is having financial problems should be referred to the appropriate colleague within the institution. Review your own role and responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of learners. Explain how you would (or do) go about identifying and meeting the needs of learners. Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies you do or would use. | As a teacher and trainer I have found that one of the simplest ways to make learning accessible to both myself and to those I am teaching is by relating to real-life situations and circumstances that I have faced. If one takes the approach of trying to memorise lists of facts of how to deal with First Aid situations the information becomes more difficult to absorb and less likely to be retained. Context can help provide a more intuitive framework for people’s skills, whether it is as simple as telling a story that can be recalled if and when relevant or even if it delves deeply enough to understand why certain techniques are used in First Aid situations. Remembering that reason why we do something specific is much simpler to remember, especially for a learner that hasn’t taken part in any sort of First Aid course before. To promote additional learning I would always recommend that learners review their literature to keep ideas fresh in their minds as well as taking other courses, whether those courses contain new information or just backup of the information that they have already been presented with. Hands-on experience really is the best way to test skills and develop new ones.. This branches out into many different professional areas. I would expect any trainer to understand the basic maintenance and operation of all their equipment, ranging from resuscitation dolls to laptops and projectors. If something were to malfunction with any of these pieces of equipment during a session, back-up resources i.e. flash cards etc Establish and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment. Explain how you would (or do) go about establishing and maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment. Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies you do or would use. | The learning environment – the physical environment In clinical teaching, there are a wide variety of physical environments in which teaching and learning can occur. Clinical teachers may be required to deliver formal teaching in a lecture theatre or classroom, much of the day-to-day teaching goes on ‘at the bedside’, in clinics, consulting rooms or in operating theatres and some teachers are involved in developing open learning resources such as e-learning resources which utilise a ‘virtual’ environment. Being aware of the resources available to you and to learners can help to enhance teaching and facilitate learning. For more information about how to use learning resources (including the physical learning environment, the impact of room placement, seating arrangements and other factors, which can affect the learning process) see the paper Using learning resources to enhance teaching and learning. The learning environment is also structured by the curriculum and the approaches that have been taken in designing and delivering it. It is important to foster a learning environment in which students feel safe, relaxed, and willing to take ris Build a strong classroom community The adult education classroom can play an important role in helping students build stronger and larger networks. Classrooms provide students and staff with friendship, skills, and contacts beyond their immediate communities. Intentionally building networks in the classroom can create meaningful, supportive relationships among students and teachers. Build self-esteem and self-efficacy Students’ determination and belief that they can achieve their goals are important factors in their persistence in ongoing learning. Adult learners may have negative feelings about themselves due to failure experienced in their lives, due to dropping out of school, losing a job, or not being able to read or write well enough to complete a job application or read to their children. Use positive nonverbal communication Nonverbal messages are an essential component of communication in the teaching process. It is not only what you say to your students that are important but also how you say it. An awareness of nonverbal behaviour will allow you to become a better receiver of students’ messages and a better sender of signals that reinforce learning. Motivate students Motivation is a key factor in student success, and whatever level of motivation your student brings to the learning environment will be transformed, for better or worse, by what happens in the learning process. Using your written account, provide an analysis of your own responsibility for promoting equality and valuing diversity. This will be written alongside Unit 009 assignment. What do we mean by “diversity”' The European Council believes diversity means: “Diversity describes the reality that people are in many ways different - and in some ways similar. Thus, Diversity stands for individuality. ("diversity") In the work place the meaning can differ slightly as this quote shows: “Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. That sounds simple, but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more.” Susan Wallace simply states that diveristy in teaching terms “not all our learners are the same”. But I personnally prefer this quote from univeritsy of Oregon “the concept of diversity encompassess acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individua; differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-econonic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs,political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nuturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.” Diversity means different things to different people Perceptions of diversity vary in Attitude “Open-mindedness” Diversity embodies our attitudes. There are six universally relevant and fundamental factors that people generally cannot change about themselves: ability/disability, age, ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs and sexual orientation. These make up the core dimensions of any diversity initiative. So what can we discern as the meaning of diversity' That we are all different in made ways. Some are not as obvious as others, i.e by colour or race, by religious beliefs or culture. Diversity not only involves how people perceive themselves, but how they perceive others. Those perceptions affect their interactions. For a wide assortment of employees to function effectively as an organization, human resource professionals need to deal effectively with issues such as communication, adaptability and change. What are the benefits of diversity in the work place' An organization’s success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize the benefits. When organization actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, multiple benefits are reported such as increased adaptability. Employees from diverse backgrounds bring individual talents and experiences in suggesting ideas that are flexible in adapting to fluctuating markets and customer demand Explain the role of the other professionals that you either work alongside or would work alongside in the sector. I work in the dental surgery as a dental nurse and also as an Assessor for dental nurses. ‘’Most of the learners /dental nurses are following Apprenticeship programmes and are employed or on work placements as dental nurses or nursery nurses throughout Merseyside. They work with a wide range of employers ranging from small dental practices to larger through to Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts. ‘‘(www.Aldertraining.co.uk). Every day we are communicating with the other members of staff at the surgery from practice manager, dentists, dental nurses, apprentice dental nurses, receptionist. Communication is important part of our work. Everybody work as a team, if needed we can complement and replace each other if someone needs time of work for any reason. Everything in the surgery mu work as a clock work as we have an appointment system in place. Everyone dive support to each other when needed, for example learners work alongside qualified dental nurses, so they learn from the start to follow correct procedures. Managers support everybody and take responsibility of managing the whole practice and the staff. So in summary, the main role of the staff is to give as much support as needed to the new learner, where is the teachers role is to make sure that the learner has the correct training she needed to pass the exams and to do their job according to set standards. Review of points of referral to meet the needs of learners Points of referral Although inclusion is about supporting learners’ needs, it is not always possible for teachers to do this without support themselves. You should be aware of the limits of your responsibility and know when and where to access support both for yourself and your learners. If you have a line manager, he or she should be your first point of contact for referral. If you have team meetings or contact with other teachers, your colleagues may also be able to help through their own previous experiences. Support may be available in your own organisation, through a learning support department or from Skills for Life specialists. Some organisations have specialist resources for supporting disabled learners or may be able to provide a learning support assistant. It may be appropriate to refer a learner for an Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) session either within your own organisation or to an external organisation. Have a look at Many of the voluntary and charitable organisations have websites with advice about teaching strategies to support people with sensory or physical disabilities or may be able to supply resources. Points of referral will differ according to the type of organisation you work in; it is your responsibility to find out what support is available locally. Petty G (1998), Teaching Today, Nelson Thornes. An explanation of how to promote appropriate behavior and respect for others. ‘’Student’s behaviour often poses challenges to teachers. Sometimes such behaviour causes irritation to the teacher teaching a large class with varying abilities. At other times the behaviour of certain children disrupts the normal operation of the class room or school for a time.’’ (‘’Managing Challenging Behaviour’’ Guidelines for Teachers). Traditionally, standards of behaviour in school were often defined by what was not acceptable, and disciplinary strategies focused on the sanctions available to enforce rules and punish unacceptable behaviour. Behaviour is defined as acceptable or not in a social context, and is also shaped by the broader environment in which people interact with each other. In general terms, teachers accept that challenging behaviour in the school context encompasses behaviour that: l interferes with the pupil’s own and/or other pupils’ learning; l challenges the day to day functioning of the school, l challenges the right of staff and pupils to a safe and orderly environment; l has a duration, frequency, intensity or persistence that is beyond the normal range of what schools tolerate; and l is less likely to be responsive to the usual range of interventions used by the school for pupil misbehaviour such as aggressive behaviour, which can include pushing, punching, kicking, biting, scratching and threatening behaviour; disruptive behaviour, which can include screaming, verbal abuse, non co-operation, running away; destructive behaviour, which can include destruction of property and the environment; withdrawn behaviour, which can include failure to respond, or avoidance of people or activities. All these kind of behaviours can have different causes and accordingly different outcome in terms of respect for others. For example: poor learner motivation will lead to failure to see what they are learning and why they need to lean it. Poor social skills may be based on learner’s family background. This is the way they behaviour at home and nobody told the learner that this is rude and disrespectful towards others, so they continue to act the same way at school. Late arrivals to lessons could be late as a habit, or problems in the family, or transport to school, luck of discipline etc. So, what motivate learners to learn and the importance of learner’s experience and aspirations' Teachers should encourage the development and progression of all learners through recognising, valuating and responding to individual motivation, experience and aspirations. Also teacher has to establish a purposeful learning environment where learners feel safe, secure, confident and valued; establish and maintain procedures with learners which promote and maintain appropriate behaviour, communication and respect for others, while challenging discriminatory behaviour and attitudes; create a motivating environment which encourager’s learners to reflect on, evaluate and make decisions about their learning. Communicate effectively and appropriately using different forms of language and media, including written, oral and non-verbal communication, and new technologies to enhance learning. References list Dr. A.K. Avasarala A.Gravells, Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning Sector, 2011 City & Guilds, Theory Assignment requirements 2013 Gravells, 2008, p 17 Jill Morrison, Journal List >BMJ >v.326 (7385); Feb 15, 2003 >PMC1125244 Gravells, A & Simpson, s (2010) Planning and enabling learning in the Life Long Learning Sector, Edition No.2, Learning Matters, Exeter. http://www.google.com/search www.lluk.org/feworkforcereforms Standards for dental professionals (326KB, PDF) Ref.www.About.com Petty G (1998), Teaching Today, Nelson Thornes Managing Challenging Behaviour Guidelines for Teachers Bibliography: http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/regulations/AsstPrincipals.htm http://brooks.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/purposes.html http://www.c-sap.bham.ac.uk/resources/guides/assessments.htm'view=print www.Facultylondondeanery.ac.uk Gravells, A & Simpson, s (2010) Planning and enabling learning in the Life Long Learning Sector, Edition No.2, Learning Matters, Exeter. http://www.google.com/search' www.lluk.org/feworkforcereforms Petty G (1998), Teaching Today, Nelson Thornes