INSTRUCTIONAL SKILLS WORKSHOPS
(ISW)
- ISW
workshops are a practical approach to the improvement of
the teaching and learning process. It is an intensive four-day
workshop conducted by community college educators for community
college educatorsapproach to teaching.
- Mini-Lesson Cycle Information -(Faculty ISW) (information
and details below are quoted "verbatim" from UBC webpage
at http://www.cstudies.ubc.ca/facdev/services/faculty/facdetails.html
The Instructional Skills Workshop is designed so
that every participant presents three mini-lessons. Each of the
mini-lessons is 10 minutes long. Each mini-lesson will be videotaped
so that you can view it at the end of each day.
- A complete cycle through a mini-lesson for one presenter
will take thirty minutes on the first day, and forty minutes
on the second and third days. Each cycle includes a brief set-up
time, a mini-lesson, and written and verbal feedback.
- Elements of a (Mini-) Lesson
A complete and successful (mini-) lesson includes all five of
the elements below, regardless of the length of the lesson. Your
lesson plan should indicate how you will include the elements
in the lesson, and should include as well some indications of
timing, learners' activities, teaching techniques, and instructional
aids and other resources to be used in the lesson. On pages 18-20
of the manual you will find sample Lesson Plan forms.
- Five Elements
1. Bridge
2. Learning Objective
3. Pre-test
4. Participatory Learning
5. Post-test
- The Elements Explained
The Bridge
This element of a lesson is also known as "the hook."
It is intended to be the aspect of the lesson which grabs the
learners' attention, and provides them with some reason to be
interested in the lesson, some motivation to become involved.
The bridge is established at/near the beginning of the lesson.
Learning Objective
This element answers the question "what is the point of
the lesson?" It focuses the lesson, identifying what the
learners should be able to do at the end of the lesson.
Pre-test
This element answers the question "what do the learners
already know about this topic?" A pre-test identifies learners'
pre-existing knowledge.
Participatory Learning
This element comprises the major portion of the lesson. It is
the learning experience, designed to help learners meet the learning
objective.
Post-test
This element answers the question "what do the learners
know now?" A post-test identifies what students have learned
from the lesson.
Following Your Lesson
Feedback
A feedback session follows the completion of each mini-lesson.
The presenter (instructor) can best benefit from his/her mini-lesson
if s/he asks for and receives clear, honest feedback from his/her
"students" and from the facilitator. Everyone involved
in the workshop works to create an open, caring environment which
encourages this kind of helpful sharing of feedback comments.
Effective open feedback includes both praise for the positive
aspects of a lesson and suggestions for dealing with areas for
improvement.
- A typical workshop includes:
- a review of important concepts, such as planning a lesson,
increasing participatory learning and providing feedback to students
- the opportunity to teach three short lessons, and to receive
constructive feedback from facilitator and peers
- sessions on a variety of important teaching and learning
topics such as learning styles, questioning skills, classroom
activities and evaluation of student learning
- role modeling of teaching styles by workshop facilitators
At the end of your three days, you will be awarded a Certificate
of Completion and you should be able to:
- write a useful, practical lesson plan
conduct an interactive classroom session
consider differing learning needs of students
use learning outcomes to organize teaching, to help students
consider what they are expected to learn
use common instructional aids effectively
use good questioning techniques during a classroom session
give constructive feedback
increase classroom confidence and competence
- How do I get started?
ISW Workshops are planned for various of the colleges of the
Los Angeles Community College
District during the Spring 2001-Fall 2001 Semesters.
Email Roberta Holt,
Chair of Staff Development - Los Angeles City College for
more information.