Resources for teaching and learning

Treasures from Down the Back of the Chair

Highlights from the Ministry of Education's catalogue of teaching and learning resources

Effective Pedagogy in Social Sciences/Tikanga ā Iwi

What it is: Published in 2008, this research report is part of the Ministry of Education’s Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) programme. It is written by Graeme Aitken and Claire Sinnema. It provides evidence that links teaching approaches to enhanced outcomes for learners in the social sciences.

Who it is for: This report is useful for policy makers, researchers, professional leaders and teachers from early childhood to senior secondary.

A teacher’s take:

Port Chalmers School principal Vicki Nicolson saw such potential that she ordered eight copies – one for each teacher in the school.

“I felt that this was so good. We use the teaching as inquiry model – this fits in with that and I wanted everyone to have a copy.”

Staff use the report for their professional learning and bring it to meetings. It explains teaching as inquiry and four mechanisms of effective teaching: connection to students’ lives, alignment of experiences to important outcomes, building a learning community, and designing experiences that interest students.

Vicki says these ideas support practice at Port Chalmers.

“It fits in really well with what we’re doing with our curriculum and with Ka Hikitia.”

It helps teachers check their work aligns with best practice, she says. They also consider how the report’s findings may influence future practice and they study sections relevant to their work.

Vicki says the report’s foldout section on pedagogy is a helpful aid when unpacking its ideas, and the teachers will continue to use it for some time.

Orders:
This and other items in the Ministry of Education resource catalogue can be ordered can be ordered by logging in at www.thechair.minedu.govt.nz

Further help:  ph 0800 660 662, fax 0800 660 663, email: orders@thechair.minedu.govt.nz