Effectiveness of teaching and learning approaches used in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET)

Teaching and learning approaches in Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

Within the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) you will need to analyse different teaching and learning approaches that you use in your own subject specialism in relation to meet individual learning needs. To sum up, pick six approaches that you use, and then analyse how they meet individual learning needs.  

I’m going to use my friend Steve as an example.  

Steve teaches Project Management by lecturing to large groups of learners. He feels that although he uses a computerised presentation and handouts, his learners are not actively participating in any way. He decides to make his session more practical by introducing group discussions and role plays of projects. Several learners approach him after the session to say how much they enjoyed it. He now uses this approach each time to mix theory and practice. He has set up the organisation’s virtual learning environment to encourage interaction outside of the sessions, and to upload video and audio clips for learners to access. He also finishes each session with a quiz to test knowledge gained. 

How learners learn in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

In the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) its not always about what I will teach but also about how learners will learn. So, I need to consider my activities and activities of my learners. These teaching and learning strategies should stimulate learning but also be appropriate to the subject that you teach. Let’s say I’m teaching IT, I don’t teach IT by the way but if learners needed to learn how to use a computer, I probably wouldn’t get them doing too much group work as you don’t want everyone gathered around the same computer but you could make adjustments where they are working together but use a computer each so they are practicing their skills.  

In the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) I actively use a presentation and PowerPoint in particular. This is great for visual learners as they can see everything, but PowerPoint is not for everyone. Therefore, you need to combine your PowerPoint with other activities to meet the needs of different learning styles. I use PowerPoint as a lesson structure where my learners can see everything that’s going on, but we break from it. We will stop and complete role plays, demonstrations, and scenarios but we always go back to PowerPoint. There is a flaw to PowerPoint as it can be boring but by breaking into different activities, we can stimulate learning towards other learning styles. I use it so I don’t go off on tangent and talk about something else which always happens.  

Lecturing in the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training

I don’t use lecturing when teaching the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) generally because I was never a fan at university, and I never teach in large groups. Lecturing often limits interaction with learners and is best suited for auditorial learners. Personally, I would switch off. But again, you can lecturer and break up the activities by asking questions. You could also give out handouts for learners to read so it caters for more learning styles.  

Demonstrations are great as they appeal to kinaesthetic learners. They show exactly how something is done and potentially in a safe manner. When I teach first aid, a bulleted list of how to give CPR is not anywhere near as effective as showing it. If I cannot show it, I can get my learners involved or explore YouTube to give good examples. It appeals to visual and kinaesthetic learners.  

Role plays are fun, and they are great for engagement and stimulation, but you need to be careful about your audience. Introverted learners like me, do not like to participate in these activities as they feel stupid. This is not an emotion we want to create and if you are teaching in a corporate sector, often managers don’t want to look foolish in front of their employees, so you need to be careful. On the other hand, extroverts and creative individuals will love role plays.  

We’ve mainly talked about learning styles but think about learning disabilities and personal circumstances and see what learning and teaching approaches are most suitable. Let’s say I’m looking after my children today; I am likely going to need an activity which I can do in my own time at home. Before selecting your teaching and learning activities, determine what you need to teach and who you are teaching.