Using HOW2s to Support Teacher Training
Paula Han is a teacher trainer at Milton Keynes College in the UK. Paula talks about the difference HOW2s has made to her when training new teachers and in supporting teachers to deliver courses.
Key benefits
Supports role modelling of good practice
Part-time aka adjunct staff who cannot attend timetabled CPD can access support
Enables educators to engage in an academic approach to improving their teaching
Encourages social interaction and collaboration between peers
Can point educators to ‘HOW2’ solutions as part of lesson observation feedback
Easy to use with a variety of options
Support for distributed, diverse learning environments
How do you use HOW2s?
I teach teachers who deliver courses covered by a variety of Awarding Organisations. Our College subscribes to HOW2 to support the delivery of course content that is stipulated in the Unit specification. HOW2 supports me in many ways, one to role model good practice when delivering my own teacher training sessions and in my Quality role when delivering CPD, coaching and feedback for teaching observations.
How does research inform your practice?
Research is continually supporting the need to encourage students to be actively involved in their own learning, and cognitive science is proving that learning happens when we think hard, furthermore social interaction and collaboration have also been shown to have huge benefits to learning.
How has HOW2 changed what you do?
Before we had HOW2s the Quality Team would deliver CPD sessions aware that when staff left the room they may not revisit what was delivered. We still do this but now HOW2 enables us to role model the strategies during CPD and teachers are then able to log onto their HOW2 after training and revisit the activity. Further use is when completing observation reports we can point staff in the direction of particular HOW2s. Added to this because it is an online tool, part-time staff who cannot attend CPD can still access the resource.
What difference has HOW2 made to the organisation
It has provided an opportunity for teachers to become more innovative and try new ways of delivery. For some teachers, it has increased their confidence to try new things, and for some who have been teaching for years, it has provided a breath of fresh air and encouraged them to change what they do.