| Home | Index | Blog | News | Practice | Resources | Issues | Library | About Itslife | Site map |
Links for this section | expert | essential | excellence | info lit | theories | researching | supporting |
See Itslife Library for other reading
See General Teaching Skills section for general sources which may well contain this topic
Developing your own 'specialist subject' or 'area of expertise' is about many things. In order to explain this, we will use a framework which has been developed by the University of Huddersfield, and which is being used to create an online community of practice for specialists in the Learning and Skills sector called ASSOCiate Online. Find out more about the project here
There are six elements which contribute to teachers developing their specialist subject, which are:
Watching others teach your subject (e.g. real time / on video)
Finding out about pedagogy for your subject (e.g. Session Planning; Research; Text books; Subject Publications / web sites / associations)
Talking / working with other teachers of your subject (e.g. face to face; on line forum; conferences; staff development)
Getting guidance / support from an experienced teacher of your subject / curriculum area (e.g. face to face or on line mentoring)
Developing / accessing learning resources specific to your subject (e.g. creating resources; accessing resource collections / libraries; publishing resources / articles
Engaging with practitioner communities related to your subject (e.g. your course team; staff development; conferences; on line discussion groups / forums)
The ASSOCiate Online Project A group of HEIs that are leaders in provision of ITT for the learning and skills sector are combining to develop online means of supporting trainees in the acquisition of subject specialist pedagogic skills. ICT will provide trainees with learning communities focused on the teaching of a particular subject or vocational curriculum, no matter how specialised or isolated is their particular teaching and/or training context, It will bring dispersed trainees together with experienced subject tutors and other specialised resources. http://associate.hud.ac.uk/
Watch the project develop at http://subjectsoc.cpcet.co.uk/login/index.php
INTUTE: Virtual Training Suite describes itself as follows:
The Virtual Training Suite is continually updated to provide FREE online Internet training tutorials for over 65 subject areas. Each tutorial covers Internet search and research skills for a different subject - there's one for most of the subjects taught in UK universities and colleges, with a few extras on topics of general interest. The service is aimed at students, lecturers and researchers in UK higher and further education, but is freely available for anyone to use.
Let our experts guide you to the best of the Web - the tutorials are authored and updated by a national team of subject specialists based in universities, colleges and museums across the UK. Find out which Web sites they recommend, and get some authoritative and reliable advice from these experienced Internet researchers. Excellent site at: http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/
describes itself as follows: 'In ancient times, the Library of Alexandria was seen as a universal store of human knowledge. As the Library grew in size, however, it became increasingly difficult to locate relevant material. The poet Callimachus solved the problem by compiling a catalogue called The Pinakes. On a far smaller scale, these Web pages hope to provide a similar function for Internet resources, by linking to the major subject gateways.' This is a really good idea, done with some style, and with a brief look strikes me as well worth looking at. The site is at http://www.hw.ac.uk/libWWW/irn/pinakes/pinakes.html
QIA Teaching and Learning Resources - the purpose of this repository is to make key resources developed through the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme (NTLCP) available for teachers, trainers and tutors to access online and download. http://teachingandlearning.qia.org.uk/default.aspx
Specialist On-line Communities in Initial Teacher Training (2005) by Dr David Lord, School of Education and Professional Development University of Huddersfield, UK.
Abstract: This paper examines the design, use and evaluation of the 'Specialist On-line
Community' (SOC), a development to enhance the delivery of subject specialist pedagogy in post-compulsory vocational teacher education programmes at Huddersfield University in the UK. The paper concludes with suggestions for expansion of the scope of the SOC and its operation, with recommendations being made which include: changes to the curriculum structure; an assessment strategy which includes a compulsory online element; skills development in the use of computer - mediated communications to be addressed in the teacher training. Download (pdf 25k)
Subject Resources on the QIA Teaching and Learning Programme area is the current .location of the sophisticated range of resources developed for a number of subjects in recent years. This is a must visit area if your subject is included.
Available at http://teachingandlearning.qia.org.uk/teachingandlearning/
Teachernet's 'subjects' section is school focussed, but there will again be some overlap http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/subjects/
Teachmysubject.org.uk 'provides resources for teachers and trainers in the Learning and Skills sector to use with their students. They are organised on the basis of the specialism that is being taught and learned. They are then classified as one of three types of resource, and as available at one of three levels. There are hundreds of resources here. They are easily searched and users are invited to comment on their usefulness. This helps other teachers find appropriate resources quickly and to make appropriate selections. http://www.teachingmysubject.org.uk/open/
Vocational Learning does have a good deal on it which is about teaching different subjects. It is at http://www.vocationallearning.org.uk
Weblinks has some subject and area specific links at:
http://www.sheffcol.ac.uk/links/
![]() |
||
|
|