FOR THE NEW TRAINER
Planning is the best antidote for the nerves that many people feel when teaching a subject
for the first time or meeting a new group of students. It is also the only way to ensure that
your educational objectives are achieved. Planning begins with thinking about how you
would like your students to approach their learning in your subject, and what you would like
them to understand, know or be able to do by the end of the session. Whether you are
planning a subject for the first time, or reviewing an existing subject it is important to
consider the effects of your teaching and assessment on students' learning.
The following is an outline of four stages you could take in planning a subject. Each of
these stages should be considered as a guide, and the activities described may not
necessarily occur in the order provided. If you are taking over from someone else, your
subject will already have aims, a handbook description, indicative content, assessment
tasks and indicative references which have been approved by your Faculty board. Talk with
your course co-ordinator or Faculty administrator if you do not have a copy. The approved
outline will create the framework for further development that you do.
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