A model of teaching is a description of
Learning environment including teaching behaviour
Understanding Models of Teaching
A model of teaching is essentially a framework or plan that guides how teaching is conducted. It provides a structure for creating a learning environment that is conducive to achieving specific educational goals. These models are derived from theories of learning and human development and offer different approaches to instruction.
What Does a Model of Teaching Describe?
Based on educational research and practice, a model of teaching aims to provide a clear picture of the instructional process. It describes:
- How students should learn.
- How the teacher should behave.
- The types of tasks and materials to be used.
- The social environment of the classroom.
- The desired learning outcomes.
Therefore, it encompasses various elements that interact to facilitate learning.
Analyzing the Options
Let's look at the given options and evaluate what a model of teaching typically describes:
- Teacher behaviour including teacher and student talk: While teacher behaviour and classroom interaction (including talk) are important parts of teaching, focusing *only* on behaviour and talk might be too narrow. A model is usually broader than just observable actions and verbal exchanges; it includes the underlying structure and goals.
- Learning environment including teaching behaviour: This option is comprehensive. A model of teaching profoundly shapes the learning environment – the physical, social, and psychological context in which learning takes place. This environment is heavily influenced by the teacher's actions and strategies, which constitute teaching behaviour. This option correctly captures the dual focus of models: the overall setting for learning and the teacher's role within it.
- Learner - behaviour including personality characteristics: Learner behaviour and characteristics are crucial for understanding how students learn and for adapting teaching. However, a teaching model primarily describes the *teaching* process designed to influence learning, rather than solely describing the *learner's* behaviour or personality in isolation. While learner aspects inform the model, they aren't the primary description of the model itself.
- Subject matter including its logical structure: The subject matter and its structure are the content being taught. A teaching model determines *how* this content is presented and interacted with, but the model itself is not a description of the subject matter's structure. Different models can be applied to the same subject matter.
Considering the scope of what a model of teaching represents, the description of the "learning environment including teaching behaviour" is the most fitting because a model provides a blueprint for orchestrating both the teacher's actions and the overall classroom setting to achieve learning objectives.
Comparison of Descriptions
| Description Element | Included in Model of Teaching? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Behaviour | Yes | Central to implementing the model's strategies. |
| Student Talk/Interaction | Yes (as part of environment/behaviour) | Models often define desired student interaction patterns. |
| Learning Environment | Yes | Models create and structure the learning setting. |
| Learner Behaviour/Characteristics | Considered (Informs the model) | Models are designed *for* learners, but don't primarily describe the learner. |
| Subject Matter Structure | Content (Taught using the model) | The model is about *how* to teach the content, not the content itself. |
Conclusion
A model of teaching serves as a guide for instruction, detailing the desired learning environment and the teaching behaviours necessary to create that environment and facilitate learning. It goes beyond just teacher actions or learner characteristics to encompass the entire instructional design and context.
Revision Table: Key Concepts in Models of Teaching
| Concept | Brief Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model of Teaching | A plan/framework for guiding instruction and structuring the learning environment. | ||
| Learning Environment | The context (physical, social, psychological) where learning occurs. | Teaching Behaviour | The actions, strategies, and interactions of the teacher in the classroom. |
| Instructional Goals | Specific learning outcomes the model aims to achieve. |
Additional Information: Components and Types of Teaching Models
Beyond describing the learning environment and teaching behaviour, models of teaching often have core components:
- Syntax: Describes the sequence of activities or phases of the model.
- Social System: Describes the roles and relationships of students and the teacher, and the type of norms supported.
- Principles of Reaction: Describes how the teacher should respond to students.
- Support System: Describes the resources and conditions required to implement the model effectively.
- Instructional and Nurturant Effects: Describes the expected learning outcomes (instructional) and the broader impacts on students' development (nurturant).
Examples of different types of teaching models include:
- Information Processing Models (e.g., Inquiry Training, Concept Attainment)
- Personal Models (e.g., Non-directive Teaching, Awareness Training)
- Social Interaction Models (e.g., Group Investigation, Jurisprudential Inquiry)
- Behavioral Models (e.g., Direct Instruction, Mastery Learning)
Each model offers a unique perspective on how to structure the learning experience, emphasizing different aspects of the learning environment and requiring specific teaching behaviours.
Important Questions from Learning Environment - Teaching
Student- Centric Classroom is mean for ____________
Which learning theory provides support for active participation of learner in the learning process in an interactional setting with intrinsic motivation as the basis ?
In which of the following, the direction of influence is mainly one way:
Given below are two statements
Statement I:-
The core of the teaching process is the arrangement of environments within which students can interact and study how to learn.
Statement II:-
A model of teaching is not a description of a learning environment.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below
In the context of a School/University which of the following aspects of environment determine the academic ethos?
