Introduction - Why reflect? (Because I've been told I have to)

The idea behind this blog is to look into how using ICT in lecturing can aid my teaching, and the learning of my students. A lot of varying software will be analysed, no doubt offering varying degrees of success.

To start, it might be useful to give a bit of background about myself. After college, I studied a degree in Sports Science at UWIC, achieving a 2:1. From there, I was unsure which way to go, whether to move into further education, or a job. I decided to get a full time job, working in a finance job for a year

As a new lecturer, it is important that I find ways to ensure that my teaching is effective, meaning I need to explore as many techniques as possible to find the ones that suit me. The following blog posts will aim to cover a number of points, analysing differing aspects which may or may not be helpful in the world of teaching. Through these posts, I will try and determine the best way that I can teach, selecting tools and techniques that can best supplement my natural characteristics.

Reflection is something which is done in everyday life. People reflect after a job interview, after a big sports game, even after choosing which brand of shampoo to buy. Often, it's done without real consciousness; people reflect naturally, without deciding to reflect. However, it's the value of this reflection that is important. If reflection is carried out objectively and effectively, it can be a good tool in the continual improvement of a teacher.

Teaching is a job where there is no quantifiable marker of being the best you can be. Students exam grades can be an indicator, but there are too many variables to suggest that the grades are solely down to the teacher. By constantly evaluating your teaching, areas of strength and weakness can be noted, allowing for an action plan to be constructed.

A lazy teacher may think that a lesson went well, and leave it at that. A teacher who can effectively reflect will understand why it went well, and how to ensure lessons go well in the future. Conversely, a lazy teacher may feel that a lesson went poorly, and decide to never do that lesson again. A reflective teacher will look at each aspect of the lesson, and note the areas in which the lesson struggled. This allows for a more informed understanding of how to get the best out of the students, which is the ultimate aim of teaching.