CET Unit 1 Manual

Level 4
Certificate in Education and Training

Unit 1

www.sltraininganddevelopment.co.uk

Unit 1 – Introduction

Understanding roles, responsibilities and relationships in education and
training - Level 3 (3 credits)

This unit is based on the roles, responsibilities and relationships you have as a teacher,
trainer, instructor or educator within education and training. It also helps you identify
other types of people you may work alongside or interact with in your role.

Within this unit you will learn about: -

ü The roles and responsibilities of a teacher
ü Boundaries of teaching
ü Safe learning environments
ü Legislation and codes of practice

You will also learn about some of the theory behind learning. It is important that you
understand the fundamentals of being a good teacher, to enable you to become a great
one.

Unit Assessment Criteria

Unit 1
1.1 Explain teaching roles and responsibilities in education and training
1.2 Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of
practice relating to own role and responsibilities
1.2 Explain ways to promote equality and valuing diversity
1.4 Explain why it is important to identify and meet individual needs of learners
2.1 Explain ways to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment
2.2 Explain why it is important to promote appropriate behaviour and respect for
others
3.1 Explain how the teaching role involves working with other professionals
3.2 Explain the boundaries between the teaching role and other professional roles
3.3 Describe points of referral to meet the individual needs of learners

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The role of the Teacher, Trainer, Instructor

Traditionally, the role of the teacher has been that of a supplier of information – the
expert in a particular subject or topic. The teacher’s role in this context was to pass on
info and the learner’s role was to absorb it, this was known as a ‘supply-led approach’.
Education / courses were offered on a ‘take it or leave it’ basis rather that a demand-led
approach consisting of learning opportunities set up to meet individual needs

The role has changed, development and is now very different, particularly when working
with adult learners. The role has changed from the ‘expert provider of knowledge’ to a
facilitation role where learners are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, bring
experiences to their learning and challenge. Learners are no longer seen as a group but
are recognised as individuals – each with their own particular needs and interests,
something the teacher, trainer, instructor must be aware of and adapt to.

“I never teach my students anything, I simply create an environment in which they can learn”

Albert Einstein

Why has the role changed? This change is a result of a number of factors; adults have a
wealth of experience that can be used within the learning environment, individuals do
not all learn in the same way and the ‘expert teacher’ approach does not always have a
positive impact on learning.

Teaching roles might include:

• Interviewing learners
• Communicating with others (internally and externally)
• Preparing teaching, learning and assessment resources
• Establishing ground rules with learners
• Using a variety of inclusive teaching, learning and assessment approaches
• Assessing learner progress
• Giving feedback to learners
• Evaluating delivery / self-reflection

The role will cover all aspects of the teaching, learning and assessment cycle,

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Learning Theories

If you are a new teacher, trainer or assessor, it can be quite confusing getting to grips
with the many different theories of learning. Here are a few key theorists you will find
useful:

Bloom’s Domains of learning

Bloom (1956) stated that learning goes through five stages.

Attention is the first stage, which leads to a change in behavior
once learning has been successful:

▪ attention
▪ perception
▪ understanding
▪ short/long term memory
▪ change in behavior

These stages of learning can affect a person’s thinking, emotions and actions. These are
also known as the cognitive, affective, and psycho-motor domains (respectively). Think
of cognitive as the head (thinking), affective as the heart (emotions) and psycho-motor
as the hands (actions).

When teaching your subject, you need to consider which domain you want to reach for
your session aim. For example:

▪ cognitive (subject - geography) learners will state the reasons for coastal erosion
▪ affective (subject – the environment) learners will discuss their ideas for recycling
▪ psycho-motor (subject – bricklaying) learners will build a two foot high wall.

Gagne’s Conditions of learning

Gagne (1985) suggests that there are several different types or levels of learning. Each
different type requires different teaching methods.

He identified five major conditions of learning:

▪ verbal information
▪ intellectual skills
▪ cognitive strategies
▪ motor skills
▪ attitudes.

Different internal and external conditions are required for each category of learning.

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For example, for motor skills to be learnt, there must be the opportunity for learners to
practice new skills rather than just learn about them. For attitudes, learners must be
able to explore these, for example, discussing environmental issues.

Gagne believed learning should take place if learners progress through the levels.

Kolb’s Experiential theory

Kolb (1984) proposed a four-stage experiential learning cycle by which people
understand their experiences, and as a result, modify their behavior. It is based on the
idea that the more often a learner reflects on a task, the more often they have the
opportunity to modify and refine their efforts.

Concrete experience is about experiencing or immersing yourself in the task and is the
first stage in which a person simply carries out the task assigned. This is the doing
stage.

Observation and reflection involve stepping back from the task and reviewing what has
been done and experienced. Values, attitudes and beliefs can influence thinking at this
stage. This is the thinking about what you have done stage.

Abstract conceptualisation involves interpreting the events that have been carried out
and making sense of them. This is the planning how you will do it differently stage.

Active experimentation enables a person to take the new learning and predict what is
likely to happen next or what actions should be taken to refine the way the task is done
again. This is the redoing stage based upon experience and reflection.

The process of learning can begin at any stage and is continuous i.e. there is no limit to
the number of cycles a person can make in a learning situation.
This theory suggests that without reflection, people would continue to repeat their
mistakes.

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Laird’s Sensory theory

Laird (1985) stated learning occurs when the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell
and taste are stimulated. Laird's theory suggests that if multi-senses are stimulated,
greater learning takes place.

You could therefore adapt your approaches and resources to enable your learners to use
as many of their senses as possible.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow (1987) introduced a Hierarchy of Needs in 1954 after rejecting the idea that
human behaviour was determined by childhood events. He felt that obstacles should be
removed that prevent a person from achieving their goals. He argued there are five
needs which represent different levels of motivation which must be met. The highest
level was labelled self-actualisation, meaning people are fully functional, possess a
healthy personality, and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
He also believed that people should be able to move through these needs to the highest
level, provided they are given an education that promotes growth. The figure below
shows the needs expressed as they might relate to learning, starting at the base of the
pyramid.

When learners satisfy their needs at one level, they should be able to progress to the
next level. Something may set them back a level, but they should then need to keep
striving upwards. It is these needs that motivate learning to take place. However, some
people may not want to progress through the levels and may be quite content where
they are at that moment in their life.

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To help your learners’ motivation, always ensure that the environment you create meets
your learners’ first-level needs. This will enable them to feel comfortable and secure
enough to learn and progress to the higher levels. You will need to appreciate that some
learners may not have these lower needs met in their home lives, which might make it
difficult for them to move on to the higher levels.

Always try to establish a purposeful environment where your learners can feel safe,
secure, confident and valued.

While you may be very good at delivering your subject, you might have no control over
the environment and will need to create a suitable atmosphere if you can. However,
your enthusiasm and passion for your subject should help engage your learners. If you
can also make your session interesting, active and varied, your learners will enjoy the
experience and remember more about the subject and you, rather than the environment
or lack of facilities.

The Peter Principle

Peter and Hull (1969) devised the principle that people are promoted to their highest
level of competence, after which further promotion raises them to a level just beyond
this and they become incompetent.

These levels are as follows.

Unconscious incompetence – you don’t know how to do something, but don’t know
that you don’t know this. To reach the next level, you need to know what it is that
you don’t know.

Conscious incompetence – you know what you want to do and start to appreciate
the gap in your competence. To reach the next level you need to know how to
become competent.

Conscious competence – you can do what you set out to do but have to give it a
lot of attention. Through repeated practice, you can reach the next level.

Unconscious competence – you can perform a skill easily without giving it a great
deal of thought. Once you achieve unconscious competence, you are at a level
which suits your ability at the time.

If you are promoted or try something different, you might return to the first level and
become unconsciously incompetent again. This is useful to know, as your learners may
reach and stay at one of these levels or reach the highest level and then return to a
lower level due to further progression.

Rogers’ Humanist theory

Rogers (1983) and others developed the theory of facilitative learning. This is based
upon a belief that people have a natural human eagerness to learn and that learning
involves changing your own concept of yourself.

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This theory suggests that learning will take place if the
person delivering it acts as a facilitator. To facilitate
learning, you should establish an atmosphere in which
your learners feel comfortable and are able to discuss
and explore new ideas

Your learners should be able to learn from their mistakes
(if it’s safe to do so), to find things out for themselves by
experience and to not feel threatened by external
factors.

Skinner’s Behaviorist theory

Skinner (1974) believed that behavior is a function of its consequences. For example,
your learner will repeat the desired behavior if positive reinforcement follows. Your
learner should not repeat the behavior if negative feedback is given. Giving immediate
feedback whether positive or negative, should enable your learner to behave in a certain
way.

Positive reinforcement or rewards can include verbal feedback such as 'That's great,
you've produced that document without any errors' or 'You're certainly getting on well
with that task' through to more tangible rewards such as a certificate at the end of the
programme or a promotion at work.

Frank Coffield – challenged the use of learning styles and theories, writing a detailed
paper that published his findings.

http://www.arasite.org/RMdatabase/Coffield.pdf

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Approaches to teaching and learning

Depending upon your subject, you will be teaching learners skills, new knowledge and/or
attitudes. You will need to decide how you are going to enable this to take place. If your
subject is skills-based, you might give demonstrations. If your subject is knowledge
based you might give a lecture, or use presentation software, if it’s attitudes you might
hold discussions and show examples.

If you teach to groups, this will be different to teaching on a one to one basis. With
groups, you need to allow time for questions and activities, and ensure all learners have
the opportunity to participate. Your delivery materials and activities should be planned to
cover all the learning styles of the individuals within your group.

One to one teaching can be geared to the particular learner’s needs, but you must
remain professional throughout and not get personal in any way.

Barriers to learning

You may identify various challenges, barriers and attitudes to learning that would impact
upon your teaching. For example, learners’ resistance to change, their previous
experiences, lack of facilities, resources and/or
equipment. You will need to consider how you would
overcome these issues, perhaps, by giving
encouragement and support and using various
methods of delivery to encompass all learning styles.

There may also be issues such as family and personal
commitments or travel and weather problems that can
affect attendance. You would need to consider how
you can help your learners overcome any issues.

The learning environment and your resources

There will often be issues with the environment / room within which your teaching will
take place. Equipment may not work properly or be unavailable. Resources may be
lacking, and you may have to develop your own. You will need to consider how to make
the best use of what is available.

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Promoting appropriate behaviour

Teachers, Trainers and Instructors should lead by example and model good practice. If
they demonstrate appropriate behaviour, hopefully their learners and others will emulate
this. Being a professional teacher involves acting with integrity, behaving in the correct
manner for the role, respecting others and being fair and honest.

Teachers should also follow relevant organisational policies such as dress, timekeeping
etc, and the organisation’s codes of practice.

Learners should demonstrate appropriate behaviour when they are attending sessions,
not only to their peers, but to the teacher and others in the organisation.

Ground rules

Setting ground rules can help establish the boundaries for your group. You could do this
as an activity during the first session after the icebreaker. Allowing the learners to agree
their own ground rules means they take ownership of them. If a ground rule is
subsequently broken, it’s usually the learners who will reprimand each other before you
need to. Examples of ground rules include - arrive on time, respect others, return from
breaks promptly and switch off mobile phones.

Legislation, Regulations and Codes of Practice

It is important for you to keep up to date with all relevant legislation relating to your role
as a teacher, and for your particular subject, to ensure you are remaining current with
your knowledge and practice.

Regulations are often called rules and they specify mandatory requirements that must
be met. Public bodies, corporations, agencies and organisations create regulatory
requirements which must be followed if they are applicable to your job role.

Codes of practice are usually produced by organisations, associations and professional
bodies. They can be mandatory or voluntary and you will need to find out which are
applicable to your job role. If you belong any professional associations, they will usually
have a code of practice for you to follow

Valuing equality and advancing diversity

You should be positive and pro-active where equality and diversity are concerned and
may have to challenge your own attitudes, values and beliefs. As a professional, you are
first and foremost a teacher, and your personal opinions must not interfere with the
teaching and learning process.

When teaching, always include learners in relevant activities during sessions, and
throughout the full learning process, rather than excluding anyone for any reason. Try
and ascertain what a learner can do rather than what they can’t do. However, any
adjustments to the learning process would have to be reasonable, and not seen as
favouritism by other learners.

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Embedding English, Maths and ICT

When teaching, you need to embed functional skills wherever possible into your delivery.
These are skills such as English, maths and information communication technology
(ICT). This need only be at the level of your learners and the subject. For example, if
you are teaching plumbing, you could encourage the use of English by communication
with customers; maths could be incorporated by measuring pipes and calculations, and
ICT by maintaining records or ordering supplies using a computer.

Understanding different teaching and learning approaches will help you deliver your
subject in a suitable and interesting way for learning to be effective.

When teaching, you need to create a good working relationship with your learners and
it’s important to remain professional throughout and to retain their respect. You need to
teach your subject in an interesting way, using a variety of methods to help keep your
learners motivated, non-verbal communication is as important as verbal communication.

When teaching, try and speak clearly, and a little louder and slower than normal,
allowing time for your learners to ask questions. You might have to rephrase sentences
if learners do not understand what you are saying. Always ask open questions to check
learning, and use eye contact when speaking.

Self-reflection and CPD

Self-reflection is crucial for your own development. When you begin teaching, after each
session, think about how it went, what was good, what you could do differently and what
you could improve.

Continuing professional development (CPD) throughout your career will ensure you are
up to date with the latest information regarding your subject. You could subscribe to
relevant journals or magazines, podcasts, webinars and websites.

Acknowledgements: anngravells.co.uk, ncfe.org.uk, et-foundation.co.uk, highfieldqualificaitons.co.uk, Readon publications

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Unit 1 – Worksheet 1

Instructions for Learners

Complete the following task within this worksheet. These tasks contribute towards Unit 1
of the qualification.

Unit 1 Understanding roles, responsibilities and relationships in education and
training

Learning Outcome 1 – 1.2

Summarise the key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes
of practice relating to your own role.

Legislation Summary

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Regulatory Summary
Requirements

Codes of practice Summary

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Unit 1 – Worksheet 2

Instructions for Learners

Complete the following task within this worksheet. This task will contribute towards Unit
1 of the qualification.

Unit 1 Understanding roles, responsibilities and relationships in education and
training

Learning Outcome 2 – 3.2, 3.3

Identify the other professionals you work with and some referral points you need to
be aware of to meet the needs of your learners

Internal External

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Reflective Practice

Reflective practice models.

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