About this Course

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The Foundations of Teaching for Learning programme is for anyone who is teaching, or who would like to teach, in any subject and any context - be it at school, at home or in the workplace. With dynamic lessons taught by established and respected professionals from across the Commonwealth, this eight course programme will see you develop and strengthen your skills in teaching, professionalism, assessment, and more. As you carry on through the programme, you will find yourself strengthening not only your skills, but your connection with colleagues across the globe. A professional development opportunity not to be missed. 
This course will help you consider how to develop appropriate learning goals for individual and groups of students. You will learn how to plan learning activities to engage your students in ways that will achieve these goals.

Enhance your course by joining the Commonwealth teaching community on our website, Facebook and Twitter.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.83/5 (37 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(1,833 ratings)

Week

1

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Mindsets for Learning and Teaching

This is our first week together and we are pleased you have decided to participate in this course focused on planning for teaching and learning. This week we will discuss developing a growth mindset and setting goals as a planning professional. We will also explore the importance of working from a model of learning when planning for teaching. We encourage you to be curious in your approach to planning for teaching and learning.

2 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 60 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

6 videos

Introduction to Course 54m

Lecture 1: Introduction to mindsets for Teaching and Learning13m

Lecture 2: Moral Purpose, Mindset and Hard Goals9m

Lecture 3: Learning Models9m

Lecture 4: Inquiry and Professional Learning Designs8m

Copy of Lecture 1: Introduction to mindsets for Teaching and Learning13m

5 readings

Syllabus10m

Grading and Logistics10m

Portfolio10m

FAQ10m

Outline for Week One10m

1 practice exercise

Quiz 130m

Week

2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

What Do We Know About Teaching and Learning

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 60 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week

3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Four Key Questions and Why They Matter

In this week we introduce four key questions. The questions are diagnostic tools that can tell you how successful you are at giving your students clear expectations and providing them with good feedback. In this week’s lectures, readings and videos you will be provided with examples of how a range of schools are using these questions to focus their learning. We encourage you and your professional planning partner to design you own ways of using these questions in your school or setting.

1 hour to complete

4 videos (Total 42 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Spirals of Inquiry for Planning and Teaching

Week four follows the pattern we have set in the first three weeks. This week we explore how you can inform and deepen your planning for teaching and learning by engaging in a specific inquiry cycle. All of the lectures this week focus on the various phases or stages of the spiral of inquiry. The spiral of inquiry asks us to start with the experiences of our learners and to continually ask ourselves these questions: What’s going on for our learners? How do we know? Why does it matter?

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 60 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week

5

Week 5

1 hour to complete

Teacher Professional Learning

As teachers, we usually think about planning from the perspective of how we can better teach our students. This week we are going to focus on planning for the learning needs of the adults in our schools. One of the most important findings from the research on teacher professional learning is that it must be tied to the learning needs of the students. We are going to provide you with some practical examples of what this might look like. By the end of this week you will know how to apply current research knowledge to your own professional learning and planning. We hope that you will continue to reflect on new forms of ongoing professional learning as part of your teaching life.

1 hour to complete

4 videos (Total 45 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

6

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Innovation and Change

This is the final week of this course and we appreciate your perseverance! This week you are going to have the opportunity to think about designing more innovative learning environments for young people. You will see how teachers are planning intellectually and socially engaging practices for learners. You will also extend your thinking about the growth mindset by exploring the notions of perseverance and grit, a quality that is highly correlated with adult success. As well, you are going to think about the important role that both trusting relationships and professional networks play in your development as a teacher. We encourage you to think about the ways in which you are contributing to strengthening relational trust in your settings.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 67 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.8

68 reviews

5 stars
82.16%
4 stars
14.05%
3 stars
2.70%
2 stars
1.08%

TOP REVIEWS FROM FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING FOR LEARNING: PLANNING FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

by MMApr 20, 2016

Lots of good ideas in here. More focus on planning g would make it better, though.

by BJJun 3, 2020

good design,gradually unfolding going to deeper level and changing mindset for growth

by YSMar 15, 2022

I thought it was helpful, and lots of oppurtunity to really, reflect on planning.

by LMJan 16, 2022

Very insightful and eye opening! Indeed any learner can be improved...

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning