Teaching to encourage deep thinking

How you teach depends upon the audience you are delivering to and the topic that is the focus of learning.  What is clear however is that teaching is complex and therefore difficult. It may look easy when you see a competent teacher in the classroom but what you don't see is the effort, time and preparation that has gone before the actual performance in the classroom.
 
This on-line course explores the argument that to prepare young people for life in the 21st century, education must involve more than what is proposed by the latest government prescribed curriculum. Dylan William (2021) says that 'what students know about traditional subject areas is important but so too is their ability to react to challenges and frustrations, what they believe about people who have different opinions and beliefs from their own and the determination to do good in the world is arguably much more important.'
 
About the course:
Developed by teaching and learning experts.
All aspects of the course are on-line and can be completed at the participants own speed. 
Approximate duration: 3-4 hours
Digital certificate available.
 
Who would benefit from the course?
The course would be beneficial for everyone who works with young people and who would like a more in-depth understanding (based on current evidence) of how students learn and how to build opportunities into teaching for 'hard thinking'.  The course is suitable for all key stages although aspects may need to be adjusted for specific age ranges and settings.
 
Aims of the course:
To increase participant knowledge of the difference between student learning and performance .
To broaden and deepen our understanding of thinking in relation to the real world. 
To explore cognitive structures such as working memory and long-term memory are organised to process information.  
To increase the participants knowledge of cognitive science with particular reference to a Knowledge Rich Curriculum (KRC).
Increase knowledge about the 'Learning Passport Project' which is an ambitious partnership between University of Cambridge, UNICEF and Microsoft which aims to improve the education. 
 
Assessment:
Participants are required to take an on-line assessment on completion of the course. There will be multi-choice questions at the end of the course, the pass mark will be 80%. You can take the assessment as many times as you need to without any extra charge.
 
Course outline 
Learning to Learn
The teaching of thinking
Organising learning
The Knowledge Rich Curriculum
Future-proofing - navigating teaching challenges
Knowledge check