Teaching methods in 130 lessons in upper secondary schools

• Main Authors: Sigurgeirsson, Ingvar, Eiríksdóttir, Elsa, Jóhannesson, Ingólfur Ásgeir
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2020
• Subjects: teaching methods; upper secondary school; teaching methods model; kennsluaðferðir; framhaldsskóli; flokkunarkerfi kennsluaðferða; Iceland
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/index.php/netla/article/view/3067

This article investigates the characteristics of the teaching methods used by Icelandic upper secondary school teachers across 130 lessons, exploring whether commonalities can be seen among the teaching methods employed in different subjects and subject groups. The authors present different models that have been used to categorize teaching methods, such as distinguishing between teacher- and student-centered methods, dividing them into different “families” (Joyce et al., 2015), according the theoretical background they derive from, or categorizing them by the similarity of their pedagogical approach, as is done in a model presented in an Icelandic handbook on teaching methods (Ingvar Sigurgeirsson, 1999, 2013) which was used to further analyze the lessons. The model classifies teaching methods into nine categories: (1) Expository methods, (2) recitation, drill, and practice, (3) hands on methods, (4) questioning strategies and discussions, (5) artistic and expressive methods, (6) problem solving, (7) inquiry methods, (8) group work and cooperative methods, and (9) student centered projects.The 130 lesson observations were collected as part of the project Upper Secondary School Practices in Iceland, October 2013 to November 2014. Nine different upper secondary schools were selected from a stratified population, and the lessons were chosen in such a way that the sample would include lessons in all major subjects and a variety of other subjects. The lessons ranged from 27 minutes to roughly 4 hours, with the majority ranging from 40–80 minutes. One, and in 44% of the cases, two researchers, out of the total of 15 researchers associated with the project, attended each lesson and produced a detailed written record of the activities. The researchers reported on various (previously agreed upon) aspects of each lesson, such as teaching methods, communication between teachers and students, the teachers’ conduct and demeanor, use of teaching materials and media, information technology, and student classroom engagement and ...