DS4OERS (PAC) Recommended teaching strategies and activities

Co-operative leaning Strategy, I will use peer learning to teach the topic of parts of a leave
I will send the students out in pairs to look for different types of leaves and come and mount them in class after sticking them on papers.
I see you have identified most of the strategies, however we need to promote media based learning within our teaching and learning programs. With view of this, I would ask my students to take pictures of the mounted leaves and share them with their friends on social media platforms.
Teachers to use more practical methods and encourage student to use social media for learning

Forum Contribution – Teaching Strategies for Computer Education (Fiji Context)

For my lesson plan on teaching basic computer programming concepts to Year 12 students, I have chosen a combination of experiential learning, activity-based learning, and scaffolding as my core teaching strategies.

  1. Why these strategies?

Experiential & Activity-Based Learning: Programming is a skill best learned by doing. These strategies allow students to write, test, and debug actual code. I create hands-on tasks where students use Visual Basic or Scratch to build simple applications like calculators or quizzes. This engages learners, especially in a practical, real-world subject like computing.

Scaffolding: Many students in Fiji come with limited prior exposure to programming. Scaffolding helps me break complex concepts (like loops or conditional statements) into manageable steps. For example, before introducing nested loops, I ensure students are confident with simple loops.

  1. Effective Activities I Use

Code-along Demonstrations (Modelling): I demonstrate live coding exercises and encourage students to follow along. This builds their confidence.

Mini Projects (Project-Based Learning): I assign small projects like creating a login form or a basic inventory system, where students apply what they’ve learned.

Peer Coding (Co-operative Learning): Students pair up to work through logic challenges or debug each other’s code. This supports learning from each other and improves their communication.

  1. Activities That Work Best in My Context

Gamification: I’ve used quizzes with Kahoot! or custom-built Scratch games to reinforce theory topics like data types, hardware components, and computer ethics. This keeps the class lively and competitive in a healthy way.

Station Rotation: For revision, I set up activity stations with different types of tasks: drag-and-drop logic puzzles, syntax error correction, short theory questions, and mini coding tasks. Students rotate through each one.

  1. Additional Strategy I Find Useful

Blended Learning: Although not explicitly listed, combining face-to-face instruction with digital resources (YouTube tutorials, Code.org lessons) helps bridge the gaps for students who need extra time or missed a session.

  1. Advice for Fellow Teachers

Start simple and build confidence: Avoid overloading students initially. Choose strategies that align with their existing skill levels.

Know your learners: Use diagnostic activities early in the term to understand how best they learn (visual, hands-on, verbal).

Mix it up: One strategy doesn’t fit all. Try combining strategies like modelling + activity-based learning + gamification to keep students engaged.

ds4oers

Forum Contribution – Teaching Strategies for Home Economics (Fiji Context)

For my lesson plan on teaching Home Economics to Year 12 students in Fiji, I have chosen a blend of experiential learning, activity-based learning, and co-operative learning as my key teaching strategies.


Why These Strategies?

Experiential & Activity-Based Learning: Home Economics is a hands-on subject. Whether it’s food preparation, budgeting, or textile work, students learn better by doing. I design lessons that require learners to apply theoretical concepts in real-world contexts—such as meal planning for a diabetic or designing eco-friendly clothing items.

Co-operative Learning: In the Fijian classroom, group-oriented tasks work well. Students collaborate to cook, sew, and plan, learning not only the subject content but also teamwork, responsibility, and cultural values like sharing and respect.


Effective Activities I Use

Practical Demonstrations: I demonstrate skills such as measuring ingredients or sewing a basic seam. Then students practice under supervision, using rubrics for peer and self-assessment.

Integrated Mini Projects: I assign tasks like creating a weekly household budget, preparing a balanced local meal, or crafting reusable shopping bags. These integrate theory (e.g., nutrition or sustainability) with life skills.

Role Play and Simulation: Students act out roles such as a nutritionist counselling a client or a consumer comparing household products. This develops communication and decision-making skills.


Activities That Work Best in My Context

Cultural Cooking Tasks: I assign meal planning and cooking based on traditional Fijian diets. This makes the learning culturally relevant and reinforces healthy lifestyle choices.

Peer Teaching: Stronger students mentor others during group cooking or sewing sessions. This boosts class engagement and builds a supportive learning community.

Use of Local Resources: Instead of relying heavily on costly materials, we use banana leaves for wrapping, coconut shells for measuring, or recycled fabrics for craftwork. This promotes sustainability and affordability.


Additional Strategy I Find Useful

Scaffolding with Visual Aids: Many students are visual learners. I use diagrams, videos, and step-by-step recipe cards to scaffold learning—especially helpful in topics like nutrition or garment construction.


Advice for Fellow Teachers

Respect Local Contexts: Adapt content to reflect students’ daily lives—include local food items, traditional roles, and practical domestic challenges they relate to.

Focus on Life Skills: Home Economics is not just about passing exams—it’s about preparing students for real-life responsibilities in the home and community.

Encourage Reflection: After every major task, have students reflect (in journals or discussions) on what they learned, what was challenging, and how they could improve.


ds4oers