Pedagogy & Practice

With you in mind, the NEI supports ways to position continuous improvement directly into your daily practice, and to use research based processes to transfer knowledge and skills when learning occurs externally. 

The Embedded Learning Approaches

BUILDING A COLLECTIVE CULTURE OF LIFE WIDE LEARNING

To embed adult learning into the classroom is the quintessential act of Professional Learning. New research, technologies, teacher and student needs, requires that learning to be ongoing. When executed effectively, embedded, cyclical learning becomes an essential and core aspect of the modern educator’s professional identity. The NEI commits to ways your continuous improvement may be woven directly into the fabric of your daily practice and to use research based processes of knowledge and skills transfer, when it is not.

When learning occurs outside of the workspace, peer coaching is the vehicle by which new knowledge and skills transfer and embed into your practice. 

Actionable Knowledge Model

The NEI uses the Actionable Knowledge Model, comprised of Action Research and Action Learning, to facilitate embedded learning for education professionals.

The Actionable Knowledge Model inserts critical and transformative learning actions into your classroom and brings your experiential discourse and shared results into the Professional Learning hub of the National Educators’ Institute.

Action Research

“A systematic enquiry done by teachers or other individuals in education settings to gather information about and subsequently improve the ways their particular educational setting operates, how they teach, and how well their students learn.” - Mills

Action Learning

“A small group iterative process that places doing and reflecting at the center of problem solving and learning,” and bringing about change. This change can be for the education professional, their immediate learning environment, or whole school. - The Learning Center

Approaches to Move Learning from the Workshop to Workspace

When learning occurs away from the school environment, the NEI uses research based processes of knowledge and skills to transfer to support the implementation of your new learning into your classroom. 

The Simulated Classroom

When learning new concepts, teachers benefit from practical engagement. Simulated classrooms provided an interactive space for educators to engage in targeted practice of new skills and to build confidence with new methodologies under the guidance of credible experts. 

Topic Studies

Topic Studies adopt the four components of the Joyce and Showers Training Model. During topic studies educators incrementally progress through each component to master new pedagogy, methods, and skills in simulated classroom experiences.

Topic Study Activity

Study Theory of New Learning

level of impact on educators

Awareness

Topic Study Activity

Use the Model to Teach The Model

Level of Impact on Educators

Conceptual Understanding

Topic Study Activity

Practice

level of impact on educators

Skill aquisition in simulated learning environment

Topic Study Activity

Peer Coaching

level of impact on educators

Apply learning & skills to workspace

Triad Peer Coaching Model

Joyce and Showers indicate that when learning occurs outside of the classroom, peer coaching heightens the transfer probability of that learning into the classroom. The Triad Peer Coaching Model is the support vehicle by which education professionals cooperate to transfer new learning from the NEI into the classroom.

Coachee

Invites coach to observe live or recorded lesson.

Actions

Listens, reflects, discusses.

Observer

Facilitates triad meeting; note taker; timer

Actions

Observes coach & coachee. Asks questions for reflective feedback on processes. Maintain focus of meeting.

Team establishes focus area for observation & coaching

Coach

Watches or observes live/recorded lesson.

Actions

Asks knowledge building questions; Provides descriptive feedback.

Engage in the NEI Knowledge Communities

In the professional learning context, knowledge communities occur when education professionals, with shared interests, gather to improve reflection and practice by providing feedback, collaborating and finding new solutions to problems (Seaman, 2008). The NEI uses multiple ways to build a national professional learning knowledge community.

Any planned group discussion of a particular text … as a means of furthering professional understanding of a specific subject or phenomenon. (Blanton, 2014). When possible, this involves hearing from the authors.

  1. Thought Collection Journals
    • The NEI develops digital brochures to capture emerging themes, questions, and solutions offered by education professionals during courses and professional conversations.

2. Book Reviews, Literary Essays, and Curations

    • Education professionals pen book reviews and author critical and reflective essays to share perspectives and that provoke thoughts about their professional reading.
    • We also invite educator to share curated book lists and resources on relevant and timely topics.
  1. Formal Conversations
    • The NEI designs interactive structured conversations, like World Café and the ORID model, for large groups of education professionals to explore cutting-edge topics. The NEI believes there is profound value in the collective wisdom of Bermuda’s education professionals

2. Informal Conversations

    • The NEI hosts Pop-Up Conversations. These informal chats respond to current events and cultural experiences that impact teaching and learning for adults and students.

3. Professional Conversations with the Author

    • Participants read a text and provide emerging questions to shape a conversation with the author. There is also a reflection period where education colleagues ponder how the new knowledge build into their work life.

Join the National Educators'
Institute in 3 Simple Steps

Get ready for your journey of professional growth and transformative learning with the NEI. Be open to embracing these three actions to start and to sustain a successful NEI experience. 

step 1

Activate

an active learner mindset. Be ready for learning where you make meaning of knowledge and practice skills with colleagues

step 2

Explore

questions you, as a dynamic educational scholar, can research in your classroom or explore in professional conversations

step 3

Collaborate

with diverse education professionals from all types and levels of schooling. Discover learning and peer coaching partners.

Join the NEI today and embark on a transformative journey that will shape your professional career and positively influence the future of education in Bermuda.