Leadership & Management in Education

M.Phil Education (Weekend Program)

Semester: 2nd, Section - C

Assignment

Pedagogical Leadership
Submitted to:

Prof. Muhammad Hafeez

Submitted by:

Group # 1
(Roll # 148, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107)

Dated:

9th January, 2022

Pedagogical leadership

Pedagogical leadership is about supporting teaching and learning. It includes

instructional leadership—supporting classroom teachers in their key role of
implementing curriculum. But, pedagogical leadership is a broader term that
encompasses many roles and functions in learning organizations. For example,
pedagogical leadership impacts teaching and learning by establishing
organizational norms of continuous quality improvement. Pedagogical leaders
influence children’s learning by fostering family engagement, ensuring fidelity
to the organization’s curricular philosophy, using data to evaluate the
effectiveness of the learning program, and meeting standards established to
optimize learning environments.
What Is Pedagogy?

McCormick Centers for Early Childhood at National Louis University gives a brief
definition of pedagogy in the following words:

“Pedagogy is the art and science of teaching with

an emphasis on the dispositions and behaviors of
teachers and their interactions with children”
Pedagogy refers to the way of teaching students, whether it is the theory or practice of
educating. It is a relationship between the culture and techniques of learning. The main
aim of pedagogy is to build on previous learning of the students and work on the
development of skills and attitudes of the learners. Pedagogy enables the students to get
a thorough understanding of the subject and helps them in applying those learnings in
their daily lives outside of the classroom.

What is Pedagogy in Teaching?

Pedagogy in teaching can be referred to as an educator’s understanding of how the
students learn. The teachers are focused on presenting the syllabus to the students in such
a way that it is relevant to their needs. Pedagogy demands classroom interactions between
the teacher and students which create a significant impact on the learner’s mind.

What is Teacher Pedagogy?

Teacher pedagogy refers to the pedagogy that is centered towards the teacher, who gives
the most meaningful course information. In this approach, the teacher has a large
responsibility of giving correct information to the students in the right way, irrespective
of their teaching styles. The teacher can give a clear understanding of how the students
are doing concerning their learning and also be an effective model for the target language.
What is the Pedagogy Approach?
The 5 major approaches of pedagogy learning are-

1. Constructivist
In this approach, the students are allowed to be present in the process of understanding
and gaining knowledge rather than just passively receiving information. This encourages
critical thinking among the students and gives a learning environment in which they can
connect with what they are hearing.
2. Collaborative
Here, the students form groups of learners that learn together and work to solve a
problem, build strategies, ideas, create products or complete a task. This is a joint
intellectual effort by the students among themselves or with the help of the teachers.
3. Integrative
For the integrative approach, the students are given a learning environment that helps
them in connecting with their learning across the syllabus. The four objectives of
integration include-
1. Understanding the process of learning
2. Differentiating issues by relevance
 3. Making use of the lessons in practical scenarios
4. Associating the concepts in regular lives
4. Reflective
As per the reflective approach, the students are expected to evaluate themselves. It means
observing the activities of the teachers and other students in the classroom and analyzing
why they do it and how it works.
5. Inquiry-Based Learning
In the inquiry-based learning method, the educators are expected to not just answer the
queries of the students, but also build a culture where their ideas are explored, challenged,
improved, and refined. It aims to take the students from the position of wondering about
a question to understanding the answer and then questioning it further.

Importance of Pedagogy in Teaching

1. Improves Quality of Teaching
If a well-thought pedagogy is implemented in the classrooms, the quality of education can
show a drastic improvement. This will benefit the students by helping them thoroughly
understand the education material, thereby improving the learning outcomes.
2. Encourage Cooperative Learning Environment
The implementation of pedagogy in education encourages the students to work together
towards completing a task and learn together. This increases their perceptions by
understanding and taking views from the other students, thereby adapting the
cooperative learning environments making them better leaders in the future.
3. Eliminates Monotonous Learning
Pedagogy and child development work hand in hand. It helps the student to think in
different ways and move beyond the traditional methods of memorization and
comprehension for learning. It invokes complex processes of learning among the students
such as analyzing, creative thinking, and evaluation. Further, it makes students more
receptive to what the teacher is teaching.
4. Student Can Follow Their Ways of Learning
A well thought pedagogy can help the students to grasp education in various ways. It
caters to the learning abilities of different students. Students can follow their preferred
ways of learning and stick to them. In this way, the students develop a better
understanding of the subject, which eventually improves their skills and learning
outcomes.
5. Convenient Learning Approach for All
Students with special needs require different ways of learning and teaching in the
institutes. Implementation of a suitable pedagogical approach will help them learn better
and encourage them to be a part of the mainstream learning community.
6. Improves Teacher-Student Communication
The teacher understands the student in a better way which helps them to focus on the
student’s weaknesses and guide them.
Role of Pedagogy in Effective learning
1. Improves Teaching Quality
It enhances student participation in learning and makes them more receptive to what is
being taught.
2. Encourages Different Learning Styles
The main focus is given on the outcomes of courses and the students are free to learn in
their styles.
3. Enables Learning for Students with Special Needs
It encourages the students with special needs to be a part of the mainstream teaching
ways and engage with other students.
4. Clarifies Learning Objectives
The student studies a particular subject with a clear objective of outcomes such as gaining
skills and knowledge of the subject.

How does pedagogy impact the learner?

1. Student-Centered Approach
Pedagogy is a student-centered approach in which the students take responsibility for
learning in their ways.
2. Continuous Assessment of Students
Teachers evaluate the students regularly to see if they are improving and moving towards
their target outcomes.
3. Encourages Teamwork
The study methods encourage teamwork and group projects for the students to meet like-
minded individuals and work with them.
4. Develops Cognitive Skills
Helps students to develop cognitive skills using evaluation, detailed analysis,
comprehension, and application of the course.
Essential Elements of Pedagogical
Leadership
For centuries, pedagogical leadership has been one of the integral aspects of educational
leadership.
One cannot dream of the role of an educational leader without measuring the pulse of
pedagogical vibrancy in his or her role. However, we failed to give it a name and form
and have been breathing it in our professional lives.

As such, the Merriam-Webster dictionary detailing the meaning of the word pedagogy
says “the art, science and the profession of teaching”. Further, giving the history of the
word it says “Since in Greek agogos means "leader", a paidagogos was a slave who led
boys to school and back, but also taught them manners and tutored them after school. In
time, pedagogue came to mean simply "teacher;" today the word has an old-fashioned
ring to it, so it often means a stuffy, boring teacher. The word pedagogy, though, is still
widely used, and often means simply "teaching".

McCormick Centers for Early Childhood at National Louis University gives a brief
definition of pedagogy in the following words:
“Pedagogy is the art and science of teaching with an emphasis on the dispositions and
behaviors of teachers and their interactions with children”

Pedagogical leadership, though has a significant objective and purpose in the spectrum
of several other leadership qualities of an educational leader, it facilitates the much-
needed glow and intellectual charisma to the person. A few important engagements of the
Pedagogical leader in an institutional environment cover the following aspects:

Providing Learning-centric leadership

The objective of pedagogy is to enable and empower learning. Therefore, the leadership
has to focus on the process of learning which involves both the teacher and the learner.
The leader has to evolve appropriate strategies that would help the teacher to discharge
his academic responsibilities both efficiently and effectively. The learner has to be
committed to the process of learning with the required aptitude, interest, motivation so
that learning happens in the stipulated time and in the environment in which it has to
occur. The leader, therefore, has a responsibility to envisage this and put in order or place
resources, human and others, which would ensure the effective learning. An effective
pedagogical leader should have the capacity to examine the learning curve of the school
populace and ensure the growth and achievements along the line, in a measurable
manner. Designing and offering appropriate learning experiences, both within the
premises as well externally to the learners by a series of well-articulated activities is an
important aspect of pedagogical leadership.
Designing Content Vision and Dynamics
The pedagogical leader needs to have a deep insight into the curricular content – both in
terms of its architecture and design, its spread, its defined goals, its age appropriacy. This
would help the individual to mentor the teachers and other instructional designers to
deliver their inputs effectively. However, in this process, the leader neither plays an
autocratic role nor does he adopt a laissez-faire approach. It calls for a distributive
leadership, wherein every teacher-student becomes a participative leader in content
management. This becomes all the more necessary, because the pedagogical leader may
not have the expertise in the micro-management of several disciplines of learning

Developing Professional Learning Communities

Given the fact that in a school there is a reasonably good population of teachers, the
pedagogical leader would not be in a position to address the needs of every one of them
due to paucity of time. It is in this context, the design of professional learning communities
in an institution becomes important. A pedagogical leader acts as a source of inspiration
and becomes a motivator to encourage the team to take responsibilities of pedagogical
issues both for transactional purposes as well as for creative and innovative interventions
in the classrooms from time to time.
Committed to Change Management

For long, it has been claimed that learning leads to behavioral change. But, changes in
the external environment also impacts the way we live, we communicate, we cohabit and
we learn. The role of institutions is to prepare the learners, not only for the present, but
to a future in which the next Gen-Z would live and prosper. The pedagogy leader, has to
be sensitive to such changes by not only forecasting them, but by creating mental,
psychological, emotional environment embedded in appropriate skills, both life and
vocational.

Ensuring Order in Chaos

As learning is a multi-polar activity involving the interests of different types of

stakeholders, it is quite possible that the pull and push of interests, goals, attitudes and
objectives, both at the individual level and the societal level, would impact the process
and the products of the learning environment. To bring some element of commonality of
purpose is indeed a very challenging task. Further, history is evidence to the fact that the
field of education has always been the battlefront between the conservatives and the
liberals with regard to retention of heritage and legacy as against progress and
modernity. The pedagogical leaders have to be sensitive to these conflicts, purposes,
pressures at a societal level and should be able to bring some alignment in the functions
and operations of the pedagogical deliveries so that there is a reasonable order in the
system.
5 Principles for Effective
Pedagogy
Learning is determined by the pedagogical methods teachers use when they are in
class. The act of delivering effective pedagogy most of the time relies on the specific
subject matter to be taught, on recognizing the various needs of the learners, and on
adjusting to the surrounding conditions of the classroom.
1. Inclusion

The pedagogy should support inclusive practice in terms of education so that every
child can develop their capacity in learning. We believe that everyone has equal
value and should have access to high quality education around the world. We provide
an inclusive, social and student-focused environment that welcomes learners of all
backgrounds and needs.

2. Motivation

Student motivation is mainly reliant on the teachers’ personality and their ability to
develop and maintain a fruitful relationship. This can happen by recognising the
student’s needs, interests and experiences and framing the learning for each learner.
Our classes are delivered through the Nisai Virtual Academy (NVA) by qualified,
subject specialist teachers. However, the inspiration from the relationship our
students have with our teachers comes organically – the computers have only a
support role to play.

3. Quality Assurance

Another important factor in pedagogy is the quality of the school. As a Cambridge

International School, we can provide Cambridge IGCSEs and A levels to students
worldwide. In addition to that, we are approved by the Department for Education as
a Section 41 provider for Post 16 learners. We provide programs for Key Stages

3 – 5 with accredited courses by either OCR, NOCN or Cambridge. We are also the
only online education provider to have been OFSTED inspected.
4. Consistency and Transparency

The pedagogy should be methodical and consistent in order for the objectives,
content and students’ activity to be aligned. The elements of online learning should
correspond and should be transparent in its intention; it must be clear for the learner
what they are expected to do. Our approach to learning is solely holistic and our
programs vary from long and short-term to online academic with 1:1 support and
project based learning.

5. Innovative Approaches

In theory, online learning should be fit for purpose; bringing an innovative approach
which cannot be reached in any other way. Our approach, with our online material
as well as the environment, is targeted only at our valuable students. We work with
students to help them achieve their ambitions through holistic learning, creating
pathways to university and subsequently future employment.
What are the Most Innovative Learning
Strategies for Modern Pedagogy?
1. Crossover Learning

Learning in informal settings, such as museums and after-school clubs, can link
educational content with issues that matter to learners in their lives. These connections
work in both directions. Learning in schools and colleges can be enriched by experiences
from everyday life; informal learning can be deepened by adding questions and
knowledge from the classroom. These connected experiences spark further interest and
motivation to learn.
These crossover learning experiences exploit the strengths of both environments and
provide learners with authentic and engaging opportunities for learning. Since learning
occurs over a lifetime, drawing on experiences across multiple settings, the wider
opportunity is to support learners in recording, linking, recalling and sharing their diverse
learning events.

2. Learning Through Argumentation

Students can advance their understanding of science and mathematics by arguing in ways
similar to professional scientists and mathematicians. Argumentation helps students
attend to contrasting ideas, which can deepen their learning. It makes technical reasoning
public, for all to learn. It also allows students to refine ideas with others, so they learn how
scientists think and work together to establish or refute claims.

Teachers can spark meaningful discussion in classrooms by encouraging students to ask

open-ended questions, re-state remarks in more scientific language, and develop and use
models to construct explanations. When students argue in scientific ways, they learn how
to take turns, listen actively, and respond constructively to others. Professional
development can help teachers to learn these strategies and overcome challenges, such
as how to share their intellectual expertise with students appropriately.

3. Incidental Learning

Incidental learning is unplanned or unintentional learning. It may occur while carrying out
an activity that is seemingly unrelated to what is learned. Early research on this topic dealt
with how people learn in their daily routines at their workplaces.

For many people, mobile devices have been integrated into their daily lives, providing
many opportunities for technology-supported incidental learning. Unlike formal
education, incidental learning is not led by a teacher, nor does it follow a structured
curriculum, or result in formal certification.

However, it may trigger self-reflection and this could be used to encourage learners to
reconceive what could otherwise be isolated learning fragments as part of more coherent
and longer-term learning journeys.

4. Context-Based Learning

Context enables us to learn from experience. By interpreting new information in the

context of where and when it occurs and relating it to what we already know, we come to
understand its relevance and meaning. In a classroom or lecture theater, the context is
typically confined to a fixed space and limited time. Beyond the classroom, learning can
come from an enriched context such as visiting a heritage site or museum, or being
immersed in a good book.

We have opportunities to create context, by interacting with our surroundings, holding

conversations, making notes, and modifying nearby objects. We can also come to
understand context by exploring the world around us, supported by guides and measuring
instruments. It follows that to design effective sites for learning, at schools, museums and
websites, requires a deep understanding of how context shapes and is shaped by the
process of learning.

5. Computational Thinking

Computational thinking is a powerful approach to thinking and problem solving. It

involves breaking large problems down into smaller ones (decomposition), recognizing
how these relate to problems that have been solved in the past (pattern recognition),
setting aside unimportant details (abstraction), identifying and developing the steps that
will be necessary to reach a solution (algorithms) and refining these steps (debugging).

Such computational thinking skills can be valuable in many aspects of life, ranging from
writing a recipe to share a favorite dish with friends, through planning a holiday or
expedition, to deploying a scientific team to tackle a difficult challenge like an outbreak of
disease.

The aim is to teach children to structure problems so they can be solved. Computational
thinking can be taught as part of mathematics, science and art or in other settings. The
aim is not just to encourage children to be computer coders, but also to master an art of
thinking that will enable them to tackle complex challenges in all aspects of their lives.

6. Learning by Doing Science (with remote labs)

Engaging with authentic scientific tools and practices such as controlling remote
laboratory experiments or telescopes can build science inquiry skills, improve conceptual
understanding, and increase motivation. Remote access to specialized equipment, first
developed for scientists and university students, is now expanding to trainee teachers

and school students. A remote lab typically consists of apparatus or equipment, robotic
arms to operate it, and cameras that provide views of the experiments as they unfold.

Remote lab systems can reduce barriers to participation by providing user-friendly Web
interfaces, curriculum materials, and professional development for teachers.
With appropriate support, access to remote labs can deepen understanding for teachers
and students by offering hands-on investigations and opportunities for direct-observation
that complement textbook learning. Access to remote labs can also bring such experiences
into the school classroom. For example, students can use a high-quality, distant telescope
to make observations of the night sky during daytime school science classes.

7. Embodied Learning

Embodied learning involves self-awareness of the body interacting with a real or simulated
world to support the learning process. When learning a new sport, physical movement is
an obvious part of the learning process. In embodied learning, the aim is that mind and
body work together so that physical feedback and actions reinforce the learning process.

Technology to aid this includes wearable sensors that gather personal physical and
biological data, visual systems that track movement, and mobile devices that respond to
actions such as tilting and motion. This approach can be applied to the exploration of
aspects of physical sciences such as friction, acceleration, and force, or to investigate
simulated situations such as the structure of molecules.

For more general learning, the process of physical action provides a way to engage
learners in feeling as they learn. Being more aware of how one’s body interacts with the
world can also support the development of a mindful approach to learning and well-being.

8. Adaptive Teaching

All learners are different. However, most educational presentations and materials are the
same for all. This creates a learning problem, by putting a burden on the learner to figure
out how to engage with the content. It means that some learners will be bored, others will
be lost, and very few are likely to discover paths through the content that result in optimal
learning. Adaptive teaching offers a solution to this problem. It uses data about

a learner’s previous and current learning to create a personalized path through

educational content.

Adaptive teaching systems recommend the best places to start new content and when to
review old content. They also provide various tools for monitoring one’s progress. They

build on longstanding learning practices, such as textbook reading, and add a layer of
computer-guided support.
Data such as time spent reading and self-assessment scores can form a basis for guiding
each learner through educational materials. Adaptive teaching can either be applied to
classroom activities or in online environments where learners control their own pace of
study.

9. Analytics 0f Emotions

Automated methods of eye tracking and facial recognition can analyze how students learn,
then respond differently to their emotional and cognitive states. Typical cognitive aspects
of learning include whether students have answered a question and how they explain their
knowledge. Non-cognitive aspects include whether a student is frustrated, confused, or
distracted.

More generally, students have mindsets (such as seeing their brain as fixed or malleable),
strategies (such as reflecting on learning, seeking help and planning how to learn), and
qualities of engagement (such as tenacity) which deeply affect how they learn.

For classroom teaching, a promising approach is to combine computer-based systems for

cognitive tutoring with the expertise of human teachers in responding to students’
emotions and dispositions, so that teaching can become more responsive to the whole
child and learner.

10. Stealth Assessment

The automatic data collection that goes on in the background when students work with
rich digital environments can be applied to unobtrusive, ‘stealth’, assessment of their
learning processes.

Stealth assessment borrows techniques from online role-playing games such as World of
Warcraft, in which the system continually collects data about players’ actions, making
inferences about their goals and strategies in order to present appropriate new challenges.
This idea of embedding assessment into a simulated learning environment is now being
extended to schools, in topics such as science and history, as well as to adult education.
Thank you!