Study Programmes 2015-2016
AESS1217-1  
Special didactics in biology : course and exercises (1st part)
Duration :
40h Th
Number of credits :
Master in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology (120 ECTS)3
Master in biochemistry and molecular and cell biology (120 ECTS)3
Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS)3
Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS)3
Agrégé de l'enseignement secondaire supérieur3
Lecturer :
Marie-Noëlle Hindryckx
Language(s) of instruction :
French language
Organisation and examination :
All year long
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Course contents :
In the DIDAC 1 course, we will cover some essential points for students who intend to teach in the biological sciences: -What is teaching? What is learning? We will examine different kinds of scientific knowledge and its didactic transposition, from the point of view of a teacher and also from the point of view of a student; the point is to give meaning to what is learned. -We will cover means of teaching within a legal framework, using official references. -What methods are most often used in teaching today? Through concrete examples of situations and teaching exercises, the course will provide training that is closely related to the reality on the ground today. -How do we learn to live in multidisciplinary groups? The course will show students how to enrich their training; share their experiences; take stock of their own ideas; and how to construct tools together. -The course will show students how to manage contacts and exchange of information among colleagues, and in cooperation with actors on the ground or with associations for the promotion of various sciences. These questions will be examined through concrete examples of situations and teaching exercises, and with the help of advice from working teachers. In this way, future teachers will gradually work out specific tools designed to help them take charge of various kinds of teaching situations.
Learning outcomes of the course :
After completion of the DIDAC I course, students should be able to: - use all necessary referencies in order to make sure that biology is taught in an up-to-date fashion which is focused on students, and intended to help them acquire the skills required at their level of instruction. - practice effective communication, master the use of effective didactic tools, manage learning by students in class effectively; - develop notions of themselves in order to construct their professional identities as biology teachers.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
Prerequisites include high-quality scientific training gained during university-level study (animal and plant biology, biochemistry, biomedicine, veterinary medicine, etc.), and this scientific knowledge will be tested at the beginning of the course in order to allow students to remedy gaps in their preparation; sufficient facility in the course language of instruction (French) is required, and this will also be tested at the beginning of training leading to qualification.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Training is intended to be concrete in nature, concerning active methods: - Teaching exercises are jointly organized, including classes in physics and chemistry: each student presents a lesson based on a theme given to him or her, and helps others preparing their lessons. A report must be written. - Concrete situations are set up in accordance with a theme such as experimental science, or management of groups and discussions, including classroom debates, in terms of analyses and field trips, experimentation in biology, and skill testing
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Face-to-face, presence required. Classes for the course and for exercises are on Wednesdays from 14h to 17h30, except in special cases. Enthusiastic participation on the part of each student is necessary in order for the training staff to do their job.
Recommended or required readings :
Notes are prepared and handed out to students during class. The didactic contract and documents needed for internship activities and various other activities can be downloaded from  MyULg
Students are requested to begin reading these two works:
André Giordan and Jérôme Saltet, Apprendre à apprendre, Editions Librio
Philippe Meirieu, Lettre à un jeune professeur, ESF éditeur
Assessment methods and criteria :
During the month of October students must prepare and present a 25 lesson in front of other participants of the agrégation (biologists, physicians and chemists). A brief report (micro-teaching report) will present the theme of the lesson, the preparation for the given lesson (using the ad hoc format), paperwork completed by "students" and any other necessary material.  The micro-teaching report has to be turned in in two stages: a first version must be handed in on the day of the teaching exercise in order to make a training evaluation possible, and an amended, second version must be prepared which takes account of the commentary made during the training evaluation, two weeks after the performance.
The internship report will be written according to instructions that are posted on MyULg and are downloadable. This report will be controled in order to verify if competencies to prepare lessons are available
One lesson will be filmed and analyzed by each student, according to reflective practices method. This analyze will take place in a written report
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
The didactic contract and necessary instructions for activities and schedules can be downloaded from MyULg
Contacts :
Teachers : Marie-Noëlle HINDRYCKX MN.Hindryckx@ulg.ac.be
assistants :
Mélanie Laschet melanie.laschet@ulg.ac.be
Corentin Poffé corentin.poffe@ulg.ac.be
Quartier Agora, 7, allée du Six Août, B6a
bureau -2/118b B-4000 Liège 04 366 34 89
teaching instructors:
Moniteurs pédagogiques: - Mme Lespagnard -  bernadette.lespagnard@hel.be - Mme L. Hogenboom -  laurehogenboom@yahoo.fr - M. V. Lauria - cblauria@hotmail.com
- M. Gustin - didgus78@yahoo.fr
- Mme Detaille - lie667@msn.com