Teaching Practice in Dundee and Angus College, Scotland.
I started the teaching session by first shadowing different lecturers who use different teaching styles totaling more than 30 hours. Although teaching is predominantly traditional, a good ICT and teacher student interaction is evident amongst most teaching staff. Teaching is mainly lecturing methods using power point slide shows. In some sessions student teacher interaction is strongly emphasized while some other sessions are met with teacher centric approach.
Dundee and Angus College is situated in the Dundee province of Scotland, it is the 4th biggest city in UK.with population of about 150, 000 people. D&A provides learners the opportunity to be awarded certificates and diplomas ranging from NC to HND. And also award degrees in some disciplines. After the HND diploma, students who want to proceed further have the opportunity to move directly to the Universities. The college has three campuses scattered around the city; the Gardyne, the Kingsway and the Arbroath campuses. Dundee is regarded as a student city as it is a house to two universities, Abertay University dating back to early 19th century and the more modern University of Dundee.
Visiting two campuses of the college, one would notice the contrasts in the environments. The Gardyne, and the Kingsway campuses are in close proximity. The Gardyne campus has the ICT unit of the school with a newly constructed building, a composite structure of glass, steel and concrete and secured on a green environment with beautiful landscape, no wonder it is the most loved campus by D&A college students. It is a house to the computer and creative media units. To a large extent the Gardyne campus is home to future entrepreneur hub. At the moment, it has a space for prospective entrepreneurs who are interested in entrepreneurial practise. This unit is rich in incorporating entrepreneurial practices in its teaching sessions.
During my stay I shadowed sessions in the construction, engineering, architectural technology, building surveying and built environment units, of the KIngsway campus and computer and creative media units in the Gardyne campus. Teaching sessions are student centered, with project based learning paradigm well documented as the teaching and learning style used in the Sustainability and Modern Methods of Construction course, a course I facilitated during my stay. As well as in the computer and creative media units.
Dundonians are very friendly people, one would readily catch a smile from a complete stranger on the street, and a warmly framed good morning greeting. D&A staff team is extremely friendly and always ready to assist in every matter. Accommodation and transport are relatively on the high side this explains why most commute to work from outside the city. However one can always find a suitable accommodation that suits one in every situation. I was rather fortunate to find accommodation quiet near to the Kingsway campus.
Dundee is a really interest place to visit and the college is something to consider for prospective student desiring to move abroad for work practise or study. As a welcome and farewell package, in the first week, the units took me round the city to the popular ‘Law’ a hill which is over 174 meters above sea level from which the entire Dundee can be viewed. I call that ‘’Dundee in one Minute’’ on my blogspace. Yet another outing in the third week, John Mitchel and his assistant took me to the highland village of Pitlochry, popular for its whiskey and the Pitlochry dam. The entire afternoon was spent in this beautiful and ancient village. I want to say a big thank you to the staff of D&A for the opportunity granted and particularly to the Construction Technology unit of the college who gave their time and assistance to make my stay worthwhile.
Charles Chidom
