JMD 306

Module outline:
Methodology of Tourism

Ms René Beyers
 Theme 1: The Teacher

What is a teacher?
- Teachers are the building blocks of our society.
- Teachers provide the foundation for lifelong learning.
- A teacher should always be a positive role model and mentor.
- Pushes their learners to be the best and show their full potential.
- Teachers are mostly trustworthy.
- Teachers should have focus, patience and strong goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7dbqkFTp2s
 The teacher
All of us have at some point at school or university
experienced teachers who have made it easy for us to learn
and teachers who have not helped at all.
Why does this happen?
What makes the difference between a good teacher who
makes learning easy and a poor teacher who does not?
How and why do particular approaches to teaching help or
hinder learning?

The answers to these questions depends on “how we

believe the mind works”.
 Teaching is more than just presenting
content
o The most important point to realise
is that helping learners to
understand the curriculum content
requires much more than just
presenting the content in the form
or sequence in which it is set out
in the Tourism CAPS.
o A critical starting point for effective
teaching is to acknowledge that
significant learning is based on
understanding.
 Teaching is more than just presenting
content
oTo take learners from a state of not understanding to a state of
deep understanding requires teachers to do at least the
following:

- Transform the curriculum content into something that is easy to learn.

- Create a physical and emotional environment that is conducive to learning.
- Structure learning tasks that will systematically lead learners to understanding
the content by allowing their brains to process information effectively.
- Motivate learners to engage with the learning tasks.
- Monitor learners’ learning and respond appropriately to their changing needs.
 Teaching is more than just presenting
content
oThe best teachers are those who can take the “raw” content (eg the
content in the prescribed tourism textbook and the CAPS) and
transform that information into meaningful knowledge for the learner.
oThis will mean that:
a) Not all the information in the textbook will be taught – the teacher
has to make careful selections of what to teach.
b) The things that are taught will be presented in a different sequence
from the way they appear in the textbook.
c) Each theme will be taught through carefully selected examples that
the teacher has tried to make relevant and as realistic as possible.
d) Teachers often explain key themes differently from the way they
are explained in the textbook – to make sure the learners
understand.
A tourism teacher’s roles in the South
African Context
Mediator of learning.
Interpreter and designer of
learning programmes and
materials.
Leader, administrator and
manager.
Scholar, researcher and
lifelong learner.
Community, citizenship and
pastoral role player.
Learning area, subject,
discipline, phase specialist.
Assessor.
 A knowledge base for teaching
• To teach effectively, you
need to understand the four
types of knowledge:
1. Knowledge of your subject
2. Knowledge about how
learners learn
3. General pedagogical
knowledge
4. Pedagogical content
knowledge
 Knowledge of your subject
You must understand the fundamental:

Tourism
- Concepts
- Principles
- Relationships that define your subject.
- How experts in the field think about and
use these ideas.
How well you understand the things you
want learners to understand determines
how readily you can express ideas in
terms that are appropriate to the learners’
level of development.
It places a limit on the conceptual level at
which you can engage learners with that
topic.
 Knowledge about how learners learn

 You need knowledge about how learners learn so that you can teach in
ways that are consistent with principles of development and
educational psychology.
 General pedagogical knowledge and
pedagogical content knowledge
You need general pedagogical knowledge so that you
understand how to guide learning in appropriate ways.
Pedagogical content knowledge – Knowledge about how to
teach effectively in particular disciplines.
A model of teacher knowledge
(Grossman 1990)
What characteristics does an effective
tourism teacher have?
 Characteristics of effective teachers
Sound knowledge of subject matter
Lifelong learners
Enthusiastic
Confident
Optimistic
Effective communicators
Committed
Compassionate
Curious
Patient and persistent
Willing to share and collaborate
Resourceful and inventive
Well-organised
Ethical
 Characteristics of effective teachers
Have knowledge of self.
Demonstrate reflection and independent judgement.
Have psychological insight.
Have good knowledge of education system’s aims,
curricula, policy documents and available materials.
Have good knowledge of teaching strategies.
Be demanding, but supportive.
Have good classroom management skills.
Knowledge of learners and their characteristics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbg1XOI5wM0
 Reference list

• Grossman, P.L. (1990). The making of a teacher: Teacher

knowledge and teacher education. New York: Teachers
College.
• Killen, R. 2011. Teaching Strategies for Quality Teaching and
learning. Juta and Company Ltd. (p24-37)
• Louw L.P, du Toit E. R. 2010. Help, I’m a student teacher. Skill
development for teaching practice. Pretoria: Van Schaik. (p34,
p36)