Teaching, Learning and Assessment Newsletter Sharing ideas and best practice Spring 2014 Through these regular newsletters we aim to share examples of best practice, identified both at individual and team level within the college, which can inform practice across the college and support continuous improvement. In this edition we highlight: evidence based Teaching and Learning Improvement a range of frameworks to assist learning improving the effectiveness of demonstrations through video two examples of new ILT software
Teacher Research: evidence based approach to improving teaching and learning The keynote speaker at the Conference held at the college on the 7th March was Mike Bell. Mike referred to research findings published by John Hattie as to what works best for learning and to the work of Geoff Petty (more information can be found on Hattie’s Visible Learning website: http://visible-learning.org and at: http://geoffpetty.com/). We all are aware that students need to revisit ideas a number of times to develop their understanding and recall but one of the many useful findings is that students need to re-use information 6 times before they remember it. Each re encounter can however be very brief (this rule might be used as the basis of a poster display in classrooms to inform students). Methods of teaching that provide opportunities for this repetition, such as those discussed in the next section looking at examples of frameworks, should be built into schemes of work and/or lesson plans.
Hattie’s research found that students acting on feedback has the highest impact on learning. Peer assessment is one model of feedback that is particularly effective, in circumstances where students are less confident this activity can really improve their learning. A simple mechanism is to give students some questions which they answer. You collect in the answers and then give them out randomly. Then give out the assessment criteria and get them to mark it. Then collect in and give back to the student. This works because they then are asked to check through their answers to try and catch out the peer marker engaging them again with the assessment criteria. This provides repetition, they've covered the work 3 times (out of the 6).
A framework for Peer Explanations Many staff have used bingo to test students understanding of terminology/definitions. Here it extended to enable peer explanations, evidenced through research to be a particularly effective method of learning, to be formally structured. Students are warned at the start of the lesson that they will have to explain a topic later in the lesson, the warning is important as it focuses attention and ensures active listening. The students are then asked to individually write down key terms that would be used in the explanation. Working in pairs each student talks for a nominated time explaining the topic whilst the other marks off the key words using the bingo format. Roles are reversed and students then discuss their performance, checking if there were any difference in the words they had initially identified and whether the verbal descriptions had any omissions. The plenary is a class discussion of key words and omissions etc.
B
I
N
G
O
mnemonics
alphabetic principle
analogy phonics
analytic phonics
blend
closed syllables
cluster
embedded grapheme phonics
consonant consonant diphthongs blends digraphs Free Space!
letters
long vowels
A Questioning Framework Here is an example of a Questioning matrix used by some lecturing staff at Penwith. It is given to students to frame questions working in pairs or groups. Student can be asked to use more challenging questions such as how will and why might rather than the factual recall of who is or what did. The type of question asked and how effective a student was at answering that type of question can be recorded over time. Q-Matrix
is
did
can
would
will
might
Who What Where When How Why
Advanced/Graphic Organisers Graphic organisers can describe, compare or sequence. The highest impact occurs when students create them, then peer assess (for example leave behind and circulate the room to look at other examples), get ideas and improve their work, the teachers then shows assessment criteria or model answers, so students can self-assess. This provides opportunities for students to revisit information (remember the 6 times rule), they have to summarise information prioritising the most important aspects and then transfer information from one form into another (perhaps a complete essay or exam question). Examples include: holistic mind maps, description tables, venn diagrams, same/different diagrams, comparison labels, continuum, crossed continuum, target diagrams, visual essay planning, decision trees, storyboards, Diamond 9, timelines. Here are some examples used in the Sport programme area:
Advanced/Graphic Organisers Compare and Contrast:
Different
Same
Factor 1: Factor 2:
Fit for Purpose Analysis:
Goals/Purpose: How does it meet the goals? (strengths)
Why is it weak in relation to the goal?
Factor to Evaluate
Best Alternative
Possible Essay Framework for Evaluation (following an analysis brainstorm, you may need several frameworks for a single essay)
Purpose: Goals: Factor to evaluate:
Strengths
Rank Value
Evide nce
Weaknesses
Rank Value
Alternatives to consider: Questions that arise: Conclusions drawn:
Rank (1 to … ) (1 = most important) Value weighting (1 to 5) (5 = highest value) Evidence weighting (1 to 5) (5 = lots of supporting evidence) What Now? Once you have established a rank and a value weighting, ensure that the language used in your write up reflects these values – e.g. “it cannot be underestimated the value of…” or “however, on balance this is of minor significance Questioning Framework when compared with…”. Also remember to justify each S & W based upon the weight of evidence.
Evide nce
Gamification of Learning A great game has all the hallmarks of great learning and some staff at the college have been looking into how the implementation of these contemporary learning frameworks may afford a greater connection with learners. An exampe makes use of Animoto free software. http://animoto.com/ The software was used to produce a short animation shown to studetns at the start of a lesson to stimulate learner discussion and allow identification of the learning objectives for the lesson. Link to the animation:
Improving the effectiveness of demonstrations through video The Learning Technologies Conference held on the 7th March was very successful and included presentations from staff from across the college. One very well received presentation was on the use of video cameras to project demonstrations being undertaken onto the board to enable all students to see clearly the activity and also to record the demonstration so students can view at a later date via moodle. This technique could be applied to a very wide range of practical courses across the college. Please contact Correy Ellison or one of the e-learning team if you wish to use this technique on your course. Images
Two new free ILT software packages Socrative: a multi-use quiz and survey browser-based program which can be used on nearly any media (ios/Android/PC/Mac) – one key advantage therefore is that it is accessible via smart phones, tablets and computers (for those studetns who don’t have a smart phone). http://www.socrative.com/
Image of a quiz???
Microsoft expression;
screen capture softwarewhich the Games Development team have been using as a means by which learners can record their screens to explain/prove processes of learning, cutting down the need for lengthy production logs.
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/eng/index.html
Image of a log with short explanation
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee Representatives Martin Page Sheenagh Hughes Jen Brown Guy Essex Jenny Blunden Euan Beattie Lee Clark Martin Lanyon Armando Garcia Correy Ellison Andy Stittle
Moodle Site:
Art & Design Karen Weeks Business Centre Business Studies Alison Attfield CL & WD Community Studies Steve Piff Auto, Engineering & Construction English & Languages Julian Roberts Foundation Studies HE & Education Hayley McKinstry Hair, Beauty & Catering Humanities Angie Powell Maths & Computing Media & Photography Bill Walker Performing Arts Science James Bradley Sport Vocational Penwith Tamsin Hamilton A Level Penwith e-Learning Chris Hutton Staff Development Quality Assurance Leader